[Distant Skies] China App (Reserved)
Jan. 17th, 2012 01:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragoncharmerABOUT YOU
Name: Rina (dragoncharmer)
Are you 18 or over?: Yes! Just turned 18, actually. (And by just, I mean I've been 18 since July XD I just still can't really believe I'm 18 now~)
Other characters played: N/A
CHARACTER
Name: China. His human name is Yao Wang, which he always gives out first, unless it's another Nation. Once he gets to trust a person, he'll eventually tell them his true name.
Canon: Axis Powers Hetalia (webcomic / manga)
Age: Well over four—no—five thousand years old, but he looks as though he’s in his late twenties.
History: The Character (This is on Wikipedia because the APH Shoutwiki is down and the wiki gives very little info.) | The Country | Hetalianized Version of China's history
Point in canon: August 1, 2008, a week before the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.
Window Location: In an alleyway, somewhere in the vast city of Beijing, where few pass by, for it is nowhere near any major shops or tourist attractions and locals prefer to avoid it since it gives them the creeps (especially during the evening). One goes down the alley and follows its path, which eventually directs to the left. That is where the window is.
Normally, China wouldn’t go down such an alley. However, one night he and some of his men in the government went out for a drink, to celebrate the upcoming Beijing Olympics. China enjoys a good drink, but he had too many good drinks so he ended up wandering around the streets, trying to find his hotel. Somewhere along his drunken stroll, he came across the alleyway and thought it was the entrance to the hotel. Of course he went down the path, took the turn, and stumbled through the window.
Universe: Almost exactly like our own, save for the existence of human embodiments of countries, states, cities, and mirconations. Aliens exist in the Hetalia universe too, among them are America’s friend Tony. Also, since China is being taken from 2008, anything from 2009 onwards doesn’t apply in this world, at least not yet.
Abilities: Because he’s a Nation, Yao’s injuries can heal within a short period of time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc, depending on how serious the injury is.) However, it’s proven by the scar on his back that not all injuries can fade away completely, especially if it was something that really hurt or effected the country in a major way. Also, his strength and stamina are higher above that of a human’s (though he’s not as strong as America). These abilities should still work in other universes since China was born with them.
As for his non-nation abilities, he’s very skilled in the martial arts and can use a wide variety of weapons. He’s also an excellent cook when it comes to Chinese cuisine; he puts in just the right amount of spices. He’s good at building things thanks to all the recent modernization happening in his country. To put it simply, he’s an all around kind of guy. The only real weaknesses he has is his love for cute things (don’t expect him to attack those off the bat) and his backaches (which will be further explained in the personality section).
Possessions: The red outfit he usually wears when not doing any military exercises, his Asian smoking pipe (along with a few small packs of opium powder), a lighter, his phone, and his wallet.
Personality:
China is the type of person who prefers living in the country rather than in the city, as well as the type who tends to recall the past often. Reason he does the latter is because he’s sad to see how the traditional ways are being replaced by new ideals as industrialization continues to expand. Yet despite his longing for the past ways, China knows that he must move on with time if his country and people are to survive, that he mustn't let his emotions get in the way. Of course, having those emotions in the first place, there are times where he can’t hold it in anymore and he lets his real emotions surface, whether those emotions be anger, sadness, or a combination. As for why he prefers living in the open country to living in the city, that’s just the way he grew up. <headcanon>As a child he spent most of his time outdoors and traveling from place to place in his country, and he always liked looking up at the night sky, full of stars and the bright moon hanging among them.</headcanon> In the city he can’t see the stars because of all the lights, but in the country he can.
Speaking of the sky and open space, China is a lover of mother nature. He enjoys his country’s variety of exotic birds and animals, with the giant panda being one of his favorites, as well as all the forests, mountains, and deserts within his land. Because he is the personification of China, he has a special connection with all the wildlife, people, and even the land itself. All of them are a part of his soul and being, which drives him to protect them. Being the oldest brother of the Asia family, China has a good sense of responsibility, so he’s definitely aware of the size of his role, which is why he’s always trying to better and improve himself.
Though China talks the talk often, he can actually walk the walk as well. Having grown up around many Chinese philosophers and warriors, China is a well-educated person both as a scholar and as a soldier. Scholar-wise, he knows all there is about his culture and history, but when it comes to other Nations’, that’s when he can get mixed up and vulnerable to misunderstandings. Soldier-wise, he knows many forms of Chinese martial arts and his skills are that of an expert’s; he can use any weapon from the twin hook swords to his own bare fists. He does not always use martial arts for fighting, however, he also uses it to benefit his health and to help him relax (tai chi, for example). Returning to the subject of China’s soldier side, not only is he skilled in his martial arts but with the art of war as well. He’s had over five thousand years of experience and now that he’s open to modernization, he can handle firearms and control an aircraft or a ship better than he could before.
Unfortunately, because he’s lived for so long, he is prone to backaches, which hinders him in getting things done. If the backache is really serious, then it stops him completely. Another deterrent for China is his dining habit. He likes Chinese cuisine so much that he makes dining one of his top priorities (as long as there’s no major wars going on) and often complains if the food isn’t cooked “exactly right.” Another negative aspect about China that should be pointed out is his attitude. Being the longest-living Nation, he has a lot of knowledge and experience, because of that he feels that he’s the wisest and most superior out of all the Nations. Obviously, such an attitude is going to get on other people’s nerves, especially when he tries to explain something to you and says something like, “Oh, how can you not understand this? This is so easy.” China also tends to nag when things don’t go the way he planned. He is very stubborn, too, which can go in both ways. His stubbornness can go in a positive way when he’s fighting an enemy and refuses to give up, but as history has demonstrated before, sometimes the better option is to surrender so no more lives need to be thrown away. His stubbornness is fueled by his pride.
On a brighter note, because he had to raise so many siblings, he is very gentle towards children. He likes music, martial arts, tea, Chinese cuisine, and cute things such as Hello Kitty. As for his dislikes, he doesn’t enjoy it when people are ignoring his personal space and making him feel overworked. Should he believe that he is being overworked, he is likely to revolt and his strength skyrockets to the point where he can breakdown a wall easily (e.g. Hetalia World Series Episode 28). If it’s his boss that’s overworking him, on the other hand, then he’ll just sulk and watch his tongue while he slaves away.
On a different note, China is not known for being romantic or the one to take the initiative when it comes to sex. When people flirt with China, he becomes greatly embarrassed and stutters with his words since he's not used to such things, having grown up in a reserved society. The mere mention of the word ‘sex’ makes him blush greatly. As long as you don’t expect him to be the one who tips the first domino, it should be a relatively good relationship.
He is a cheerful person most of the time and he can be a good friend if people let him in. To some he will be like an older brother figure, while to others he may be a grandpa figure. China is often teased about being an "old man" because of his age and his nostalgia, much to his annoyance. He will deny that he is an old man and say that he is "cool and hip." Going off topic to point out another aspect of China’s personality: Although he is not as religious as he once was, he remains very superstitious and still holds some drop of respect for the gods.
However, China’s cute-loving, cheery personality is only one side of him. Like any other nation, he has his dark side. <fanon>His history proves that he can be just as frightening himself. Maybe not as much as Russia, but close enough.</fanon> He tends to hold many grudges, in fact, he still hasn’t forgiven England for what happened during the Opium Wars and even changes the ‘aru’ to ‘ahen,’ which means opium, when speaking to England. Despite his grudges towards England, China is still addicted to the drug, though he knows better than to smoke it by the hundreds nowadays. <headcanon> He’s conflicted when it comes to the grudges with Japan, however, because his people are still angry at the other Asian country for the events that happened during WWII, and since the Chinese are a part of Yao some of their resentment and anger transfers to him. At the same time, personally, Yao wants to try and move on, make a new bond with Japan since he knows that they can never have the exact same brotherly relationship they had before the First Sino-Japanese War.</headcanon> Despite the attitudes of Yao’s people, in the Hetalia canon Yao and Kiku seem to get along relatively well nowadays, but of course there’s disagreements every now and then since brothers will be brothers.
Speaking of modern times, China’s content with how things are currently going. He’s not being hit as hard by the economic crisis, he’s a world power, and he’s about to host the Olympics for the first time, so he’s in high spirits. He has pretty good relations with most of the other Nations thanks to his trading business, though he’s still a bit wary of Russia and America. Other than that, he’s in excellent health and is fired up (as well as incredibly nervous) for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.
Thread Sample: A thread with America from Route 29, another multi-fandom RP. China greets America as the latter arrives in Johto.
Prose Sample:
“Aiyaa!”
