✿ | survey
RATE YOUR CHARACTER'S…
STRENGTH: ★★★☆☆☆
SPEED: ★★★★★☆
INTELLIGENCE: ★★★★★☆
WILLPOWER: ★★★★☆☆ (usually stubborn over the wrong things though)
CHARISMA: ★★★★★☆
ENDURANCE: ★★★☆☆☆
LUCK: ★★★★☆☆
MENTAL STABILITY: ★★★★★☆
EMOTIONAL STABILITY: ★★★★★☆
PHYSICAL STABILITY: ★★★☆☆☆
RATE YOUR CHARACTER'S ABILITIES IN…
CLOSE RANGE COMBAT: ★★★☆☆☆
CLOSE RANGE WEAPONRY: ★★☆☆☆☆
MID/LONG RANGE WEAPONRY: ★★★☆☆☆
COMMUNICATIONS: ★★★★★★
ESPIONAGE: ★★★★★☆
SURVIVAL SKILLS: ★★☆☆☆☆
SCIENCES: ★★★★★★
ENGINEERING: ★★★☆☆☆
MEDICINE: ★★★★★☆
MECHANICS: ★★☆☆☆☆
LEADERSHIP: ★★☆☆☆☆
POLITICS: ★★★☆☆☆
TECHNOLOGY: ★★★★★★
TRADE: ★★★★★★
THE ARTS: ★★★★★☆
ALCOHOL: ★★★★☆☆
DATING: ★★★★☆☆
SEX: ★★★★★☆
INTIMACY: ★★☆☆☆☆
BODY & APPEARANCE.
⒈ Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Taking into consideration the heights of his brothers, I place Hong Kong at about 5'7. Taller than China and Japan, but seemingly shorter than Korea. This more or less fits statistics as well, as apparently Hong Kong Chinese men tend to be taller than those on the mainland, with an average height of 5'7. As well as being taller, to me he appears to be a little heavier, slightly more thickset and broad-shouldered than brodad (it's not difficult). Which could probably be down to his half-Western upbringing, lifestyle and diet etc. He's lean but pretty muscular.
⒉ How old is he?
In physical terms he appears to be around 17 or 18 years old. In reality he's arguably somewhere between his late 100's and 300. Usually he'll answer that he's almost 200. When you think about it, Hong Kong actually appears very old for his young years in nation terms. Most other nations at his age still had the appearances of small children and the reason for this is just how quickly he grew and flourished as a territory.
⒊ Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Having had all that gentlemen training, Hong Kong does hold himself well generally and when it calls for it, but he does tend to slouch a lot. If he's wearing Western clothes like jeans for example, I see him as being the type to walk around with his hands in his pockets a lot of the time.
⒋ How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's far from being a bodybuilder or anything, but he does like to stay trim, although he has the advantage of never actually putting weight on no matter how much he stuffs his face. Having a strong capitalist economy also helps. As far as his health is concerned, he is very healthy, but he is also very prone to illness and has something of a sickly disposition at times. This is aptly illustrated by the number of epidemics and health scares that have happened in his house, as having such a huge population in such a tiny amount of space means any infectious diseases such as SARs spread through him like wildfire at the drop of a hat, as such his health can be fragile, I don't think he has much immunity to anything.
⒌ How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
When he actually wants to move, he does so in a quick, direct way. I see him as having quite a brisk walk, fitting of a territory that is forever on the go and has the primary concern that time is money. I think there is can be a certain grace to his movement, but much of that is lost in the fast and business-like manner that he tends to favour.
⒍ How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror
It's a matter of opinion of course, but he is a good looking guy and he's kind of got that Asian heart throb-y idol look going for him- with the hairstyle and the big wide-eyes- which always helps and he shows no hesitance in using this advantage to its fullest. He comes across as fairly sure of his looks, but he is actually a little insecure at times, particularly with regard to the eyebrows.
⒎ Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Reflecting the generalisations/genetic stereotypes over differences between Northern and Southern Chinese, Hong Kong's skin is naturally a little darker and more tanned looking than China's. His heavily urban lifestyle means he's paler than usual, but he becomes pretty dark with more exposure to the sun. As far as scarring goes, he has very little, only two or three small ones on his shoulder and sternum areas from the Battle of Hong Kong and Japanese occupation.
