Earth Kingdom



The Earth Kingdom is a collective term for a nation of people who practice Earthbending. One of the series' "Four Nations," The Earth Kingdom is a massive continent taking up most of the planet's eastern hemisphere, roughly geographically analogous to Eurasia in our world. The Earth Kingdom is home to an order of men and women who practice earthbending, the mystical art of terrakinesis.

The Earth Kingdom has long withstood encroachments on their borders in the Fire Nation's century-long imperialist war. Though the Water Tribes aid the Earth Kingdom in the war, the conflict continues to progress poorly. Other than the Avatar the Earth Kingdom was the only real obstacle between the Fire Nation and complete world domination, as the Water Tribes have thus far demonstrated that they can only defend their own lands, the poles. However, by the end of "The Crossroads of Destiny," the Fire Nation princess, Azula, was firmly in control of the Earth Kingdom capital city, Ba Sing Se. By the following summer, it is firmly occupied by Fire Nation forces.

Notable Places

 * Ba Sing Se
 * Omashu
 * Kyoshi Island
 * Chin Village
 * Gaoling
 * Makapu Village
 * Senlin Village
 * Si Wong Desert
 * Gaipan
 * The Abbey
 * The Serpent's Pass
 * Full Moon Bay
 * Chameleon Bay
 * The Great Divide
 * Wan Shi Tong's Library
 * Lake Laogai

Appearence
The people of the Earth Kingdom have brown or black hair in different shades. Some men wear their hair in buns on top of their head and have beards and/or mustaches; younger men may have the same style but wear their hair down. Their skin complexion is fair or tan, and they have brown or green eyes. They usually wear green, yellow-green, or brown clothing, though they have been seen wearing outfits of other colors.

National Emblem
The national emblem of the Earth Kingdom is a square inscribed with a circle, at the center of which is a much smaller square (like a Chinese coin). The insignia symbolizes both the literal and figurative depth of the Earth Kingdom. It represents the immeasurable layers of deep rock and minerals which Earthbenders manipulate to maintain their great cities, as well as the depth of the inhabitants' commitment and strive towards the effort of a peaceful and productive way of life. This emblem can be seen on the helmets of Earth Kingdom troops.

Earth Kingdom money (coins) are entirely made up of the national emblem.

Large "coins" of this design made of rock or earth are sometimes used as weapons by Earthbenders, as shown extensively in "The Avatar State."

Based on Toph's passport seen in "The Serpent's Pass," Earth Kingdom is literally written as 土國 (tǔ guó). Coincidentally, this is also the Chinese word for the country Turkey.

Culture
From the technology-driven refugees under The Mechanist to the initially isolationist inhabitants of Kyoshi Island, the culture of the Earth Kingdom is far less defined than those of the other nations. This is likely due to its size. The common aspect of these different cultures is their rather simplistic and somewhat archaic nature (compared to the Fire Nation). Due to their manipulation of Earth, which Iroh refers to as the "element of substance", Earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of the Earth Kingdom's citizens.

But the fact that they are tough doesn't mean they don't have any games or attractions. In Omashu, the game invented by King Bumi is based on the Mail Delivery system of Omashu (which Bumi has referred to as "The World's Greatest Superslide"). In Ba Sing Se, an apparently popular game is the Earthbending soccer. It looks like actual soccer but with Earthbending. Also, an attraction in Ba Sing Se is the Zoo. Before "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", the Zoo was a place that was shabby and deserted, because the government stopped funding. Aang then freed the animals and led them in the large agrarian zone between the outer and inner walls where he created a more appropriated place for the animals with Earthbending. Not only did it serve it good purposes for the animals, but it helped enhance the facilities for visitors as well because the area was much more appealing to tour.

Season
Each of the Four Nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Earth Kingdom's dominant season is spring, the time when several living things on Earth are reborn. To an effect, more Earthbenders are born during the spring that any other season and their powers are at their strongest during the springtime.

Natural Resources and Foods
Though at first glance they would appear to be the most simple of substances, rock and stone turn out to be the Earth Kingdom's greatest natural resources, as such are widely used and manipulated into just about everything, from tools to entire metropolises. While the Earth Kingdom as a whole does not make use of fossil fuels nearly as much as the industrialized Fire Nation, coal is mined in certain villages for fuel. The timber of their forests also serve as fuel along with being lumbered for building.

