Guess who's too cool to write these things in chronological order! Again, this turned out a little more serious than I'd anticipated. This predates China meeting Japan. I have done research, but if I've got something massively factually wrong, I apologise.

19th January 250

They called it Wō.

An island country, full of mountains and volcanoes, earthquakes and typhoons. Populated with Dongyi, eastern barbarians, who tattooed their faces and wore strange clothes, who ate fish and bowed when they met you. They lived in thatched houses in small settlements, and fought amongst each other, and had only just learnt to use metal.

China had visited a few times, and been amused by these people with their strange language, and the way they bowed to him. Good. He was Zhōngguó, the great China, and this tiny country should respect him.

But he didn't overly concern himself with the small collection of islands in the ocean- his own country deserved more of his attention, and he was still determined to make Yuènán- Shu Fan- respect him. He was fond of her, and he admired her spirit, but she was unrefined. She preferred to remain in the rice paddies than learn calligraphy, and was more at home fighting with the peasant boys than attending political functions.

Of course, Yao had known that the country would probably have a personification- sometimes when he was in Wō he could sense him nearby- but he'd never bothered to seek him out. Not until his boss approached him one day, armed with an idea to try and refine the island nation, and model it after China. They would not invade- but an ally would not hurt, even if Yao doubted that these islands would ever be more than a shadow beside the might of Yao's home.

If Wō is to emulate Zhōngguó, then Yao must give instruction to the personification.

China had at first been reluctant- Yuènán was more than destructive enough for him, forever tracking in dirt and scaring the maids- but he was loath to disobey his emperor, so he agreed. The letter was sent to Wō that very day, and Yao resigned himself to sharing his home with another barbaric little hellion. He had his servants clear a room for him, and told Shu Fan- who laughed scornfully and said something that Yao probably wouldn't like in her own language.

'Chinese!' He hissed, cuffing her around the ear, thoroughly sick of telling her this every day. They'd lived together for around fifty years now- he knew she spoke his language. It was pure pig-headedness that had her reverting to her native tongue when he was around. It was infuriating.

But, otherwise, he once again put Wō out of his mind- until he received a letter, informing him that the personification of the country had arrived in Suzhou, and would arrive in Chang'an soon.

'His name is Seishinko,' the messenger had added. 'I was told to tell you.'

Yao had nodded, waving his hand impatiently, before sweeping back into his home. Seishinko. Such a clumsy, barbaric name- he would have to change it, to something befitting a ward of the great Zhōngguó. He would stamp the barbarity out of this child, make him the perfect replica of him, a loyal- if useless- ally to have into the future. Who knew, maybe Wō would one day become something more than a backwater. Yao doubted it.

As if on cue, Shu Fan came sprinting from the room, her tutor running behind her with a face full of ink, looking furious. Yao's ward just laughed in delight, and ducked around Yao even as he made a grab for her; quite a feat, since Yao was no slouch when it came to martial arts.

He watched as the tutor ran after Shu Fan into the gardens, and he considered telling the man that it was pointless. He didn't, however. The man had been fairly insufferable, and Yao was rather impressed with Shu Fan's reaction times. Perhaps, once this Seishinko arrived, he would personally teach them kung fu.

(Wang Yao was not in the habit of trusting other personifications. The memories of all the other nations that he'd seen growing up would flash before his eyes and he would remind himself that, out of all of them, he was the only one to flourish and survive. China was part of the great flow of life, and everything else was temporary and impermanent. All that mattered was China, and bonding with other countries would only bring pain.)

(He ignored the twinge of pride in his heart when Shu Fan returned home with scuffed knuckles and fiery eyes, and clamped down the sting of hurt when she looked at him with those cold eyes that were so ill-fitting in the face of one so young. He gave orders and held her at arm's length, because one day she would leave him like all those who went before her.)

Mm. Not as proud of this one, but I like it enough.

Translations:

Wō: (Wa in Japanese) A kind of offensive name that the Chinese gave to Japan. It meant 'dwarf'.

Zhōngguó: The Chinese for 'China'

Yuènán: The Chinese for Vietnam

Shu Fan: At this point in the story, Yao is doing his best to stamp the culture out of Lien and make her a perfect Chinese lady- stopping her speaking Vietnamese, making her wear Chinese clothing and obey Chinese customs, etc.- and has given her a Chinese name to reflect this. Shu means 'pure; virtuous' and Fan means 'mortal'.

Seishinko: Japan's current name- it means 'spirit child' (or I think it does, I don't speak Japanese, sorry)- and was given to him because people noticed that he just didn't die.