⒏ Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Hong Kong has short, very choppy, very dark brown/bordering on black hair. It appears to have that typical stylishly ruffled movie star/Asian pop idol look about it, although he actually does very little to make it that way, except brush it. If he doesn't it tends to stick up and look even more unruly than usual.
⒐ What colour are his eyes?
Kind of a brownish gold hue, tawny?
⒑ Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
His eyebrows. Nuff said.. Oh, and he also has a constant scent of sandalwood incense and other flowery things...
⒒ What are his chief tension centers?
Neck and shoulders.
⒓ What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
He has a walk-in wardrobe which is basically a black hole, Macau has probably gotten lost in there about five times and it's filled with clothes for probably any occasion you can think of. It is mostly all designer, but as far as variation goes, he does tend to stick to certain colours, those being various reds, black and white and the occasional green or blue. He does often have more than one of the same clothing item, but usually in a different colour, because it is completely neccessary. He favours casual but stylish pretty much all of the time and if he does dress up and wear a suit it'll nearly always be unbuttoned at the top and worn without a tie. He'll quite happily shell out for a designer shirt, when he could probably get something that looks exactly the same, only minus the brand name for about a fraction of the cost. All that being said, Hong Kong overall does still prefer his traditional clothes and will spend most of his time in a duangua outfit.
⒔ Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
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⒕ Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
They're generally pretty loose fitting and baggy. He favours style over practicality, but he does tend to pick stuff that's comfortable anyway.
⒖ You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Red or black boxers. I could see him going commando often though out of laziness, how hot it can get in his house and lack of shame, because I am terrible.
SPEECH.
⒈What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Like this (about 3.50)! It's a very stereotypical teenager/young guy's voice in a lot of ways. It's not very deep, but it's not especially high either.
⒉ How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He has a very drawly, permanently bored sounding way of speaking, which gives you as about as much of a clue as to what he's really feeling as his lack of facial expressions. It's quite a flowing and smooth drawl though. He doesn't appear to show much hesitation about saying whatever he wants, unless he's feeling lazy or just doesn't feel in the mood to talk.
⒊ Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
It can be argued that he just speaks a variant of Mandarin and that Cantonese or Yue is merely a dialect. Thinking along those lines, his entire manner of speaking is built upon Southern dialects and accents. Before the arrival of England, Hong Kong largely spoke the Tung Kwun and Po On variants of Cantonese. As well as others such as Hakka, Teochew and Tanka. It wasn't until the late 1800's, with the influx of workers and merchants from the mainland, that he began to switch to standard Cantonese. That being said, there are still differences between the way he speaks and that of a mainland Cantonese speaker, owing to the absorption of foreign vocabulary from his time as a British colony, as well as his own specific vocab. This leads to the term "Hong Kong speech".
Also according to the realm of Hetalia VAs, you can hear the teeniest, tiniest, barest hint of a lisp when he says certain words.
Verbal tics? ...You like, totally just answered that for yourself with that last bit.
⒋ What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
-Primarily: Cantonese and English. And additionally Mandarin.
-Also: Hokkien, Taishanese, Hakka and Teochew. As well as any other additional dialects/languages mentioned above.
-Fairly fluent in Japanese and Vietnamese
-Being such a multicultural place and with such a large influx of people from all over the world at different points in his life, he can say at least a few words and sentences of other languages such as Korean, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Nepalese, French and German.
⒌ Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
He likes to flaunt the fact that he's so proficient with languages and will switch fairly often, even outside important official matters such as meetings etc. Obviously he speaks English to England and will also do that for others such as America, Canada and Australia. As is quite common with young English speaking Asians, his accent has something of an odd American twang to it at times, influenced by media and his desire to be cool that way. When speaking to China, Taiwan and his other siblings, he will often make an effort to switch to their language, although with the former he can basically chill and speak in his usual Cantonese. Although some of his odd words and slang, that are specific to his house only, might confuse his poor old teacher a bit.
Examples:
-To Vietnam: Either Vietnamese or- if they're speaking Chinese- Teochew or Cantonese.
-To Taiwan: Mandarin or Hokkien.