China rubbed at his temples as he oversaw the rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. It wasn’t that anyone was out of key, it was just the thought of someone doing such a thing that was worrying him. This was the Summer Olympics they were talking about, after all. He wanted this to be perfect. He tapped his fingers against the railing as he watched the performers down below. He jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to find the new young man that was working for the government. The youth gave him a reassuring smile.
“Sir, please don’t tense yourself like that, it isn’t good for you. The performers know what they’re doing, so everything will be fine. Just… relax a little, you know?”
China just sighed and turned around so his back was leaning against the railing now. He hung his head slightly. “I understand, I just can’t help it, though. The Olympics are only a week away, aru! What if someone trips, or the mechanics don’t work, or—“
“Sir.” the youth cut him short upon seeing how he was working himself up again.
China couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle this time. “S-Sorry,” he laughed lightly, “Perhaps I am thinking too hard about this.”
“At least that means you care and that you really want our country to amaze the world.” said the youth. “In fact…”
China tilted his head a bit. “In fact what?”
“You should be treated for your hard work and dedication, sir! Me and some friends were going to go out for drinks tonight in celebration of the Olympics. You should join us!”
China smiled sheepishly and scratched at his cheek a bit. “Oh, you are too kind—“
“Please, sir! It would be an honor for us if you, one of the higher ranking officers, drink with us. You don’t have to worry about paying either, it’s all on me.”
Well, it has been awhile since China had a good drink. Plus he was being treated, which meant he wouldn’t have to worry about spending money. Free was always good. Perhaps he has been spending too much time indoors, looking over every little detail about the schedule of the Olympics and the clothes that were to be worn at the Opening Ceremony. All this stress wasn’t good for his body and mind, so a little open night air and drinks would help loosen him up. He smiled at the youth and gave a nod of his head.
“All right, I’ll go, aru. Which bar will I find you and your friends at?” he asked.
“Oh, it’s a very good bar, sir. It’s just hidden in some place away from the tourist attractions, so only the locals know about it. The best thing is that since only the locals know of it, it won’t be too crowded. I’ll write down the name of the bar and its address down for you, just give me a moment…” the youth took out a piece of scrap paper and a pen from his pants pocket and began writing down the information. When he was done, he handed the piece of paper to China with a smile on his face. “Here you are, sir!”
China looked over the words three times before returning his gaze to the youth and returning the smile. “I will see you tonight then.”
The youth kept smiling and gave a departing bow to China before walking away. The Nation smiled at the youth’s retreating back, it was always nice to see his people when they were in high spirits. He made himself face the performers again, but instead of an anxious expression he was wearing a relaxed one now. He leaned a bit on the railing. This was it, after all the pain they’ve been through in history, they would finally get a real opportunity to show the world who they really were. China would have been in that peaceful state a bit longer if he didn’t see didn’t see one of the performers step out of line. He stood straight immediately and tapped the railing with his knuckles to get everyone’s attention.
“No no no! What was that?” He looked directly at the one who had made the mistake. “Don’t let that happen again, aru! Also, where are the women? They should be up by now!”
He couldn’t wait to unwind at that bar tonight.
Plans: Because the Olympics are so close, China may ask for a certain amount of time to decide on whether he wants to work in the Observatory or not, but he’d definitely be going back and forth between his world and back to Cittàgazze while the Olympics are taking place; once they’re done, though, he’ll have more free time to explore. If I do end up having him work at the Observatory, I’d have him be a medic since he knows about all these ancient Chinese healing techniques, or a mechanic, or a scientist. Then again, he would be interested in exploring other worlds too… But at the moment I’m leaning more towards working for the Observatory.
Notes: Like I said before, the Hetalia canon doesn’t show much of China’s ancient history, so most of the history about the dynasties is from actual history, fanon, and headcanon. I skipped around some parts because it’s China. He’s got a lot of history, so I just wrote about the most critical times in his life and I’m hoping that’s okay!
DÆMON
Name: 莲花 (Liánhuā; “Lotus Flower”)
Sex: Female
Form: Giant Panda.
Additional notes: Female pandas are generally 10-20% smaller than males and the average female panda is about 2.5 feet on all four legs while their length from snout to tail is 5.25 feet. Lien-Hua, however, is slightly smaller than the average female panda and one of the dark markings around her eyes is in the shape of a star (like those on China’s flag). Being a physical manifestation of China’s soul it’s only expected that she be more intelligent than the normal panda, as well as show more emotion.
