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Thread: West Poison Au Yeung Fung - *Mongolian* citizen (?)

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Default West Poison Au Yeung Fung - *Mongolian* citizen (?)

    The Greats were not necessarily of Han ethnicity, but this is not a thread about ethnicity, but national citizenship.

    North Beggar Hung 7 Gung, for example, was purely a Han Chinese, but technically speaking, based as he was in *northern* China, he would have been a citizen of the Jin Empire during LOCH and a citizen of the Mongol Empire during ROCH. East Heretic Wong Yerk See lived on Peach Blossom Island off the Chinese coast, but I wonder if he fell under Sung or Jin citizenship?

    West Poison Au Yeung Fung's citizenship is even more interesting to consider. His Mt. White Camel was located in Turkestan, which was under Chinese authority during the Tang Dynasty, but during the Sung Dynasty, that territory was under either Turfan or Hsi-Hsia's control. Au Yeung Fung would have been a Turfan or Hsi-Hsia citizen during LOCH and a Mongol citizen during ROCH.

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    Senior Member charbydis's Avatar
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    I'd always thought of him mainly as Han, and maybe a little mixed blood.

    I mean both Au Yeung Fung and Au Yeung Hak have no trouble with the Chinese language or culture, and no one actually describes them as looking foreign. They even dress like Hans and behave like Hans. They could just be Hans who migrated to Turkestan cos it was isolated from the Central Plains and allowed Au Yeung Fung to concentrate on his martial arts and poison analysis.

    Anyway, I doubt nationality or heritage will affect Au Yeung Fung. He's way too cool and arrogant to acknowledge a particular government. Its like White Camel Mountain is a principality under its own rule and it is separate fom surrounding countries and their conflicts. Just like most sects in the Central Plains were not ruled by the Chinese government. He only joined the game in LOCH so he could dominate the martial arts world. So I guess even though White Camel Mountain is in Turkestan, Au Yeung Fung was not a willing citizen (probabaly poisoned any official that ordered him to submit to rule). Furthermore, Au Yeung is a traditional Han surname despite it have the unconventional two-word surname. And Hans are very particular about changing citizenship whilst in other countries.
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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    In LOCH '82, Au Yeung Fung referred to Genghis Khan as "Great Khan" ("dai hon") several times. I don't know if Au Yeung Fung ever referred to Genghis Khan in those terms in the novel, but if he did, it's telling. One only addresses the Mongolian Khan as "Great Khan" if a). one has genuine respect for the Khan and shows it by addressing him with this august honorific title or b). one considers oneself a citizen of the Mongol Empire, and thus addresses the head of state in such a manner that shows appropriate respect.

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    He could of just said it out of respect. Also I highly doubt that Mongolian empire gave him any citizenship privileges at the time. So in essence his ethnicity and nationality still remains Chinese Han. He was just living on different soil. The best way to put it is to think of someone studying abroad I guess.

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    I don't think there were any scenes where OYF actually met Genghis Khan, but I don't think calling him Great Khan would mean much anyway. I see the term as just acknowledging his rule over Mongolia, and there's no real reason not to address him as such. It's not even a mildly degrading term to use unlike calling yourself "siu yun" (little/lowly person) or calling someone "dai yeh" (big master?), so even a powerful individual like OYF should have no qualms using the term.

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