Scions of Heaven - Compendium of Curios

Glossary

Terms of Address, Official and Familial Titles

Teacher - 傅子 - Fuzi - Teacher, Tutor, Instructor.

Master - 师父 Shīfu. 师 - Master, Teacher 父- Father. connotes lineage in a teacher–student relationship. Bai Qian called Mo Yuan 'Master/Shīfu'.

Mother - 娘亲(Niangqin) combination of rural (Niang-Qing Qiu) and formal (Qin-Heaven). Bai Chen (A-Li) and Fuzan call Bai Qian this.

Father: 父君, Fujun, Father-Lord/Ruler/Monarch/Sovereign. (Both Dong Hua and Ye Huas children, when speaking with/of their fathers, use 'Fujun', in my story it will simply be 'Father' because translating 'Lord Father, Father-Monarch ect' in english will look clunky and stilt the flow of conversation.)

Dad -父亲, Fuqin, Father (Formal). To maintain differentiation between 'Fujun' and 'Fuqin', this will be translated as 'Dad'.

Uncle 叔父 shūfù (Formal). 叔叔 shūshu (Informal): father's younger brother (Xueyu and Bai Xun call Ye Hua this).

Aunt 婶母 shěnmǔ (Formal) Auntie 婶婶 (Informal) shěnshen: father's younger brother's wife (Xueyu and Bai Xun call Bai Qian this).

Uncle 伯父 bófù (Formal), 伯伯 bóbo (Informal). Father's older brother. (Bai Chen and Fuzan call Dong Hua this).

Grandfather - Bai Yi - (Fengjius Father) Grandfather/Grandpa 外祖父 wàizǔfù (Formal), 姥爷 lǎoyé (Grandpa) Bai Xun always uses the formal 'Grandfather', while Xueyu uses the informal 'Grandpa', unless she's in trouble that is, then it's 'Grandfather' too, :>

Grandmother - Bai Yi's Wife (Fengjius mother) Grandmother 外祖母 wàizǔmǔ (Formal), 姥姥 lǎolao Grandma (Informal). Bai Xun always uses the formal 'Grandmother', while Xueyu uses the informal 'Grandma'.

Bai Qians children Bai Chen (A-li), and Bai Fuzan, and Fengjiu's children Bai Xun (Gungun) and Bai Xueyu refer to one another as siblings (Brother, Sister). As a result, Fengjiu's children refer to adults the same way Bai Qians children do. (Unless of course it's each respective children's parents or grandparents).

So all four children refer to Bai Qians brothers as 'Uncle', even though technically Fengjiu's children should refer to them as 'Granduncle'. (Who knew immortals were so sensitive about their age!).

This change was made for a few reasons, one: it reads easier in the story, and i'll be clear about who they are referring to in the story anyway. Two, it means I don't have to translate about 8 different versions of the words 'uncle/aunt' and 'grandaunt/uncle'. Three, I think it's cute.

In Jiuchongtian and the Heavenly Tribe in general, the children of Ye Hua and Dong Hua are referred to by those below them generically as "Your Highness.", for the older two (Bai Chen and Bai Xun) or "Young Highness" for the younger two (Bai Fuzan and Bai Xueyu).

When speaking of, or referring to them, they each have a specific title, according to their rank and birth order.

Bai Chen - "The Eldest Prince" "Eldest Highness"(Da-Dianxia, 大殿下)

Bai Fuzan - "The Second Prince" "Second Highness" (Er-Dianxia, 二殿下)

Bai Xun -"Imperial Prince" (Dìzǐ, 帝子) - Imperial Prince (Son of an Emperor) "Imperial Highness"

Bai Xueyu - "Imperial Princess." (帝姬, dìjī) - Imperial Princess (Daughter of an Emperor). "Imperial Highness" "Princess" (公主 gōngzhǔ)

Fengjiu refers to her parents as Mom 娘（niáng）and Dad 爹（diē）which is more commonly used in rural areas. 爹爹 (Dad, daddy).

娘娘 niangniang is the colloquial form of address for people like empresses, royal concubines and consorts of royalty. "Your Highness", when talking too, "Her Highness" "My Lady."

君上 Junshang "Your Majesty." (when speaking directly to Tianjun, or confirmed Crown Prince.)

婢女 - Binu (servant girl.) Maidservant.

仙官 - Xian Guan - Immortal Official.

小人 - Xiao Ren (Petty, Low, Vile character, nasty person, villain)

兄长 xiong-zhang - Elder brother (Formal). Bai Xueyu calls her brother Bai Xun this.

哥/(哥哥) ge/(Gege) - Brother (哥 informal) (哥哥, Informal, intimate, more juvenile.) Bai Xueyu calls Bai Qians children Bai Chen and Bai Fuzan these. 'Brother Chen/Chen-ge/Chen-gege, Brother Fuzan-ge/Fuzan-gege.

乳名 Ru ming - Infant/baby name. (A-li, Gungun)

小名 Xiao ming - nickname, petname. (A-li: Sticky rice dumpling, dumpling. Gungun: Little Roll)

Someone has made Dong Hua mad and he's gone all 'This Lord' on them, not good! Run!

本君 - Ben Jun - "This Lord/Ruler/Monarch" (I/me)

Dong Hua used this when speaking to Zhi He after she took Ji Hengs place in the wedding procession. "You should address this lord (me) as, Dijun".

And a whole lot more 'This lord's' can be seen when Dong Hua is ordering Ji Heng to be locked up in the demon realm forever. He was so not-impressed!

Ye Hua also uses this form of self-reference, normally when invoking his rank/authority as crown prince.

Basically, if any character starts 'This lord'-ing, best hope it's not directed at you!

Humble Language - Assume those of lower ranks are always using self effacing/modest terms of address for themselves when speaking to a superior, especially if the rank difference is extreme.

And when speaking of or addressing the superior, will use Respectful Language (mostly by way of using the persons title.)

I will be using the english 'I' when people refer to themselves in speech, but keep in mind the way characters will refer to themselves.

Humble Language 谦虚 Modest, Self-Effacing

小仙 Xiao Xian (This small/insignificant/little Immortal) - Used by most Immortal Officials when speaking to much higher ranked superiors. For example Si Ming uses this when speaking to Dong Hua.

奴婢 Nubi (This Slave-servant) Immortal maids refer to themselves as such when speaking to superior.

儿臣 érchén (This child and subject) Ye Hua referred to himself as such when speaking to Tianjun/ when in the great hall during Su Jins trial.