Ba Sing Se

Ba Sing Se is the capital city of the Earth Kingdom, it is protected by a huge wall, there are then enough fields to supply the city, then comes a smaller wall, separating the fields from where the people actually live. Ba Sing Se is also very classist. The lower class people live in the lower ring, the middle class people live in the middle ring and the upper class people in the upper ring.

History

Early History

Ba Sing Se is thought to be one of the oldest cities in the world of Avatar, this is because a map of Ba Sing Se was found in The Library. Early in its history, Ba Sing Se was a small city, carved out of rocks, underground by earthbenders. As they dug deeper, they came across luminous crystals and began to mine them. The crystals were used as a source of light for people living in caves. For their beauty and use, the crystals quickly resulted in much trade.

But Ba Sing Se was quickly growing in size and eventually the underground crystal mines were abandoned, the city being built on the surface. Afterwards, Ba sing Se grew incredibly powerful. Their kings began to launch wars of expansion on neighbouring kingdoms, their city growing in size.

Later, various states marched their armies tried to march their men through the Taihua Mountains, bordering Ba Sing Se from the south only to be killed in the deadly blizzards.

Walls

After the construction of its mighty walls Ba Sing Se was seemingly unconquerable. In fact, Ba Sing Se actually means the "impenetrable city". The city continued to grow and the rest of the Earth Kingdom accepted Ba Sing Se as their capital.

Kyoshi

Ba Sing Se remained mainly unaffected by the death of Avtar Kuruk, though many of the cities noble joined force with the earth Sage Jianzhu, but the sage never had total control over Ba Sing Se, due to the power and influence of the Earth King. Although the city itself was fairly peaceful, there were many "wars" within the Royal Family. Earth Princes would hire assasins in the many dark streets of the great city.

By 295 BG many Daofei (sophisticated crime groups) moved to the lower ring of Ba Sing Se, posing as a major problem for the people of Ba Sing Se. In the end, Kyoshi destroyed the leader of a particularly troublesome group.

During the reign of chin the Conqueror, all the Earth Kingdom save Ba Sing Se and the peninsula where Kyoshi lived were captured.

After Chin's death, a peasant uprising against the corrupt government in Ba Sing Se brought the start of the Dai Li. Formed By the great avatar Kyoshi, it later grows corrupt itself and takes an interest in brainwashing people.

Hundred Year War

Until the end of The Hundred Year War, Ba Sing Se continued to live up to its name, even after two attacks, the first by General Iroh and the second by Princess Azula. But after both sieges, Ba Sing Se came out unscathed.

Right near the end of Book 2, the already corrupted Dai Li is taken over by Azula. Eventually, the Dai Li captures the generals in "The Council of Five," allowing the Fire Nation in to the city and weakening its defences from the inside.

Government

As the capital city, Ba Sing Se is the home of the Earth Monarch. However for a period of the life of Earth King Kuei, the true power was held by the king's evil advisor, Long Feng. He said that the Earth King's duties were to the preservation of the cultures of the Earth Kingdom. In truth the Earth King didn't actually know about the war; it was hidden from him by Long Feng.

The title of the "Earth King" was disposed of after Azula's attack, instead it was replaced by Joo Dee, a brainwashed puppet, with the title "Supreme Bureaucratic Administrator of Ba Sing Se". Although, the position of Earth King, was reestablished after the restoration of Kuei's throne.

Culture

During Long Feng's control over the city, law and order was enforced under the strictest of police forces. Nevertheless, the good people of Ba Sing Se have a wide range of fun activities to keep them entertained. From the Ba Sing Se Zoo to the ladies spa, there's something for everything in the great city. Tea Drinking is one of the prime ways that citizens relax after work (hence the popularity of The Jasmine Dragon). Earthbenders are highly prized for their civil use in the city, operating the monorails and gates, just to name a few.

The city is divided up by its classes, the peasants and refugees in the lower ring, and the more respected citizens in the other two. The "Media" was heavily controlled, since Long Feng didn't want people to talk about the war, in case word got to the Earth King, Kuei.

Ba Sing Se is also very classist, with lower class people and refugees in the lower ring, and upper class and important people in the upper ring.

City Layout

Ba Sing Se is protected by two walls, with an area of fields in between.

Outer Wall

At 100 metres in hight, the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se is the city's first and strongest line of defence. It surrounds the City, Agrarian Zone and a small lake. In all 5000 years, it has only ever been broken through thrice.

Agrarian Zone

The Agrarian Zone is situated in between the Outer and inner walls of Ba Sing Se. It has enough fields in it to support the entire city in case they are cut off in a siege. Also, in the unlikely event of a siege, it puts more distance between the attackers and the homes of the people.

Inner Wall

Ba Sing Se's Inner Wall is the protector of the actual city. In fact some of the cities lower class citizens live in houses, built into the side of the wall.

Lower Ring

People

Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring is home to poorest people of the city (the majority of its population.) These include newcomers to the city most of whom are refugees looking for a better life behind the huge walls. Most People living in the lower ring work with their hands. They are farmers, artisans, labourers and craftsmen. Additionally, people in the lower ring aren't even allowed to enter the middle or upper rings of the city.

Crime

Sadly due to the number of refugees in the lower ring, like in Avatar Kyoshi's time, the crime rate is very high.

Buildings

The Lower Ring is also the most densely populated, City Block being a haven for the very poor. Buildings are also very small, because they need to use space wisely, to cram as many people into a small space as possible. In the comic North & South, Earth King Kuei remarks on the Southern Water Tribes lack of civility. Katara retorted that compared to the lower ring of his city, it's really a lot better.

Middle Ring

The Middle Ring contains the Middle Class portion of the population. Inside the ring are many shops and restaurants and the financial district. The people of the middle ring are allowed to travel to the lower and upper rings. It is much wealthier than the Lower Ring and has many flowers and trees.

Upper Rings

The wealthiest of the three rings is the Upper Rings. It is where the most important people in the city live. This includes the Earth Monarch. Iroh's tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon is also in the upper ring.

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Locations

Royal Palace

Ba Sing Se University

Ba Sing Se War Room

Monorail

The Jasmine Dragon

Crystal Catacombs

These page will be links but aren't at the moment :)

Military

Royal Earthbender Guards

The Royal Earthbender Guards are an Earthbending force dedicated specifically to guarding the Earth King. They are not affiliated with the army or Dai Li either.

Terra Team

The Terra team is an elite Team of Earthbenders, under the command of used to bring down Princess Azula's huge drill. Obviously they aren't so great since just mai and Ty Lee take them all down.