⒍ Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
Hong Kong rarely ever really takes any time at all to think about what he's going to say next. Not thinking before he speaks might be considered a flaw, but he is pretty quick-witted and will shoot down a lot of things with just the right cutting, troll-esque remark before the other person has even had a chance to try and fathom what's going on in the first place
⒎ Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
He has a very clear, concise manner of speaking, bordering on being very blunt. He can say what he wants or means with as few words as possible and still get his point across very effectively. Nothing much ever really appears to outwardly phase him, so this rarely ever changes, unless he's very, very nervous and even then it's almost impossible to tell. He's hardly public speaker material, but he is something of a businessman by nature and can usually persuade people fairly well with very little effort and words involved.
MENTAL & EMOTIONAL.
⒈ How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Hong Kong is very very book-smart. He's a member of the Four Asian Tigers, which in terms of Hetalia, I see as being like almost a club for four geeky young Asian nations that showed incredible talent for economics. Prodigies if you will. You can't really live in a city like Hong Kong without having quite a degree of street-smarts and he does possess that as well, although his youth and inexperience might surface from time to time.
⒉ Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
He does come across as a think on his feet kind of guy, but as far as really serious situations go, he chooses to deliberate and think matters through before diving straight into things.
⒊ Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
As far as logic and intuition go, he is both to a certain degree, although he does possess a very logical brain. However, being such an effective troll requires a hefty amount of intuition on his part to see just what would rile his victim up the most and being able gauge their reactions and this is something he's kind of gotten down to an art. Mostly he is very practical, although he has his very idealistic moments, particularly with regards to business and money.
⒋ What kind of education has the character had?
It's probably fair to assume that he was very well educated and tutored by England and before that China probably set him up quite well too. As bored as he seems, he genuinely has great interest in learning. Competition amongst students in his house is fierce and there is a strict ranking system. Because of this I think he has something of an inbuilt mentality of wanting to be more intelligent than everyone else around him... Even if it's by the easiest means possible. Of course a huge motivator to him is being able to outsmart and trick anyone he comes across.
⒌ What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
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⒍ Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
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⒎ Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
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⒏ How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
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⒐ Is he more likely to act, or to react?
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⒑ Which is his default: fight or flight?
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⒒ Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
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⒓ Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
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⒔ What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
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⒕ What does he fear?
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⒖ What are his hopes or aspirations?
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⒗ What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
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RELATIONSHIPS.
⒈ Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
The person that Hong Kong most definitely first and foremost considers a father figure is China. They are brothers, but with such a yawning gulf of an age gap between the two of them, a father-son relationship is probably a more accurate way of looking at it and Hong Kong sees it as such. His childhood in China's house was bittersweet in every sense, with happy times spent with his teacher and Taiwan, but constantly overshadowed by the separation from his brother Macau and the looming specters of opium, foreign invaders and war.
Hong Kong is perhaps notable in that he has no real wish to be separated or seek independence from China now that they have been reunited and has genuine love and respect for him, though he often has a funny way of showing it. Despite appearances, he is still very much a commanding and wise figure to the SAR and inwardly he does crave China's approval in nearly everything he does, but at the same time finds this conflicting with his desire to maintain his freedoms and separate identity. Hong Kong often feels a little nervous around his old teacher, having been away from him for such a long time, but also often feels inclined to look down on him. He doesn't agree with a lot of what China does, he dislikes his government and a lot of his methods of dealing with issues and feels a great amount of tension and fear over his future and whether or not he'll always be given the same amount of freedom as he is at the moment. All that aside, he does genuinely feel that he is back where he belongs now.
⒉ Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
answer
⒊ Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
answer
⒋ Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of her family? What are his relationships with them?
answer
⒌ Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
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⒍ Does he have other close friends?
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⒎ Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
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⒏ Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
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⒐ Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
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⒑ Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
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⒒ Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
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⒓ What does he look for in a romantic partner?
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⒔ Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
He has neither obviously. Perhaps suprisingly though, he actually quite likes babbies and though he has largely no interest at all in settling down or anything, he probably wouldn't mind having one later on. Athough he would largely see it as something adorable to show off and when it comes to actually being responsible and looking after it he'd flail quite a bit and probably go running to China. Eventually though, he would try to step up.
⒕ Does he have any rivals or enemies?
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⒖ What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Probably predominantly a 1, although perhaps a 2. He is largely very straight, but he is pretty open-minded and metrosexuality is fashionable, taken that into consideration he is not violently opposed to the idea of homosexuality, although anything he does is more likely to be more of a simple bromance.