Why this form: Not only because the giant panda is an icon for China as well as one of the national animals, but in the past they were thought to be noble creatures in Chinese culture (i.e. a mother of one of the emperors from the Han Dynasty was buried with a panda skull in her vault).
Also, the panda has been through many hardships, including facing extinction due to over-hunting by humans and poaching yet it is still clinging to life. China himself has been through a lot of suffering and persecution by other nations such as Japan and England, or even his own people (i.e. Cultural Revolution), but he’s always stood back on his feet and continues to live. In my viewpoint their long endurance in a hostile world is another significant connection between the two.
Name: Rina (
dragoncharmer)Are you 18 or over?: Yes! Just turned 18, actually. (And by just, I mean I've been 18 since July XD I just still can't really believe I'm 18 now~)
Other characters played: N/A
CHARACTER
Name: China. His human name is Yao Wang, which he always gives out first, unless it's another Nation. Once he gets to trust a person, he'll eventually tell them his true name.
Canon: Axis Powers Hetalia (webcomic / manga)
Age: Well over four—no—five thousand years old, but he looks as though he’s in his late twenties.
History: The Character (This is on Wikipedia because the APH Shoutwiki is down and the wiki gives very little info.) | The Country | Hetalianized Version of China's history
Point in canon: August 1, 2008, a week before the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.
Window Location: In an alleyway, somewhere in the vast city of Beijing, where few pass by, for it is nowhere near any major shops or tourist attractions and locals prefer to avoid it since it gives them the creeps (especially during the evening). One goes down the alley and follows its path, which eventually directs to the left. That is where the window is.
Normally, China wouldn’t go down such an alley. However, one night he and some of his men in the government went out for a drink, to celebrate the upcoming Beijing Olympics. China enjoys a good drink, but he had too many good drinks so he ended up wandering around the streets, trying to find his hotel. Somewhere along his drunken stroll, he came across the alleyway and thought it was the entrance to the hotel. Of course he went down the path, took the turn, and stumbled through the window.
Universe: Almost exactly like our own, save for the existence of human embodiments of countries, states, cities, and mirconations. Aliens exist in the Hetalia universe too, among them are America’s friend Tony. Also, since China is being taken from 2008, anything from 2009 onwards doesn’t apply in this world, at least not yet.
Abilities: Because he’s a Nation, Yao’s injuries can heal within a short period of time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc, depending on how serious the injury is.) However, it’s proven by the scar on his back that not all injuries can fade away completely, especially if it was something that really hurt or effected the country in a major way. Also, his strength and stamina are higher above that of a human’s (though he’s not as strong as America). These abilities should still work in other universes since China was born with them.
As for his non-nation abilities, he’s very skilled in the martial arts and can use a wide variety of weapons. He’s also an excellent cook when it comes to Chinese cuisine; he puts in just the right amount of spices. He’s good at building things thanks to all the recent modernization happening in his country. To put it simply, he’s an all around kind of guy. The only real weaknesses he has is his love for cute things (don’t expect him to attack those off the bat) and his backaches (which will be further explained in the personality section).
Possessions: The red outfit he usually wears when not doing any military exercises, his Asian smoking pipe (along with a few small packs of opium powder), a lighter, his phone, and his wallet.
Personality:
China is the type of person who prefers living in the country rather than in the city, as well as the type who tends to recall the past often. Reason he does the latter is because he’s sad to see how the traditional ways are being replaced by new ideals as industrialization continues to expand. Yet despite his longing for the past ways, China knows that he must move on with time if his country and people are to survive, that he mustn't let his emotions get in the way. Of course, having those emotions in the first place, there are times where he can’t hold it in anymore and he lets his real emotions surface, whether those emotions be anger, sadness, or a combination. As for why he prefers living in the open country to living in the city, that’s just the way he grew up. <headcanon>
Speaking of the sky and open space, China is a lover of mother nature. He enjoys his country’s variety of exotic birds and animals, with the giant panda being one of his favorites, as well as all the forests, mountains, and deserts within his land. Because he is the personification of China, he has a special connection with all the wildlife, people, and even the land itself. All of them are a part of his soul and being, which drives him to protect them. Being the oldest brother of the Asia family, China has a good sense of responsibility, so he’s definitely aware of the size of his role, which is why he’s always trying to better and improve himself.
