Kun Lun (What if in 1421, Chinese really discovered the continent we now call America and stay?)
Principle One: A behaviour is caused by desire.
Once upon a time, I read 1421: The Year China Discovered the World. It's not highly regarded by historians, but it makes me think: what if Chinese really discover America and build a relationship with Native Americans before The European arrival? I realize that a lot of things'll change.
Principle Two: Almost all behaviours are motivated by many desires.
I know I would like a what-if that Native American thrive even after European arrival, but does it also stem from wanting a what-if that the early Chinese immigrant history in America can be less bloody? Do I also want to see how a steampunk society can be developed by Chinese and Native Americans? Can it be a response to the Mammoth Fail? Is it because I read that someone is writing a book about steampunk in the Muslim Golden Age? This list can go on.
Principle three: there are three kind of wishes, ego wish, id wish, superego wish. (I will add homogeneous wish from Argyle here).
After a very long discussion and brainstorming with my friend, we come up with the following:
What if Chinese encounter Inca and Maya Empire? It will really shatter Chinese view of being the centre of the world, and printing press may be adopted by the South American Empire government there. After all, book publication in China is sponsored by governments initially.
There'll be different kinds of level of settlement across North America. The West Coast will be more developed, for example.
Local Chinese immigration and built up of settlement will occur, and the gradual contact may give Native Americans the immunity against small pox, fire powders and horses.
There'll be mixed children of Chinese and Native American people, which forms their specific culture.
The technology developed by Native Americans and Chinese together will be so different that we may call it steampunk. I think I read an article about alternative technology Native American may develop but now I can't find it again. Resistance? ETA: I find the
link now. Apparently bringing subconscious conflict to the surface helps make an informed choice.
Principle four: For every subsystem, there will be a complement sub-system working in opposite to it.
I think when Europeans arrive, they will find a continent they never expect. Maybe there'll be scattered European settlements across the continents, but there won't be the USA as we know now.
I call this land Kun Lun for now, which is the name of a far East mountain in Chinese mythology.
If I ever write a fic set in it, there'll be a Chinese female character who's the daughter of a female Chinese pirate and goes East to learn science. (Marvel comics fan may recognize her mother as the only female Iron Fist.) She'll probably be my POV character at least at first, because I'm more familiar to Ming Dynasty China. I wonder what kind of friends she'll meet, what sort of adventure she'll get into.
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