Ba Sing Se
This article is about Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom.
Introduction
Ba Sing Se, its name meaning the "Impenetrable City", is the capitol of the Earth Kingdom and the largest city in the world. Ba Sing Se is an impressive display of some of the most ambitious and awe-inspiring architecture the EK has to offer.
Table of Contents
Description
The city is comprised of four distinct regions, separated by towering walls. They are labeled as rings because of the circular shape of the walls centered around the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace. The Agrarian Zone, commonly mistaken for the Lower Ring, is used for argiculture. The Lower Ring is easily the largest and most populated, the wall protecting it stretching around almost the entire stretch of land in the northereastern Earth Kingdom. Past that is the Middle Ring, where middle-class citizens reside. Sitting in the middle of the city is the Upper Ring, with homes for High Ranking Officials and the Earth Monarchs.
The Agrarian Zone and the Inner Wall
The Agrarian Zone is just inside of the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. It is mainly used for agriculture, with various crops and wild animals. The Ba Sing Se zoo can also be found here, housing exotic animals such as Fire Ferrets, Komodo Rhinos, Dragon Moose, Badgermoles, Polar Bear Dogs, and more. Lake Laogi, a body of water in the Agrarian Zone, is found above an underground prison made by Long Feng. It was used by the infamous Dai Li agents to wipe the memories of anyone who suspected Long Feng of purposefully hiding the Hundred Year War from the citizens of Ba Sing Se. Further past the Agrarian Zone is the gigantic Inner Wall which borders the Lower Ring.
The Lower Ring
The Lower Ring is the most busy area in the Earth Kingdom. Small houses are packed tightly atop weathered, dusty roads of loose sand and dirt. Over the years, the already-poor ring became even more impoverished, the decline being traced back to the Hunderd Year War when refugees were granted living space in the Lower Ring. Since then, things haven't gotten much better, with high crime rates and deteriorating buildings. The homes themselves are vary from brown wooden roofs to dark green tiled ones, with walls made of sandstone lined in oak. Some of the homes are even propped up onto the side of the inner wall to provide more housing space, with wood bridges connecting them in bunches. Around the northwestern bend of the ring, one can find the Firelight Fountain. This romantic circle of tall lanterns surrounds a carved stone fountain with turtle ducks in the day and the reflection of stars at night. A bit north of that is a small bustling marketplace with colored stalls and banners strung from the walls. On the opposite side of the ring, the architecture is a bit different, with taller and wider buildings with varying roofs.
The Middle Ring
The Middle Ring of Ba Sing Se houses the middle class. Relatively large homes and buildings are scattered throughout the streets and along the river, most being two stories tall. The gold-lined roofs further distinguish the architecture of this ring from the Lower Ring, along with life-sized sculptures of warriors, tall fountains, and occassional clean wood bridges crossing the river. Significant buildings here include the Earth Kingdom Bank that stretches deep underground, a museum based on EK history, the Foreign Ministry Headquarters, and Jing Tea.
Ba Sing Se University
The largest and most famous structure in the Middle Ring, Ba Sing Se University's campus is a large and stunning place. The main compound is surrounded by a carved sandstone and wood gate. Two statues on either side of the compound depict Yahto Hu, the founder of BSSU, and a Knowledge Seeker from Wan Shi Tong's Library.
In the building following is Queen Kyama's Library as well as an information board, updated as classes change. The grounds surrounding the back and sides of the University follow brick paths lined with various buildings, used for dormitories, fraternity houses, lecture halls, and more. The Ba Sing Se University Earth Soccer Arena is another popular sight, used for games throughout the school year.
The Upper Ring
The Upper Ring is the richest, grandest, and undeniably the most spectacular sector of Ba Sing Se. Once one passes the large, textured gate separating it from the Middle Ring, they are greeted with two wide staircases of sandstone leading to the courtyard in front of the Earth Kingdom Royal Palace. The red building sits in a U-shape, the opening at the front. Each of the three sides is emobssed with the Earth Kingdom Symbol in green and gold.
To the left of the palace, a tall building serves as a home and storage, a serene garden just behind it. To the right, another smaller garden sits in front of the Tea Palace. Here, there are small rooms lining the halls, a throne room, and a grand tea room, complete with a bar occupying one wall. Behind the building is a large venue, with rows of seating lining either side of a long walkway, decorated with golden lanterns and Earth Kingdom green banners. Just down the path are the magnificent homes of the Earth Kingdom upper class, along with the Earth Kingdom embassay. The buildings house nobles, royals, and any other high ranking officials. The solid gold roofs display the weath of the ring, along with the multiple-story buildings that are around six times the size of the ones found in the Lower Ring. A quartz canal weaves through the block, filled with crystal blue water. On the northern end is the square of the main house, the front yard consisting of a small greenhouse, a gazebo, and a Nobility classroom.
The Upper Ring is also home to the Jasmine Dragon, the tea shop founded by General Iroh of the Fire Nation during his time living in Ba Sing Se. It is now run and owned by Duo of the Earth Kingdom. Adjacent to that is Kwong's Cuisine, the most expensive restaurant in the Earth Kingdom.
Ba Sing Se
Nation: Earth Kingdom Location: Northeast Earth Kingdom
Government
Government: Earth Monarch Current Monarch: Earth King Run and Earth Queen Malin