Though China talks the talk often, he can actually walk the walk as well. Having grown up around many Chinese philosophers and warriors, China is a well-educated person both as a scholar and as a soldier. Scholar-wise, he knows all there is about his culture and history, but when it comes to other Nations’, that’s when he can get mixed up and vulnerable to misunderstandings. Soldier-wise, he knows many forms of Chinese martial arts and his skills are that of an expert’s; he can use any weapon from the twin hook swords to his own bare fists. He does not always use martial arts for fighting, however, he also uses it to benefit his health and to help him relax (tai chi, for example). Returning to the subject of China’s soldier side, not only is he skilled in his martial arts but with the art of war as well. He’s had over five thousand years of experience and now that he’s open to modernization, he can handle firearms and control an aircraft or a ship better than he could before.
Unfortunately, because he’s lived for so long, he is prone to backaches, which hinders him in getting things done. If the backache is really serious, then it stops him completely. Another deterrent for China is his dining habit. He likes Chinese cuisine so much that he makes dining one of his top priorities (as long as there’s no major wars going on) and often complains if the food isn’t cooked “exactly right.” Another negative aspect about China that should be pointed out is his attitude. Being the longest-living Nation, he has a lot of knowledge and experience, because of that he feels that he’s the wisest and most superior out of all the Nations. Obviously, such an attitude is going to get on other people’s nerves, especially when he tries to explain something to you and says something like, “Oh, how can you not understand this? This is so easy.” China also tends to nag when things don’t go the way he planned. He is very stubborn, too, which can go in both ways. His stubbornness can go in a positive way when he’s fighting an enemy and refuses to give up, but as history has demonstrated before, sometimes the better option is to surrender so no more lives need to be thrown away. His stubbornness is fueled by his pride.
On a brighter note, because he had to raise so many siblings, he is very gentle towards children. He likes music, martial arts, tea, Chinese cuisine, and cute things such as Hello Kitty. As for his dislikes, he doesn’t enjoy it when people are ignoring his personal space and making him feel overworked. Should he believe that he is being overworked, he is likely to revolt and his strength skyrockets to the point where he can breakdown a wall easily (e.g. Hetalia World Series Episode 28). If it’s his boss that’s overworking him, on the other hand, then he’ll just sulk and watch his tongue while he slaves away.
On a different note, China is not known for being romantic or the one to take the initiative when it comes to sex. When people flirt with China, he becomes greatly embarrassed and stutters with his words since he's not used to such things, having grown up in a reserved society. The mere mention of the word ‘sex’ makes him blush greatly. As long as you don’t expect him to be the one who tips the first domino, it should be a relatively good relationship.
He is a cheerful person most of the time and he can be a good friend if people let him in. To some he will be like an older brother figure, while to others he may be a grandpa figure. China is often teased about being an "old man" because of his age and his nostalgia, much to his annoyance. He will deny that he is an old man and say that he is "cool and hip." Going off topic to point out another aspect of China’s personality: Although he is not as religious as he once was, he remains very superstitious and still holds some drop of respect for the gods.
However, China’s cute-loving, cheery personality is only one side of him. Like any other nation, he has his dark side. <fanon>
Speaking of modern times, China’s content with how things are currently going. He’s not being hit as hard by the economic crisis, he’s a world power, and he’s about to host the Olympics for the first time, so he’s in high spirits. He has pretty good relations with most of the other Nations thanks to his trading business, though he’s still a bit wary of Russia and America. Other than that, he’s in excellent health and is fired up (as well as incredibly nervous) for the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics.
Thread Sample: A thread with America from Route 29, another multi-fandom RP. China greets America as the latter arrives in Johto.
Prose Sample:
“Aiyaa!”
China rubbed at his temples as he oversaw the rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. It wasn’t that anyone was out of key, it was just the thought of someone doing such a thing that was worrying him. This was the Summer Olympics they were talking about, after all. He wanted this to be perfect. He tapped his fingers against the railing as he watched the performers down below. He jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to find the new young man that was working for the government. The youth gave him a reassuring smile.
“Sir, please don’t tense yourself like that, it isn’t good for you. The performers know what they’re doing, so everything will be fine. Just… relax a little, you know?”
China just sighed and turned around so his back was leaning against the railing now. He hung his head slightly. “I understand, I just can’t help it, though. The Olympics are only a week away, aru! What if someone trips, or the mechanics don’t work, or—“
“Sir.” the youth cut him short upon seeing how he was working himself up again.
China couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle this time. “S-Sorry,” he laughed lightly, “Perhaps I am thinking too hard about this.”
“At least that means you care and that you really want our country to amaze the world.” said the youth. “In fact…”
China tilted his head a bit. “In fact what?”
“You should be treated for your hard work and dedication, sir! Me and some friends were going to go out for drinks tonight in celebration of the Olympics. You should join us!”
China smiled sheepishly and scratched at his cheek a bit. “Oh, you are too kind—“
“Please, sir! It would be an honor for us if you, one of the higher ranking officers, drink with us. You don’t have to worry about paying either, it’s all on me.”
Well, it has been awhile since China had a good drink. Plus he was being treated, which meant he wouldn’t have to worry about spending money. Free was always good. Perhaps he has been spending too much time indoors, looking over every little detail about the schedule of the Olympics and the clothes that were to be worn at the Opening Ceremony. All this stress wasn’t good for his body and mind, so a little open night air and drinks would help loosen him up. He smiled at the youth and gave a nod of his head.
“All right, I’ll go, aru. Which bar will I find you and your friends at?” he asked.
“Oh, it’s a very good bar, sir. It’s just hidden in some place away from the tourist attractions, so only the locals know about it. The best thing is that since only the locals know of it, it won’t be too crowded. I’ll write down the name of the bar and its address down for you, just give me a moment…” the youth took out a piece of scrap paper and a pen from his pants pocket and began writing down the information. When he was done, he handed the piece of paper to China with a smile on his face. “Here you are, sir!”
China looked over the words three times before returning his gaze to the youth and returning the smile. “I will see you tonight then.”
The youth kept smiling and gave a departing bow to China before walking away. The Nation smiled at the youth’s retreating back, it was always nice to see his people when they were in high spirits. He made himself face the performers again, but instead of an anxious expression he was wearing a relaxed one now. He leaned a bit on the railing. This was it, after all the pain they’ve been through in history, they would finally get a real opportunity to show the world who they really were. China would have been in that peaceful state a bit longer if he didn’t see didn’t see one of the performers step out of line. He stood straight immediately and tapped the railing with his knuckles to get everyone’s attention.
“No no no! What was that?” He looked directly at the one who had made the mistake. “Don’t let that happen again, aru! Also, where are the women? They should be up by now!”
He couldn’t wait to unwind at that bar tonight.
Plans: Because the Olympics are so close, China may ask for a certain amount of time to decide on whether he wants to work in the Observatory or not, but he’d definitely be going back and forth between his world and back to Cittàgazze while the Olympics are taking place; once they’re done, though, he’ll have more free time to explore. If I do end up having him work at the Observatory, I’d have him be a medic since he knows about all these ancient Chinese healing techniques, or a mechanic, or a scientist. Then again, he would be interested in exploring other worlds too… But at the moment I’m leaning more towards working for the Observatory.
Notes: Like I said before, the Hetalia canon doesn’t show much of China’s ancient history, so most of the history about the dynasties is from actual history, fanon, and headcanon. I skipped around some parts because it’s China. He’s got a lot of history, so I just wrote about the most critical times in his life and I’m hoping that’s okay!
DÆMON
Name: 莲花 (Liánhuā; “Lotus Flower”)
Sex: Female
Form: Giant Panda.
Additional notes: Female pandas are generally 10-20% smaller than males and the average female panda is about 2.5 feet on all four legs while their length from snout to tail is 5.25 feet. Lien-Hua, however, is slightly smaller than the average female panda and one of the dark markings around her eyes is in the shape of a star (like those on China’s flag). Being a physical manifestation of China’s soul it’s only expected that she be more intelligent than the normal panda, as well as show more emotion.
Why this form: Not only because the giant panda is an icon for China as well as one of the national animals, but in the past they were thought to be noble creatures in Chinese culture (i.e. a mother of one of the emperors from the Han Dynasty was buried with a panda skull in her vault).
Also, the panda has been through many hardships, including facing extinction due to over-hunting by humans and poaching yet it is still clinging to life. China himself has been through a lot of suffering and persecution by other nations such as Japan and England, or even his own people (i.e. Cultural Revolution), but he’s always stood back on his feet and continues to live. In my viewpoint their long endurance in a hostile world is another significant connection between the two.
