Human (Tian)
The Tian (pronounced TEE-yawn) people come from the distant continent of Tian Xia, located far to the east of the Inner Sea. The few Tian who migrate from their homeland to Casmaron are generally classed as a single ethnicity. The Tian people, however, come from an entire continent, and as such are not one united ethnicity, but many different ones. All Tian in the Inner Sea region, however, have one thing in common: they are thousands upon thousands of miles from their ancestral homeland and for whatever no longer wish or can live where their cultural heritage lies.
they are generally smaller in stature than the average human, with men rarely standing above five and a half feet tall, and women rarely rising much taller than five foot. Tian people generally have straight, black or very dark brown hair althoughTian are born with pure white hair, which is viewed as a sign of greatness. The most common eye color among Tian is brown although some variances exist.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Because there are several ethnicities among the Tian, and that Casmaron-dwelling humans cannot tell the difference it's difficult for them to understand the difference between feminine and masculine names.
Examples: Bing, Mihn, Vuan, Kimiko, Shuan, Xiao, Chise, Kye, Sakura
Masculine names
Difficult to tell apart from feminine names, they vary just as much in sounds and names, because of the many ethnicities.
Examples: Hwa, Sun, Ch'ang, Akihiko, Ju, Bao, Juni, Sook
Family names
Tian family names are generally a complex affair, combining names of several generations past to form a unique name. For simplicity, they usually only provide their first last name to non-Tian.
Examples: Chuk, Dyun, Kuan, Matsuhiro, Kim, Shao, Tsuyu, Tan, Que-Ming, Dzang
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Tea culture is another unique facet of Tian life, as the Tian take their tea very seriously. Tea is prevalent in all walks of life and all levels of society in Tian Xia, and it is more popular than alcohol in much of the continent.
Shared customary codes and values
Tian are known to value family and genealogy, and most of the nobility are able to trace their ancestors back at least a few dozen generations. One Tian-Shu king even claims to be able to trace his lineage back 11,000 years. The Tian gained their knowledge of genealogy from the dragons, who are known to obsess over their lineage.
Common Dress code
Most Tian prefer to wear loose-fitting garments, no matter their social standing. Those who can afford to, wear brighly-colored, robe-like clothes, elaborately embroidered with nature scenes or exotic animals such as dragons or phoenixes, while the poor often make due with simple kilts or trousers with linen wraps or course, and leather jackets on their upper bodies. Almost all Tian prefer bright and interesting colors; only the poorest wear undyed cloth.
Common Taboos
Taboos are aplenty for Tian of all walks of life. They value holding themselves to a strict diets or limitations on their sleep or hygiene. They consider these sacrifices an important part of their culture, mostly for those arcane-enclined.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Different ethnicities among the Tian have different beauty standards. Pale skin, wide eyes and a thin frame is generally considered particularly beautiful for both men and women of the court. This is unless they are warriors. In the case of warriors, a tan skin, paler eyes, long hair and a broader built is generally considered more beautiful.
Gender Ideals
For Tian, women should stay at home, be caretakers, mothers, demure and gentle. In the case of the common folk, they are to take care of providing the food, tending the fields, sewing the clothes. They are often seen as lesser citizens who must be protected and who do not belong on the battlefield. Similarly, men should be able to protect their wife and children, whether it be by brute strength or by other means.
Courtship Ideals
Court is generally a lengthy affairs for Tian, they do not give away easily what they consider their virtue and their heart.
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