⒗ How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He has the physical body of an 17/18 year old guy... What do you think? He completely adheres to the stereotypes and thinks about it way too much. As Hong Kong is at the moment and taking his young years into consideration, sex is something casual and to be indulged in and enjoyed whenever possible. He has less shame and embarrassment issues over the subject than most of his family and can be quite frank about it, although if pressed for specific details he likes to remain hushhush and will often pretend to be more open about it then he actually is for the sake of trolling family members
⒘ What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turns ons... Erm, sex, period? Ideally, he likes a bit of a challenge and being young, a willingness to experiment is desirable, as he will try most things.
BELIEFS.
⒈ Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
His current birthday is his return to China, the 1st of July 1997. This means he's a Cancer and an Ox of the Water-Fire element. Cancerians are said to be loyal, adaptable and attached to their family. He doesn't really have the extreme emotional sensitivity that they tend to have, but this all fits pretty well : "They are the perfect keepers of secrets and people automatically confide in them. However, their own thoughts and secrets are strictly off limits for everyone. A typical cancer will never discuss his personal life with anyone. Compassion and intuition gel perfectly with the Cancer profile. He seldom judges people, just soaks up what comes his way and reflects the same. He will never ever give up an object he cherishes, be it a gift from a lover or the worn jeans he loves wearing. Cancerians have a soft heart; they care about people and are quite helpful. However, they wait to see if someone else is helping."
As for the Ox, the male is described as being difficult to understand and keeps doubts to himself and Fire Oxes are more arrogant and proud than those of the other elements. These aspects fit him quite well.
⒉ Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
It is said that few modern-day city residents take their beliefs more seriously than the Hong Kong Chinese and Hong Kong himself is no exception, although he'll try to tell you otherwise. Having been taken away from China at such a young age, before his teacher was forced to give up any old superstitious beliefs he had in the pursuit of Communism, as such Hong Kong retained all of the ones that he had taught him, creating his own unique eclectic mix of them. A mix of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism - overlayed with elements of animism, superstition and old folk traditions, along with the Chinese tradition of ancestor worship. These religions are accompanied by the more overtly superstitious beliefs that are so important in his house, Feng Shui and Numerology.
It can be said however, that Hong Kong worships one thing and one thing only: money. It is the evangelical pursuit of personal wealth that seems to be so ingrained into his people. Deity worship is often used in the pusuit of worldly gains, such as stock market advice. Evidence of this can be seen in the huge numbers of offerings to the god of good fortune, Wong Tai Sin at his temple. Money as a motivator or not, it seems to be working for him.
-"Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese form of geomancy, and an important consideration when a new tower block is being planned - a feng shui master will advise on which direction it should face and where desks, beds or even a vase should be placed to attract the best luck and prevent bad fortune."
-"Hong Kong may be the only place in the world where someone would pay US$1.7 million for a vehicle licence plate. In 1994, local tycoon Albert Yeung did just that - investing in a license plate bearing the single digit nine, considered lucky because the Cantonese word for 'nine' sounds like the word fot 'eternity', 'longevity' or 'perpetuity'."
⒊ Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
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⒋ How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
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⒌ What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
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DAILY LIFE.
⒈ What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
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⒉ What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
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⒊ Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
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⒋ Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Anything he deems necessary.... Which is usually a load of crap. He's a materialistic person and likes to surround himself with anything expensive or on trend.
⒌ What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
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⒍ What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend her free time?
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⒎ What are his eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
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ASSOCIATIONS.
Ⅰ Color?
Dark red.
Ⅱ Smell?
Sandalwood/incense. He has a smoky, flowery smell.
Ⅲ Time of day?
Midnight.
Ⅳ Season?
Summer.
Ⅴ Book?
Any kind of Wuxia novels. Maybe Journey To The West.
Ⅵ Music?
He does still enjoy Cantonese opera, although he will deny this fiercely. Obviously he kind of has to like Cantopop, but he also likes American and English music of most genres.
Ⅶ Place?
Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak and Lamma Island.
Ⅷ Substance?
Water.
Ⅸ Plant?
Bauhinia blakeana.
Ⅹ Animal?
