Japan, video games, and Oda Nobunaga

[Johan_O]

@Anaxagoras

…
One other thing… that whole “use your enemy’s skull as cup” thing comes straight from the Mongols. A lot of people who came into contact with those assholes picked up unfortunate barbarous habits. It’s a testament to the Chinese that they remained a civilized people even after 100 years of Mongol rule.

While the chinese certainly were civilised I do not think there is much evidence to support that they were above the kind of behaviour discussed, prior and independent of Mongols. In general I do not think there is much correlation between having an ‘advanced’ culture and mercy. The first counter example that springs to mind is the cannibalism perpetrated by the protagonist and their allies on a variety of innocents in the Shuihu Zhuan.

[Dirt]

@Johan_O

[quote=Anaxagoras]…
One other thing… that whole “use your enemy’s skull as cup” thing comes straight from the Mongols. A lot of people who came into contact with those assholes picked up unfortunate barbarous habits. It’s a testament to the Chinese that they remained a civilized people even after 100 years of Mongol rule.

While the chinese certainly were civilised I do not think there is much evidence to support that they were above the kind of behaviour discussed, prior and independent of Mongols. In general I do not think there is much correlation between having an ‘advanced’ culture and mercy. The first counter example that springs to mind is the cannibalism perpetrated by the protagonist and their allies on a variety of innocents in the Shuihu Zhuan.[/quote]
Which version of the Shuihu Zhuan are you referring to? The one with 70 chapters or 120 chapters?

Regardless, cannibalism has existed in China as something with medicinal properties.