Look to the West (Thande's first proper timeline, and it's about time!)

[Wolfhound]

...Emperor. Maurice. Of. China.

YES

I literally just jizzed my own bollocks out.

 

[MrP]

Jolly good work, old boy! I look forward to seeing how this goes on! Good news for China in the long run, I take it.

 

[Thande]

...Emperor. Maurice. Of. China.

YES

Not even Benyovsky is quite that awesome. I think he's happy conquering Japan in the name of Lithuania.

Sort of. But I was thinking more broadly: film or book or television or comic or RPG or boardgame or woodcuts etc. etc. Also implicit is that if it's something like a film that requires many hands, it's made by people who 'get it' and isn't executive-meddled to death. To phrase it another way, if Look to the West were to leave the internet, what sorts of forms might you like it to take? There's plenty of stories in there that can be told in many different ways.

Right. Yes, I think you're right, it could go all sorts of ways. Just on here, I'm thinking eventually of starting a "Tales from..." series like Hendryk's where people write short stories set in the TL. If there was a film or a novel, I think it'd probably have to wait until I've entered the 20th century, and then I think a good plot might be a spy drama, as that gives you an excuse to visit lots of countries.

Graphic novels would indeed be awesome...

 

[Hendryk]

Part #83: Hairline Cracks

Fascinating chapter. I was hoping to see Manchuria opened for Han settlement once the emperor got word of Russian encroachment, but perhaps with a succession war starting an official decision won't even be necessary--people will flock there just to get out of the way. It happened pretty much that way in OTL: the Warlord Period saw a dramatic increase of Manchuria's Han population, since it was a comparatively safer place to be while rogue armies roamed the central provinces.

Will there be a map to go with it?

 

[Thande]

Fascinating chapter. I was hoping to see Manchuria opened for Han settlement once the emperor got word of Russian encroachment, but perhaps with a succession war starting an official decision won't even be necessary--people will flock there just to get out of the way. It happened pretty much that way in OTL: the Warlord Period saw a dramatic increase of Manchuria's Han population, since it was a comparatively safer place to be while rogue armies roamed the central provinces.

Will there be a map to go with it?

Not just yet as nothing has happened as such.

Interesting point re Manchuria, I shall bear it in mind - though at first it is to be Baoli's main support base as a Manchu traditionalist, so it's not going to be a safe haven for Han.

Also, I would like some suggestions for possible imperial era names the two claimants might claim from you and anyone else with a grounding in Mandarin.

 

[Faeelin]

A bit surprised about the way Russia's being treated; historically the Russianas were the only people whom the Qing recognized as being diplomatic equals, given the importance of the northern border.

 

[Thande]

A bit surprised about the way Russia's being treated; historically the Russianas were the only people whom the Qing recognized as being diplomatic equals, given the importance of the northern border.

Well, it doesn't lead to war, but this was their practice upon discovering Russian settlements in the Amur valley in OTL (albeit usually a bit earlier, more like the 1750s and 60s).

 

[Susano]

You killed off EQ!
And you also seem to suscribe to the Zheng He myth it seems...

:That's what it sounds like. CHI! en lunng. About a gazillion light-years away from "Qianlong". Not just the weird way pinyin uses X and Q, but it sounds like "Lung" not "Long" and "-ien" not "-ian".

Pinyin is a system devised by someone who thought "hmm, Chinese is a difficult language to represent because of its tonal system, so let's screw it up even further by using simply incorrect letter combinations even for the obvious bits!"

Err... do I... do I even need to say something or is it sufficient if I just lok smug and grin?

Not even Benyovsky is quite that awesome. I think he's happy conquering Japan in the name of Lithuania.

Only in LTTW

 

[Faeelin]

Well, it doesn't lead to war, but this was their practice upon discovering Russian settlements in the Amur valley in OTL (albeit usually a bit earlier, more like the 1750s and 60s).

Oh, I understand that; but if anything I just thought the post underestimated the seriousness of the russian threat, which the Qing saw as a far greater danger than any other bunch of Europeans.

 

[I Blame Communism]

You killed off EQ!
And you also seem to suscribe to the Zheng He myth it seems...