Dragon or South China tiger
note: orginal coding by eroslegy
STRENGTH: ★★★☆☆☆
SPEED: ★★★★★☆
INTELLIGENCE: ★★★★★☆
WILLPOWER: ★★★★☆☆ (usually stubborn over the wrong things though)
CHARISMA: ★★★★★☆
ENDURANCE: ★★★☆☆☆
LUCK: ★★★★☆☆
MENTAL STABILITY: ★★★★★☆
EMOTIONAL STABILITY: ★★★★★☆
PHYSICAL STABILITY: ★★★☆☆☆
RATE YOUR CHARACTER'S ABILITIES IN…
CLOSE RANGE COMBAT: ★★★☆☆☆
CLOSE RANGE WEAPONRY: ★★☆☆☆☆
MID/LONG RANGE WEAPONRY: ★★★☆☆☆
COMMUNICATIONS: ★★★★★★
ESPIONAGE: ★★★★★☆
SURVIVAL SKILLS: ★★☆☆☆☆
SCIENCES: ★★★★★★
ENGINEERING: ★★★☆☆☆
MEDICINE: ★★★★★☆
MECHANICS: ★★☆☆☆☆
LEADERSHIP: ★★☆☆☆☆
POLITICS: ★★★☆☆☆
TECHNOLOGY: ★★★★★★
TRADE: ★★★★★★
THE ARTS: ★★★★★☆
ALCOHOL: ★★★★☆☆
DATING: ★★★★☆☆
SEX: ★★★★★☆
INTIMACY: ★★☆☆☆☆
BODY & APPEARANCE.
⒈ Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
Taking into consideration the heights of his brothers, I place Hong Kong at about 5'7. Taller than China and Japan, but seemingly shorter than Korea. This more or less fits statistics as well, as apparently Hong Kong Chinese men tend to be taller than those on the mainland, with an average height of 5'7. As well as being taller, to me he appears to be a little heavier, slightly more thickset and broad-shouldered than brodad (it's not difficult). Which could probably be down to his half-Western upbringing, lifestyle and diet etc. He's lean but pretty muscular.
⒉ How old is he?
In physical terms he appears to be around 17 or 18 years old. In reality he's arguably somewhere between his late 100's and 300. Usually he'll answer that he's almost 200. When you think about it, Hong Kong actually appears very old for his young years in nation terms. Most other nations at his age still had the appearances of small children and the reason for this is just how quickly he grew and flourished as a territory.
⒊ Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Having had all that gentlemen training, Hong Kong does hold himself well generally and when it calls for it, but he does tend to slouch a lot. If he's wearing Western clothes like jeans for example, I see him as being the type to walk around with his hands in his pockets a lot of the time.
⒋ How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's far from being a bodybuilder or anything, but he does like to stay trim, although he has the advantage of never actually putting weight on no matter how much he stuffs his face. Having a strong capitalist economy also helps. As far as his health is concerned, he is very healthy, but he is also very prone to illness and has something of a sickly disposition at times. This is aptly illustrated by the number of epidemics and health scares that have happened in his house, as having such a huge population in such a tiny amount of space means any infectious diseases such as SARs spread through him like wildfire at the drop of a hat, as such his health can be fragile, I don't think he has much immunity to anything.
⒌ How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
When he actually wants to move, he does so in a quick, direct way. I see him as having quite a brisk walk, fitting of a territory that is forever on the go and has the primary concern that time is money. I think there is can be a certain grace to his movement, but much of that is lost in the fast and business-like manner that he tends to favour.
⒍ How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror
It's a matter of opinion of course, but he is a good looking guy and he's kind of got that Asian heart throb-y idol look going for him- with the hairstyle and the big wide-eyes- which always helps and he shows no hesitance in using this advantage to its fullest. He comes across as fairly sure of his looks, but he is actually a little insecure at times, particularly with regard to the eyebrows.
⒎ Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Reflecting the generalisations/genetic stereotypes over differences between Northern and Southern Chinese, Hong Kong's skin is naturally a little darker and more tanned looking than China's. His heavily urban lifestyle means he's paler than usual, but he becomes pretty dark with more exposure to the sun. As far as scarring goes, he has very little, only two or three small ones on his shoulder and sternum areas from the Battle of Hong Kong and Japanese occupation.