As a result of the various minerals it contains, an ample amount of vegetables manages to sufficiently grow within the rich, fertile soil of the Earth Kingdom, while fruits and nut trees are equally as abundant. Wild game and domesticated animals thrive in the lush forests and farmlands, adding beef and poultry to the Earth Kingdom citizens' diet.

Government


Government System: Monarchy

Head of State & Government: Earth King

Religious Authority: Long Feng and the Dai Li (Ba Sing Se only)

The Earth Kingdom is a large nation divided into provinces (as mentioned in "Zuko Alone") and major cities (such as Omashu, among others) which are subdivided into smaller townships or separate towns. The capital of the Earth Kingdom is Ba Sing Se. While there is a central ruler of the entire Earth Kingdom, known as the Earth King, who lives in Ba Sing Se, some cities, such as Omashu, have kings of their own; the exact nature of this hierarchy is unknown. However, the Earth Kingdom's central form of government is a Confederate Monarchy. At one time, proud warrior-kings ruled their lands personally and often brutally, but over the generations, the Earth Kings ceded more and more control over the day-to-day operations of their city to the Byzantine governmental structure that sprang up around them. The Earth King now is little more than a figurehead who lives a lavish lifestyle surrounded by courtesans and sycophants, lending one of his royal seals to whatever decrees and laws his advisor's suggest.

In "City of Walls and Secrets," it is revealed that the Earth King has little true power, and while is greatly revered (possibly even worshiped), most of the governmental power in Ba Sing Se is trusted to various advisers and counsels such as Long Feng, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se & Head of the Dai Li. It is also implied that the Ba Sing Se government has (or uses) little power beyond its own fortified city, which perhaps explains the dire situation in much of the Earth Kingdom.

Also, the government in Ba Sing Se appears to be incredibly oppressive, similar to a system of fascism. All of the power is focused on a single dictator (Long Feng), and the level of control exhibited on the population ranges from severe economic and social regimentation, feelings of superiority over others, the idea of a utopia, and forcible elimination of opposition by methods such as brainwashing. The government of Ba Sing Se may also be incredibly bureaucratic, since it would take at least 6-8 weeks to process a request to meet with the king (though this may have been an effort to stall Aang).

Military
Since the Earth Kingdom is geographically the largest of the four nations, it possesses a large variety of combat organizations and personnel.

Army


Like the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom armies consist of benders and normal foot soldiers. Soldiers, both benders and non-benders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons such as hammers, axes, and sickles. Soldiers typically wear a helmet that's a mix of a Conical straw hat and a spinning top. Non-bending soldiers also wear a headdress underneath, appear to be more armoured, and wear boots. Earthbenders' helmets are pointed and are decorated with the Earth Kingdom emblem. They are also barefooted, as called for by a principle of Earthbending. Officers wear yellow armor in place of the regular green armor.

Earth Kingdom soldiers in various parts of the Earth Kingdom wear slightly different coloured uniforms from others; for example, the guards at the gates of Omashu wore slightly different uniforms than other Earthbenders in other parts of the Earth Kingdom. The Earthbenders who kidnapped Uncle Iroh in "The Spirit World" wore yellow and light brown. General Fong's soldiers in "The Avatar State" wore light green, the ferry guards wore brown on tan uniforms, and the guards of the Bei Fong family wore a cream coloured uniform. The non-bending soldiers of Omashu wear leaf-green colours, while other non-bending soldiers across the Earth Kingdom wear an olive drab green. At Ba Sing Se the soldiers on the walls have more diverse uniforms with black and yellow colors.

The cavalry consists of Ostrich Horses, which can vertically climb short distances and run at high speeds. They are also used as transports.

Earthbenders use stones shaped like the Earth Kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles. These person-sized round coins are invaluable weapons to the Earthbenders. The coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall, or stacked to make an impromptu lookout tower. Skilled Earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the coins.

During the events of "Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion", free Earth Kingdom forces assisted in the invasion of the Fire Nation, bringing with them tank treaders assembled by The Mechanist. These tanks are operated by four Earthbenders using their earthbending for mobility, and they can carry multiple troops into battle. These tanks have incredibly strong armor and their segmented design allows them to cross any terrain as well as to crush elevated targets. Finally, they have side flaps that open up to allow Earthbenders to fire their rock projectiles.

