Earth Kingdom Avatar Temple
Inside the Temple
Notible Places
Appearence
High Class Earth Kigdom citizens
The people of the Earth Kingdom have brown or black hair in different shades. Some men wear their hair in buns on top of their head and have beards and/or mustaches; younger men may have the same style but wear their hair down. Their skin complexion is fair or tan, and they have brown or green eyes. They usually wear green, yellow-green, or brown clothing, though they have been seen wearing outfits of other colors.
National Emblem
The national emblem of the Earth Kingdom is a square inscribed with a circle, at the center of which is a much smaller square (like a Chinese coin). The insignia symbolizes both the literal and figurative depth of the Earth Kingdom. It represents the immeasurable layers of deep rock and minerals which Earthbenders manipulate to maintain their great cities, as well as the depth of the inhabitants' commitment and strive towards the effort of a peaceful and productive way of life. This emblem can be seen on the helmets of Earth Kingdom troops.
Earth Kingdom money (coins) are entirely made up of the national emblem.
Large "coins" of this design made of rock or earth are sometimes used as weapons by Earthbenders, as shown extensively in "The Avatar State."
Based on Toph's passport seen in "The Serpent's Pass," Earth Kingdom is literally written as 土國 (tǔ guó). Coincidentally, this is also the Chinese word for the country Turkey.
Culture
Earthbending Soccer
From the technology-driven refugees under The Mechanist to the initially isolationist inhabitants of Kyoshi Island, the culture of the Earth Kingdom is far less defined than those of the other nations. This is likely due to its size. The common aspect of these different cultures is their rather simplistic and somewhat archaic nature (compared to the Fire Nation). Due to their manipulation of Earth, which Iroh refers to as the "element of substance", Earthbenders are virtually immovable, as reflected in the personality of the Earth Kingdom's citizens.
But the fact that they are tough doesn't mean they don't have any games or attractions. In Omashu, the game invented by King Bumi is based on the Mail Delivery system of Omashu (which Bumi has referred to as "The World's Greatest Superslide"). In Ba Sing Se, an apparently popular game is the Earthbending soccer. It looks like actual soccer but with Earthbending. Also, an attraction in Ba Sing Se is the Zoo. Before "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", the Zoo was a place that was shabby and deserted, because the government stopped funding. Aang then freed the animals and led them in the large agrarian zone between the outer and inner walls where he created a more appropriated place for the animals with Earthbending. Not only did it serve it good purposes for the animals, but it helped enhance the facilities for visitors as well because the area was much more appealing to tour.
Season
Each of the Four Nations is influenced by their own distinct, dominant season. The Earth Kingdom's dominant season is spring, the time when several living things on Earth are reborn. To an effect, more Earthbenders are born during the spring that any other season and their powers are at their strongest during the springtime.
Natural Resources and Foods
Though at first glance they would appear to be the most simple of substances, rock and stone turn out to be the Earth Kingdom's greatest natural resources, as such are widely used and manipulated into just about everything, from tools to entire metropolises. While the Earth Kingdom as a whole does not make use of fossil fuels nearly as much as the industrialized Fire Nation, coal is mined in certain villages for fuel. The timber of their forests also serve as fuel along with being lumbered for building.
As a result of the various minerals it contains, an ample amount of vegetables manages to sufficiently grow within the rich, fertile soil of the Earth Kingdom, while fruits and nut trees are equally as abundant. Wild game and domesticated animals thrive in the lush forests and farmlands, adding beef and poultry to the Earth Kingdom citizens' diet.
Government
The Earth King
The Earth Kingdom is a large nation divided into provinces (as mentioned in "Zuko Alone") and major cities (such as Omashu, among others) which are subdivided into smaller townships or separate towns. The capital of the Earth Kingdom is Ba Sing Se. While there is a central ruler of the entire Earth Kingdom, known as the Earth King, who lives in Ba Sing Se, some cities, such as Omashu, have kings of their own; the exact nature of this hierarchy is unknown. However, the Earth Kingdom's central form of government is a Confederate Monarchy.
In "City of Walls and Secrets," it is revealed that the Earth King has little true power, and while is greatly revered (possibly even worshiped), most of the governmental power in Ba Sing Se is trusted to various advisers and counsels such as Long Feng, the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se & Head of the Dai Li. It is also implied that the Ba Sing Se government has (or uses) little power beyond its own fortified city, which perhaps explains the dire situation in much of the Earth Kingdom.
Also, the government in Ba Sing Se appears to be incredibly oppressive, similar to a system of fascism. All of the power is focused on a single dictator (Long Feng), and the level of control exhibited on the population ranges from severe economic and social regimentation, feelings of superiority over others, the idea of a utopia, and forcible elimination of opposition by methods such as brainwashing. The government of Ba Sing Se may also be incredibly bureaucratic, since it would take at least 6-8 weeks to process a request to meet with the king (though this may have been an effort to stall Aang).
Army
Earth Kigdom Soldiers
Like the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom armies consist of benders and normal foot soldiers. Soldiers, both benders and non-benders, carry a wide variety of weapons, from spears, swords, and other various polearms, to more unusual weapons such as hammers, axes, and sickles. Soldiers typically wear a helmet that's a mix of a Conical straw hat and a spinning top. Non-bending soldiers also wear a headdress underneath, appear to be more armoured, and wear boots. Earthbenders' helmets are pointed and are decorated with the Earth Kingdom emblem. They are also barefooted, as called for by a principle of Earthbending. Officers wear yellow armor in place of the regular green armor.
Earth Kingdom soldiers in various parts of the Earth Kingdom wear slightly different coloured uniforms from others; for example, the guards at the gates of Omashu wore slightly different uniforms than other Earthbenders in other parts of the Earth Kingdom. The Earthbenders who kidnapped Uncle Iroh in "The Spirit World" wore yellow and light brown. General Fong's soldiers in "The Avatar State" wore light green, the ferry guards wore brown on tan uniforms, and the guards of the Bei Fong family wore a cream coloured uniform. The non-bending soldiers of Omashu wear leaf-green colours, while other non-bending soldiers across the Earth Kingdom wear an olive drab green. At Ba Sing Se the soldiers on the walls have more diverse uniforms with black and yellow colors.
The cavalry consists of Ostrich Horses, which can vertically climb short distances and run at high speeds. They are also used as transports.
Earthbenders use stones shaped like the Earth Kingdom emblem as artillery and catapult projectiles. These person-sized round coins are invaluable weapons to the Earthbenders. The coins can be lined up side by side to make a defensive (and mobile) wall, or stacked to make an impromptu lookout tower. Skilled Earthbenders can use these coins as a vehicle and "ride" in the hole in the middle of the coins.