⒏ Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Hong Kong has short, very choppy, very dark brown/bordering on black hair. It appears to have that typical stylishly ruffled movie star/Asian pop idol look about it, although he actually does very little to make it that way, except brush it. If he doesn't it tends to stick up and look even more unruly than usual.
⒐ What colour are his eyes?
Kind of a brownish gold hue, tawny?
⒑ Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
His eyebrows. Nuff said.. Oh, and he also has a constant scent of sandalwood incense and other flowery things...
⒒ What are his chief tension centers?
Neck and shoulders.
⒓ What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
He has a walk-in wardrobe which is basically a black hole, Macau has probably gotten lost in there about five times and it's filled with clothes for probably any occasion you can think of. It is mostly all designer, but as far as variation goes, he does tend to stick to certain colours, those being various reds, black and white and the occasional green or blue. He does often have more than one of the same clothing item, but usually in a different colour, because it is completely neccessary. He favours casual but stylish pretty much all of the time and if he does dress up and wear a suit it'll nearly always be unbuttoned at the top and worn without a tie. He'll quite happily shell out for a designer shirt, when he could probably get something that looks exactly the same, only minus the brand name for about a fraction of the cost. All that being said, Hong Kong overall does still prefer his traditional clothes and will spend most of his time in a duangua outfit.
⒔ Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
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⒕ Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
They're generally pretty loose fitting and baggy. He favours style over practicality, but he does tend to pick stuff that's comfortable anyway.
⒖ You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Red or black boxers. I could see him going commando often though out of laziness, how hot it can get in his house and lack of shame, because I am terrible.
SPEECH.
⒈What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Like this (about 3.50)! It's a very stereotypical teenager/young guy's voice in a lot of ways. It's not very deep, but it's not especially high either.
⒉ How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He has a very drawly, permanently bored sounding way of speaking, which gives you as about as much of a clue as to what he's really feeling as his lack of facial expressions. It's quite a flowing and smooth drawl though. He doesn't appear to show much hesitation about saying whatever he wants, unless he's feeling lazy or just doesn't feel in the mood to talk.
⒊ Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
It can be argued that he just speaks a variant of Mandarin and that Cantonese or Yue is merely a dialect. Thinking along those lines, his entire manner of speaking is built upon Southern dialects and accents. Before the arrival of England, Hong Kong largely spoke the Tung Kwun and Po On variants of Cantonese. As well as others such as Hakka, Teochew and Tanka. It wasn't until the late 1800's, with the influx of workers and merchants from the mainland, that he began to switch to standard Cantonese. That being said, there are still differences between the way he speaks and that of a mainland Cantonese speaker, owing to the absorption of foreign vocabulary from his time as a British colony, as well as his own specific vocab. This leads to the term "Hong Kong speech".
Also according to the realm of Hetalia VAs, you can hear the teeniest, tiniest, barest hint of a lisp when he says certain words.
Verbal tics? ...You like, totally just answered that for yourself with that last bit.
⒋ What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
-Primarily: Cantonese and English. And additionally Mandarin.
-Also: Hokkien, Taishanese, Hakka and Teochew. As well as any other additional dialects/languages mentioned above.
-Fairly fluent in Japanese and Vietnamese
-Being such a multicultural place and with such a large influx of people from all over the world at different points in his life, he can say at least a few words and sentences of other languages such as Korean, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Nepalese, French and German.
⒌ Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
He likes to flaunt the fact that he's so proficient with languages and will switch fairly often, even outside important official matters such as meetings etc. Obviously he speaks English to England and will also do that for others such as America, Canada and Australia. As is quite common with young English speaking Asians, his accent has something of an odd American twang to it at times, influenced by media and his desire to be cool that way. When speaking to China, Taiwan and his other siblings, he will often make an effort to switch to their language, although with the former he can basically chill and speak in his usual Cantonese. Although some of his odd words and slang, that are specific to his house only, might confuse his poor old teacher a bit.
Examples:
-To Vietnam: Either Vietnamese or- if they're speaking Chinese- Teochew or Cantonese.
-To Taiwan: Mandarin or Hokkien.