Dai Li
The Dai Li are the cultural enforcers of Ba Sing Se. They were under the direct command of Long Feng, the culture minister, and function as a sort of secret police; arresting and re-educating anyone who breaks regulations concerning mention of the war. In addition to distinct uniforms, they are notable for sporting stone gloves and shoes, which can be used to great effect as weapons through Earthbending. Though they serve the Earth King, they are loyal only to Long Feng. However, after the events of the coup d'état led against the Earth Kingdom capital, they have pledged loyalty to Azula. It is the Dai Li who are responsible for tearing down Ba Sing Se's walls to allow the entrance of the Fire Nation army invasion force and the eventual firm occupation of the capital city.

The Dai Li was actually created several centuries ago by Avatar Kyoshi to preserve the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se, in response to a peasant uprising against the government and forty sixth Earth King. She currently regrets having created the Dai Li, as she had no idea how corrupt they would become at the time.

They appear to be modeled after the government agents of Qing Dynasty China, generally known as the Dai Li (in Cantonese) (Chinese:大内; Pinyin: dà nèi)-- which literally means "Greater-Inner", and refers to those who serve in the Greater Inner Sanctum of the Forbidden City.

Navy
Not much is known about the Earth Navy, save that it is likely inferior to that of the Fire Nation. The Earth Kingdom's General Fong explicitly stated that invading the Fire Nation with its ships would be suicidal. At the beginning of The Earth King, three junk ships, presumed to be carrying Dai Li Agents, were seen sailing the waters of Lake Laogai.

Kyoshi Warriors
The Kyoshi Island Warriors are an all-female group of fighters led by Suki on Kyoshi Island.

Their fighting style and clothing mimic those of their founder, Avatar Kyoshi, although the most current fighters do not implement any of the bending arts in their physical movements. Clad in ornate, green armor and Kabuki-like makeup, designed to intimidate opponents, Kyoshi Island Warriors use metal fans as their main weapons. It was later revealed the warriors also utilize katanas and wrist shields. Holding the fans like extensions of their own arms, they aim to turn the strength of their opponents against them, a principle also hinged upon in waterbending. The female warriors do not take kindly to training outsiders, let alone men, in these unique methods. Traditionally, only women are trained as Kyoshi warriors, however there have been exceptions over the years.

Although Kyoshi Island had long remained neutral in the Fire Nations war against the Earth Kingdom, following the Avatar's arrival on the island, the Kyoshi Island Warriors were inspired to assist the Earth Kingdom army in its attempts to resist the Fire Nation. In "The Serpent's Pass," it is revealed that the warriors are not on the front lines, but are serving as guards for the ferries to Ba Sing Se. They appeared again in "Appa's Lost Days" where they struggled to protect Appa from capture at the hands of Princess Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. Following the confrontation, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee infiltrate the city of Ba Sing Se disguised as members of the Kyoshi warriors. It is soon confirmed that the Kyoshi Warriors were defeated in their battle with Azula. The fate of the warriors is still unknown.

Council of Five
The Council of Five is a group of five high-ranking Earth Kingdom Generals, including Generals How and Sung, who decide the best use of their armies fighting outside the walls of Ba Sing Se. It is the Council of Five who designs and implements any war plans, which includes the best means of protecting the capital city as well as the proposed invasion of the Fire Nation. In addition to this, the Council also controls the Kings Guards, an elite force of guards who protect the king. The Council of Five has been together for as long as there has been a king of Ba Sing Se, and up until Long Feng came into power, it has always worked hand in hand with the Earth King to ensure the city's well being.

Under Princess Azula's execution of the coup d'état against the capitol, all members of the council have been taken captive by the Dai Li and are currently being held under house arrest.

Kings Guards
The Royal Earthbender Guards of Ba Sing Se are affiliated with neither the Dai Li nor the military, and instead serve as personal protectors of the Earth King. There seem to be hundreds of them guarding the Royal Palace. They have also been seen as the gate keepers of the outer and inner walls of Ba Sing Se. The guards use specialized surface-to-surface rocks against invaders approaching on foot, but the projectiles are displayed to be able to also serve as surface-to-air rocks against airborne intruders. They sport dark green armor with a green feather at the top of the helmet.

Light Industry
Architecture, farming, carpentry, hunting, and mining are among many significant Earth Kingdom industries. Its citizens have managed to develop an advanced trade and commerce system so that almost all may benefit. From the complex sewage and postal system of Omashu, to the Ba Sing Se metro transit stations, and various inventions and their inventors, such as the Mechanist, all serve as demonstration of the Earth Kingdom's surprisingly sophisticated society.