BOWING: As is seen in other Asian cultures, standing bows are a traditional greeting and are also used when giving an apology. A deeper bow shows greater respect.
BUDAOWENG: A budaoweng （不倒翁， “wobbly old man”） is an oblong doll, weighted so that it rolls back into an upright position whenever it is knocked down.
CALABASH: Also called a bottle gourd, a calabash is a type of gourd with myriad uses. They can be grown very large, carved out, dried, and used as watertight containers. There are archeological records of these gourds being used in China over ten thousand years ago.
CHINESE CALENDAR: The Chinese calendar uses the Tian Gan Di Zhi （Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches） system, rather than numbers, to mark the years. There are ten heavenly stems （original meanings lost） and twelve earthly branches （associated with the zodiac）， each represented by a written character. Each stem and branch is associated with either yin or yang, and one of the elemental properties: wood, earth, fire, metal, and water. The stems and branches are combined in cyclical patterns to create a calendar where every unit of time is associated with certain attributes.
This is what a character is asking for when inquiring for the date/time of birth （生辰八字 “eight characters of birth datetime”）。 Analyzing the stem/branch characters and their elemental associations was considered essential information in divination, fortune-telling, matchmaking, and even business deals.
Colors:
WHITE: Death, mourning, purity. Used in funerals for both the deceased and mourners.
BLACK: Classy, scholarly. Considered masculine, representing the Heavens and the dao.
RED: Happiness, good luck. Used for weddings.
YELLOW/GOLD: Wealth, prosperity. Often reserved for royalty.
BLUE/GREEN: Health, prosperity, and harmony.
PURPLE: Divinity and immortality.
CONCUBINES: In ancient China, it was common practice for a wealthy man to possess women as concubines in addition to his wife. They were expected to live with him and bear him children. Generally speaking, a greater number of concubines correlated to higher social status, hence a wealthy merchant might have two or three concubines, while an emperor might have tens or even a hundred.
CONFUCIANISM: Confucianism is a philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius. Its influence on all aspects of Chinese culture is incalculable. Confucius placed heavy importance on respect for one’s elders and family, a concept broadly known as xiao （孝 / “filial piety”）。 The family structure is used in other contexts to urge similar behaviors, such as respect of a student towards a teacher, or people of a country towards their ruler.
COUGHING/SPITTING BLOOD: A way to show a character is ill, injured, or upset. Despite the very physical nature of the response, it does not necessarily mean that a character has been wounded; their body could simply be reacting to a very strong emotion.
（See also Seven Apertures/Qiqiao.）
CULTIVATORS/CULTIVATION: Cultivators are practitioners of spirituality and martial arts who seek to gain understanding of the will of the universe while attaining personal strength and extending their life span.
Cultivation is a long process marked by “stages.” There are traditionally nine stages, but this is often simplified in fiction. Some common stages are noted below, though exact definitions of each stage may depend on the setting.
◇？Qi Condensation/Qi Refining （凝气/练气） ◇？Foundation Establishment （筑基） ◇？Core Formation/Golden Core （结丹/金丹） ◇？Nascent Soul （元婴） ◇？Deity Transformation （化神） ◇？Great Ascension （大乘） ◇？Heavenly Tribulation （渡劫）
CULTIVATION MANUAL: Cultivation manuals and sutras are common plot devices in xianxia/wuxia novels. They provide detailed instructions on a secret or advanced training technique and are sought out by those who wish to advance their cultivation levels.
CUT-SLEEVE: A term for a gay man. Comes from a tale about an emperor’s love for, and relationship with, a male politician. The emperor was called to the morning assembly, but his lover was asleep on his robe. Rather than wake him, the emperor cut off his own sleeve.
DAOISM: Daoism is the philosophy of the dao （道）， known as “the way.” Following the dao involves coming into harmony with the natural order of the universe, which makes someone a “true human,” safe from external harm and who can affect the world without intentional action. Cultivation is a concept based on Daoist superstitions.
DEMONS: A race of immensely powerful and innately supernatural beings. They are almost always aligned with evil.
DIYU: Diyu （地狱， “earth prison”）， is an afterlife in Chinese mythology where evil humans are punished after death, similar to the Western concept of hell. It is based on a combination of Buddhist, Daoist, and traditional Chinese beliefs. Sinners deserving punishment are sent to one of the eighteen levels of Diyu, where they receive the appropriate torture for their crimes.