⒍ Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
Hong Kong rarely ever really takes any time at all to think about what he's going to say next. Not thinking before he speaks might be considered a flaw, but he is pretty quick-witted and will shoot down a lot of things with just the right cutting, troll-esque remark before the other person has even had a chance to try and fathom what's going on in the first place
⒎ Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
He has a very clear, concise manner of speaking, bordering on being very blunt. He can say what he wants or means with as few words as possible and still get his point across very effectively. Nothing much ever really appears to outwardly phase him, so this rarely ever changes, unless he's very, very nervous and even then it's almost impossible to tell. He's hardly public speaker material, but he is something of a businessman by nature and can usually persuade people fairly well with very little effort and words involved.
MENTAL & EMOTIONAL.
⒈ How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Hong Kong is very very book-smart. He's a member of the Four Asian Tigers, which in terms of Hetalia, I see as being like almost a club for four geeky young Asian nations that showed incredible talent for economics. Prodigies if you will. You can't really live in a city like Hong Kong without having quite a degree of street-smarts and he does possess that as well, although his youth and inexperience might surface from time to time.
⒉ Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
He does come across as a think on his feet kind of guy, but as far as really serious situations go, he chooses to deliberate and think matters through before diving straight into things.
⒊ Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
As far as logic and intuition go, he is both to a certain degree, although he does possess a very logical brain. However, being such an effective troll requires a hefty amount of intuition on his part to see just what would rile his victim up the most and being able gauge their reactions and this is something he's kind of gotten down to an art. Mostly he is very practical, although he has his very idealistic moments, particularly with regards to business and money.
⒋ What kind of education has the character had?
It's probably fair to assume that he was very well educated and tutored by England and before that China probably set him up quite well too. As bored as he seems, he genuinely has great interest in learning. Competition amongst students in his house is fierce and there is a strict ranking system. Because of this I think he has something of an inbuilt mentality of wanting to be more intelligent than everyone else around him... Even if it's by the easiest means possible. Of course a huge motivator to him is being able to outsmart and trick anyone he comes across.
⒌ What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
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⒍ Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
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⒎ Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
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⒏ How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
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⒐ Is he more likely to act, or to react?
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⒑ Which is his default: fight or flight?
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⒒ Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
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⒓ Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
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⒔ What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
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⒕ What does he fear?
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⒖ What are his hopes or aspirations?
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⒗ What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
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RELATIONSHIPS.
⒈ Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
The person that Hong Kong most definitely first and foremost considers a father figure is China. They are brothers, but with such a yawning gulf of an age gap between the two of them, a father-son relationship is probably a more accurate way of looking at it and Hong Kong sees it as such. His childhood in China's house was bittersweet in every sense, with happy times spent with his teacher and Taiwan, but constantly overshadowed by the separation from his brother Macau and the looming specters of opium, foreign invaders and war.
Hong Kong is perhaps notable in that he has no real wish to be separated or seek independence from China now that they have been reunited and has genuine love and respect for him, though he often has a funny way of showing it. Despite appearances, he is still very much a commanding and wise figure to the SAR and inwardly he does crave China's approval in nearly everything he does, but at the same time finds this conflicting with his desire to maintain his freedoms and separate identity. Hong Kong often feels a little nervous around his old teacher, having been away from him for such a long time, but also often feels inclined to look down on him. He doesn't agree with a lot of what China does, he dislikes his government and a lot of his methods of dealing with issues and feels a great amount of tension and fear over his future and whether or not he'll always be given the same amount of freedom as he is at the moment. All that aside, he does genuinely feel that he is back where he belongs now.
⒉ Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
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⒊ Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
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⒋ Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of her family? What are his relationships with them?
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⒌ Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
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⒍ Does he have other close friends?
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⒎ Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
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⒏ Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
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⒐ Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
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⒑ Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
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⒒ Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
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⒓ What does he look for in a romantic partner?
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⒔ Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
He has neither obviously. Perhaps suprisingly though, he actually quite likes babbies and though he has largely no interest at all in settling down or anything, he probably wouldn't mind having one later on. Athough he would largely see it as something adorable to show off and when it comes to actually being responsible and looking after it he'd flail quite a bit and probably go running to China. Eventually though, he would try to step up.
⒕ Does he have any rivals or enemies?
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⒖ What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Probably predominantly a 1, although perhaps a 2. He is largely very straight, but he is pretty open-minded and metrosexuality is fashionable, taken that into consideration he is not violently opposed to the idea of homosexuality, although anything he does is more likely to be more of a simple bromance.
