Avatar:Gong-gong
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"I wish I could do more. Your Gong-gong is old now. You... you're responsible for so much. I know all that you've taken on. I'm proud of you, Jin."
Gong-gong was an expert calligrapher who lived during the late Hundred Year War and sought to secure a better life for his family. After his family's home in Daying was destroyed by a Fire Nation attack, resulting in the death of his daughter Biyu and his son-in-law, he was forced to become a refugee. He fled to Ba Sing Se alongside his young granddaughter Jin, caring for her.
He raised Jin in Ba Sing Se and taught her calligraphy so that she might get a chance to escape poverty through education. These efforts resulted in Jin getting a scholarship for a literature academy. Yet Gong-gong began to suffer from a mental illness which resulted in bouts of confusion of growing frequency. After suffering a heart attack during the Fire Nation conquest of Ba Sing Se, he eventually died, using his last lucid moments to express his pride in his granddaughter.
History
Early life
A member of the Guan family of the Earth Kingdom,[2] Gong-gong studied calligraphy in Ba Sing Se in his youth.[2] He graduated from Ba Sing Se University,[6] and became known for his mastery of the Duanshan writing style.[7] Upon returning to his home village, he continued to hone his craft[2] as a record scribe.[8]
At one point, Gong-gong had a daughter named Biyu.[5] He hoped that she might also take up his craft, but she had no interest in calligraphy.[2] Much to his disapproval, she used her earthbending abilities to learn a physical job, and became a builder.[9] Biyu eventually fell in love with and married a young scholar from Omashu. Gong-gong strongly approved of his son-in-law due to the latter's character and profession.[8] When his son-in-law was appointed village magistrate of Daying, Gong-gong accompanied his family to settle there.[9][8] He continued to be somewhat frustrated over his daughter, however, as she enlisted as a soldier in Daying's garrison.[9] Meanwhile, Gong-gong set up his own study in Daying and garnered a very positive reputation for his work. He even started working for the regional governor, writing texts for the local official to be delivered to the Earth Kingdom capital.[2]
When his granddaughter Jin was born in Daying, Gong-gong became very close to her and often cared for her. In contrast to her mother, Jin also showed interest in calligraphy, resulting in the older man starting to teach her from an early age.[2] Gong-gong hoped that Jin might one day continue her family's climb of the social ladder and perhaps become a local governor.[8]
Fleeing to Ba Sing Se
Around 97 AG, the Fire Nation military attacked Daying.[3] The first strike fell on a section of the local garrison, and Biyu was among the troops who were burned alive in an ambush. Gong-gong was profoundly shaken by the gruesome death of his daughter.[9] Soon after, Fire Nation troops overran Daying. At the request of his son-in-law, Gong-gong took Jin and fled into the nearby hills for safety; from there, the two saw that all of Daying was burned by the enemy troops. To calm Jin, the old calligrapher claimed that the girl's parents would "join us later on the road. Where it's safe",[3] even though he knew of Biyu's death and presumed that his son-in-law had also died.[9][10]
The journey to the capital proved to be treacherous.[2] Gong-gong and Jin joined a small group of other refugees, and once almost stumbled into a Fire Nation camp. Two Fire Army soldiers took pity on them, however, and allowed the refugees to leave without further issues.[11] At one point the group's members were almost killed by a tree falling on a mountain pass. Gong-gong pushed Jin and another woman out of the way, but was injured by the tree.[2][3]
The most obvious injury was a broken leg, and they could not properly treat it for weeks. Yet a caravan took pity on the old man and his granddaughter, taking them along up until Ba Sing Se. Gong-gong finally received treatment for his injury in the capital βleaving only a limpβ and the two managed to get a cheap apartment at the border of the Lower Ring. Both began to work to support themselves, Jin as a part-time deliverywoman and Gong-gong as a calligrapher on commission.[2] At one point Gong-gong revealed the truth of his daughter's death to Jin. He also discouraged his granddaughter from honing her earthbending, insisting that she should study instead.[9]
Worsening condition
Over time, the old man began to suffer from bouts of memory loss and confusion. These became gradually worse and more frequent. A local doctor, Jan, suggested that Gong-gong had also injured his head during the tree accident, with the new condition being a late effect. She subsequently began treating the calligrapher to at least ease his symptoms.[2]
His worsening illness meant that Gong-gong struggled to work consistently, increasing the household's financial strains. Regardless, the old man continued to teach calligraphy to his granddaughter, especially after Jin managed to get a scholarship for a literature school. Even as the young woman expressed a desire to just start working full-time at the nearby Wen Bakery, Gong-gong insisted that she continued to study, believing that she might secure a place at the Ba Sing Se University. Jin reluctantly bowed to her grandfather's insistence, even as she had to juggle her part-time job and studying.[2]
By 100 AG, Gong-gong's illness had progressed to the degree that he was more often confused than lucid, though he continued to work on calligraphy commissions and tend to the apartment's small garden during his better days.[2] Occasionally, he even had "productive moods" when he became so immersed in his work that he rejected direct aid by Jin.[12] Despite his granddaughter's efforts to hide it, Gong-gong also realized that Jin was under growing pressure, worrying him.[1]
Last days
One day in late spring 100 AG, Gong-gong heard loud explosions and went outside their apartment, seeing that Jin was already standing on the balcony. She lied to him that there was a "construction" project at a nearby street, leading him back inside for safety. In reality, Jin had been informed by her associates in the Silver Fangs of the Coup of Ba Sing Se and knew that the explosions heralded the Fire Army's advance into the city as well as the suppression of the disorganized local resistance. To distract him, Jin claimed that her school was closed for the day due to the "construction" and distracted Gong-gong by working with him on various calligraphy commissions, even as the noise outside grew louder and small earthshakes rocked their small home. As it was not one of his good days, the old man made many mistakes in his work, but Jin ignored these as their commissions might no longer be needed anyway.[13]
Exhausted, he eventually went to bed,[13] but Jin's friend Smellerbee arrived to ask for her help. