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| Shanjiaoxia
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Kasiya
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Mild subtropical highland
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Urban
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Human
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Various
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Shanjiaowen, Basic (lingua franca)
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1,253,878
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Taldryan
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Shanjiaoxia was a city located in the Marid Plains of Kasiya. It served as an important cultural and trade hub for the Mari and Nuosu peoples who lived in the area. The city was first catalogued during the Imperial survey of the Caelus System, but had no direct contact with offworlders until the arrival of Clan Taldryan in 36 ABY.
History
Millennia before the arrival of the Empire, Shanjiaoxia was established as a trading hub for the Nuosu, sedentary farmers of the eastern Arreat Mountains and southern Shada Jungle. People from all of the Nuosu's many ethnic subdivisions gathered at the "city at the foot of the mountains", giving Shanjiaoxia its name. Though there were sporadic conflicts between groups of Nuosu, Shanjiaoxia's popularity as a trade hub made it a strictly neutral environment.
Over time, a second group of native Kasiyans arrived: the Mari, equestrian nomads whose territory became known as the Marid Plains. Harassed by larger nomadic tribes from the Amur Plains to the east, the Mari prioritised peaceful coexistence with the Nuosu. Shanjiaoxia became a convenient trading post and meeting place for Marid tribes, and later a place of cultural exchange between Mari and Nuosu. Eventually, Mari influences made their way into the Nuosu melting pot, creating a distinctly Shanjiaoxia culture.
Over the centuries, Shanjiaoxia had sporadic contact with the native Kasiyans to the west of the Arreat Mountains, though the unforgiving terrain made trade difficult and infrequent. This kept Shanjiaoxia relatively insulated from Imperial first contact during the Galactic Civil War. Their contacts were primarily with traders from Port Kasiya, who benefitted greatly from the introduction of repulsorlift technology that allowed them to cross the Arreat Mountains more easily. Thus began another phase of cultural exchange, though the Mari and Nuosu were hesitant this time, as they hadn't seen enough of the offworlders to get their full measure.
By the time Clan Taldryan settled in the Caelus System, some Shanjiaoxia residents had already incorporated common technologies like speeders and blaster weapons into their daily lives. However, they had also taken pains to establish their cultural independence, using modern data-storage technologies to record as much of their traditional way of life as possible.
Culture
Shanjiaoxia bears a rich tapestry of traditional culture, drawn from both Mari and Nuosu to create an original whole.
Cuisine
More than anything else, Shanjiaoxia is famous on the Marid Plains for its food. There are as many distinct cuisines in Shanjiaoxia as ethnic subdivisions, but a few common groups stand out.
- Kadai or Shu-Han cuisine originates from the Arreat Foothills north of Shanjiaoxia, and is famous for its use of herbs and hot chilies, as well as an "iceberry" that numbs the eater's mouth in large quantities.
- Mari cuisine originates from the nomadic Mari people, and features relatively simple dishes with a focus on roasted meats and fermented dairy.
- Nanhu cuisine originates from the lake regions south of Shanjiaoxia, and is known for allowing the natural taste of the ingredients to shine through, resulting in more delicate and balanced flavours. Nanhu cuisine also uses fish more often than other cuisines in Shanjiaoxia.
Of the three, Kadai cuisine is by far the most popular in Shanjiaoxia. Chilies are present in most dishes, in a wide variety of form factors, ranging from whole fresh and dried chilies to chili-infused oils flavoured with additional herbs and spices. "Dipping chilies", a mixture of dried roasted chili flakes and several other spices, are popular on foods ranging from roasted meats to sour fruit.
Smithing
Some Nuosu bladesmiths have established forges in Shanjiaoxia, and create traditionally-made weapons. The achang dao is a single-edged sabre with a distinctive concave tip. The husa duandao is an ornately-engraved dagger worn alongside the achang dao, often given as a wedding gift.
The banri fu and banri dao, "half-sun axe" and "half-sun knife", are created from a single piece of steel drawn into a circle, then cut to form two crescent-shaped blades. The axe variant is mounted to a long haft, while the "knife" variant is fitted with a smaller grip to act as a combination punching dagger and utility knife/scraper, similar to an ulu.