⒗ How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He has the physical body of an 17/18 year old guy... What do you think? He completely adheres to the stereotypes and thinks about it way too much. As Hong Kong is at the moment and taking his young years into consideration, sex is something casual and to be indulged in and enjoyed whenever possible. He has less shame and embarrassment issues over the subject than most of his family and can be quite frank about it, although if pressed for specific details he likes to remain hushhush and will often pretend to be more open about it then he actually is for the sake of trolling family members
⒘ What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turns ons... Erm, sex, period? Ideally, he likes a bit of a challenge and being young, a willingness to experiment is desirable, as he will try most things.
BELIEFS.
⒈ Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
His current birthday is his return to China, the 1st of July 1997. This means he's a Cancer and an Ox of the Water-Fire element. Cancerians are said to be loyal, adaptable and attached to their family. He doesn't really have the extreme emotional sensitivity that they tend to have, but this all fits pretty well : "They are the perfect keepers of secrets and people automatically confide in them. However, their own thoughts and secrets are strictly off limits for everyone. A typical cancer will never discuss his personal life with anyone. Compassion and intuition gel perfectly with the Cancer profile. He seldom judges people, just soaks up what comes his way and reflects the same. He will never ever give up an object he cherishes, be it a gift from a lover or the worn jeans he loves wearing. Cancerians have a soft heart; they care about people and are quite helpful. However, they wait to see if someone else is helping."
As for the Ox, the male is described as being difficult to understand and keeps doubts to himself and Fire Oxes are more arrogant and proud than those of the other elements. These aspects fit him quite well.
⒉ Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
It is said that few modern-day city residents take their beliefs more seriously than the Hong Kong Chinese and Hong Kong himself is no exception, although he'll try to tell you otherwise. Having been taken away from China at such a young age, before his teacher was forced to give up any old superstitious beliefs he had in the pursuit of Communism, as such Hong Kong retained all of the ones that he had taught him, creating his own unique eclectic mix of them. A mix of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism - overlayed with elements of animism, superstition and old folk traditions, along with the Chinese tradition of ancestor worship. These religions are accompanied by the more overtly superstitious beliefs that are so important in his house, Feng Shui and Numerology.
It can be said however, that Hong Kong worships one thing and one thing only: money. It is the evangelical pursuit of personal wealth that seems to be so ingrained into his people. Deity worship is often used in the pusuit of worldly gains, such as stock market advice. Evidence of this can be seen in the huge numbers of offerings to the god of good fortune, Wong Tai Sin at his temple. Money as a motivator or not, it seems to be working for him.
-"Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese form of geomancy, and an important consideration when a new tower block is being planned - a feng shui master will advise on which direction it should face and where desks, beds or even a vase should be placed to attract the best luck and prevent bad fortune."
-"Hong Kong may be the only place in the world where someone would pay US$1.7 million for a vehicle licence plate. In 1994, local tycoon Albert Yeung did just that - investing in a license plate bearing the single digit nine, considered lucky because the Cantonese word for 'nine' sounds like the word fot 'eternity', 'longevity' or 'perpetuity'."
⒊ Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
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⒋ How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
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⒌ What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
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DAILY LIFE.
⒈ What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
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⒉ What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
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⒊ Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
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⒋ Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Anything he deems necessary.... Which is usually a load of crap. He's a materialistic person and likes to surround himself with anything expensive or on trend.
⒌ What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
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⒍ What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend her free time?
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⒎ What are his eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
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ASSOCIATIONS.
Ⅰ Color?
Dark red.
Ⅱ Smell?
Sandalwood/incense. He has a smoky, flowery smell.
Ⅲ Time of day?
Midnight.
Ⅳ Season?
Summer.
Ⅴ Book?
Any kind of Wuxia novels. Maybe Journey To The West.
Ⅵ Music?
He does still enjoy Cantonese opera, although he will deny this fiercely. Obviously he kind of has to like Cantopop, but he also likes American and English music of most genres.
Ⅶ Place?
Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak and Lamma Island.
Ⅷ Substance?
Water.
Ⅸ Plant?
Bauhinia blakeana.
Ⅹ Animal?
Dragon or South China tiger
note: orginal coding by eroslegy