Zheng He was a historically attested character who was perfectly real and who provides clear evidence of China's outward-looking orientation at that point in history. He overthrew kings on Ceylon and explored east Africa.

It's utter bollocks to say he went to America, but Zheng He was real and the treasure fleet was real.

 

[Susano]

Zheng He was a historically attested character who was perfectly real and who provides clear evidence of China's outward-looking orientation at that point in history. he overthrew kings on Ceylon and explored east Africa.

It's utter bollocks to say he went to America, but Zheng He was real and the treasure fleet was real.

Im not sure wether youre serious or not but since you didnt use smilies...

Yes, but this myth of the gutting of Zheng He's fleet as a sign of Chinese decay, and abouut what great opportunities the fleet had and all that - thats just nonsense.

 

[I Blame Communism]

Im not sure wether youre serious or not but since you didnt use smilies...

Yes, but this myth of the gutting of Zheng He's fleet as a sign of Chinese decay, and abouut what great opportunities the fleet had and all that - thats just nonsense.

I didn't use smilies because I was completely serious. I don't really know enough to say whether it signalled decay or whatknot, I just thought that you thought Gavin Menzies made the man up.

 

[MRig]

Right. Yes, I think you're right, it could go all sorts of ways. Just on here, I'm thinking eventually of starting a "Tales from..." series like Hendryk's where people write short stories set in the TL. If there was a film or a novel, I think it'd probably have to wait until I've entered the 20th century, and then I think a good plot might be a spy drama, as that gives you an excuse to visit lots of countries.

Graphic novels would indeed be awesome...

Thanks for indulging my speculation. All of these are great ideas, and I'd definitely take a whack at a "Tales of..." But a globe-hopping spy drama set in LTTW's 20th century? That's just too awesome for words.

 

[Wolf]

Thanks for indulging my speculation. All of these are great ideas, and I'd definitely take a whack at a "Tales of..." But a globe-hopping spy drama set in LTTW's 20th century? That's just too awesome for words.

I agree it would be awesome. But I wonder who would be spying in whom? Maybe the Socialtalists will be spied on by the ENA or or Great Britain?

 

[LadyCowles]

Thande, will we be seeing any British/American political posts soon? I do wonder how the ENA's democratic system is faring while the Mother Country dissolves into an almost neo-Cromwellian pseudo-dictatorship.

And I agree with Susano re:Lithuanian Japan. That's just too awesome for words.

(Oh, and who's the current King of Great Britain, King of Ireland, and Emperor of North America, again?)

 

[Wolf]

Thande, will we be seeing any British/American political posts soon? I do wonder how the ENA's democratic system is faring while the Mother Country dissolves into an almost neo-Cromwellian pseudo-dictatorship.

Should be interesting considering Hamilton is still in charge.


I wonder if TTL's Hamilton understands discretion better considering his fate in OTL.

And I agree with Susano re:Lithuanian Japan. That's just too awesome for words.

I agree I like Lithuania-wanks, even if this is not quite one. Lithuanian Japan is just awesome, wicked awesome.

(Oh, and who's the current King of Great Britain, King of Ireland, and Emperor of North America, again?)

IIRC it's Fredrick II.

 

[Thande]

And you also seem to suscribe to the Zheng He myth it seems...

Not really, but Orientalists in TTL certainly will, hence...

I'm pretty certain his ships were only a quarter as big as the Chinese records say they were and he never got beyond Africa...on the other hand, I do think the whole thing about the ships being burnt - though sometimes exaggerated and simplified - is definitely a good summary story for showing how China turned inward and started to decay. Though it took the Qing for that attitude to really quicken.

 

[Wolf]

What is Hamilton's personality like ITTL? Does he still have the same problems with womanizing as he did IOTL?

 

[fortyseven]

China! Hooray!

 

[Ed Costello]

Another interesting update - my knowledge of Chinese history is pretty woeful beyond the Opium Wars, so it was interestingly wrongly informative (if you see what you mean).

Hmm. Reading it in context with my post about the last update has got the old brain a-whirrin', but I'll leave my thoughts for now until a more appropriate time...

EDIT: Damnit, there's about two dozen random internet geeks who've probably just leapt out of their chairs with unwarranted excitement because I can't get my arse into gear to reply in a timely manner. Sorry, guys!