Expanding Chinese Cultures

[Saxo Grammaticus]

As Lunar New Year wraps up, I feel compelled to rehash the issue of how to represent China in-game. While I see no reason for major cultures to be over-represented, following several Zhou runs, I can't help but feel China could be more fully included. My sense is that Humankind's genetic approach that can make playing a New World or Iberian run so flavorful just does not apply to China. There are not that many accepted routes to get from the Zhou to Contemporary China. Below, I list some highs and lows before enumerating some other options.

The Zhou and Contemporary Chinese hit high notes in two ways. First off, the Zhou have what I feel should be the standard set-up for Chinese cultures: two not obviously linked attributes in their legacy trait and emblematic district. This helps give a sense of the complexity of these massive states in the absence of obvious forerunner cultures. Second, the emblematic district for the Contemporary Chinese is spot on. Who has stepped off the bus in a third-tier Chinese city without that sense of déjà-vu? It captures a certain urban planning reality quite well.

As for the lows, both the Ming and the Contemporary Chinese feel bland insomuch as their legacy trait and emblematic district align too much. This is especially frustrating when you have to scrape those Aesthete stars as the Zhou only to plow through them as the Ming.

I would like to see some changes in the existing cultures as well as the inclusion of, at a minimum, the Han, Tang, Song, and Qing dynasties. In general, I am not so picky as to their affinities, but I do think their legacy trait and emblematic districts should be distinct.

Zhou
Affinity: Aesthete
Era: Ancient
Legacy Trait: Great Wall of China / -1 movement to all hostile units in own/vassal territory, permanent graphical barrier when any hard border forms
Emblematic District: Ritual Foundry / counts as makers quarter, yields influence/production, creates unique luxury dǐng

Han
Affinity: Expansionist
Era: Classical
Legacy Trait: Harmonious Thought
Emblematic District: Imperial Academy / counts as research quarter/commons quarter, yields science/stability

Tang
Affinity: Aesthete / Expansionist / Merchant
Era: Medieval
Legacy Trait: Salt Commission / +5 money, -2 stability per access to luxury resource on city
Emblematic District: Grand Teahouse

Song
Affinity: Scientist / Merchant /Agrarian
Era: Medieval
Legacy Trait: Grand Canal / +1 food/production/gold/stability on river tiles
Emblematic District: Scholar's Retreat / counts as research quarter/makers quarter, yields science/production/influence with bonus for river adjacency

Ming
Affinity: Agrarian / Merchant /Aesthete
Era: Early Modern
Legacy Trait: Grand Secretariat
Emblematic District: Yamen* / counts as farmers quarter/market quarter, yields food/money/influence
*This is what I settled on after searching for Ming Dynasty markets, agricultural exchanges, mints, and tax offices only to find County Magistrates

Manchu
Affinity: Expansionist
Era: Industrial
Legacy Trait: Eight Banners / +3 combat strength on gunner units, -25% war score required for vassalization
Emblematic District: Temple/Palace Park / yielding faith/influence/stability

Contemporary Chinese
Affinity: Merchant
Era: Contemporary
Legacy Trait: Belt and Road / +5% money/production/science/influence per vassal/alliance on city
Emblematic District: People's Congress

This is by no means intended to be exhaustive, but rather the product of a desire to jot down some ideas. In particular, I omitted Emblematic Units as I found it harder to pin down candidates beyond generic gunpowder/cavalry classes. I would definitely invite others to chime in if they should also feel the current inclusion of Chinese cultures is in need of expansion.

 

[Saxo Grammaticus]

Updated with Emblematic Units

Zhou
Affinity: Aesthete
Era: Ancient
Legacy Trait: Great Wall of China / -1 movement to all hostile units in own/vassal territory, permanent graphical barrier when any hard border forms
Emblematic District: Ritual Foundry / counts as makers quarter, yields influence/production, creates unique luxury dǐng
Emblematic Unit: Zhànche: 23 CS, 6 M, 1 R; 2 Horses, 1 Bronze; Heavy Cavalry, Mandate of Heaven; 1 Pop, 180 Production (no changes)

Han
Affinity: Expansionist
Era: Classical
Legacy Trait: Harmonious Thought
Emblematic District: Imperial Academy / counts as research quarter/commons quarter, yields science/stability
Emblematic Unit: Repeating Crossbow: 23 CS, 4 M, 2 R; 1 Bronze; Gunner, Poison, Double-Shot (shoots twice); 1 Bronze; 1 Pop, 135 Production

Tang
Affinity: Aesthete / Expansionist / Merchant
Era: Medieval
Legacy Trait: Salt Commission / +5 money, -2 stability per access to luxury resource on city
Emblematic District: Grand Teahouse
Emblematic Unit: Black Cavalry: 36 CS, 4 M, 2 R; 3 Horses, 2 Iron; Heavy Cavalry, Multi-Move; 2 Pop, 400 Production
Multi-move and additional horse required meant to represent traditional Chinese reliance on nomadic tribute to support cavalry, as I believe Boris Gudenuf has mentioned before.

Song
Affinity: Scientist / Merchant /Agrarian
Era: Medieval
Legacy Trait: Grand Canal / +1 food/production/gold/stability on river tiles
Emblematic District: Scholar's Retreat / counts as research quarter/makers quarter, yields science/production/influence with bonus for river adjacency
Emblematic Unit: Fire Arrow: 34 CS, 4 M, 4 R; 2 Iron, 2 Saltpeter; Ranged, Indirect Shatter; 1 Pop, 400 Production

Ming
Affinity: Agrarian / Merchant /Aesthete
Era: Early Modern
Legacy Trait: Grand Secretariat
Emblematic District: Yamen* / counts as farmers quarter/market quarter, yields food/money/influence
*This is what I settled on after searching for Ming Dynasty markets, agricultural exchanges, mints, and tax offices only to find County Magistrates
Emblematic Unit: Rocket Cart: 45 CS, 4 M, 8 R; 2 Saltpeter; Heavy Weapon, Suppression; 1 Pop, 970 Production (no changes)

Manchu
Affinity: Expansionist
Era: Industrial
Legacy Trait: Eight Banners / +3 combat strength on gunner units, -25% war score required for vassalization
Emblematic District: Temple/Palace Park / yielding faith/influence/stability
Emblematic Unit: Valiant Cavalry: 46 CS, 6 M, 1 R; 3 Horses, 1 Iron; Heavy Cavalry, Dragon Banner (+3 CS in first round of combat); 3 Pop, 1290 Production

Contemporary Chinese
Affinity: Merchant
Era: Contemporary
Legacy Trait: Belt and Road / +5% money/production/science/influence per vassal/alliance on city
Emblematic District: People's Congress
Emblematic Unit: Guardians: 60 CS, 4 M, 8 R; 2 Oil, 1 Aluminum, 1 Uranium; Heavy Weapon, Multi-Rocket Bombard; 2 Pop, 14805 Production (no changes)

As for naming, I have trace familiarity with pre-modern Chinese pronunciation and instead opted for English terms. Population and production values are mostly for reference and obviously would be more subject to wider balancing efforts than other attributes.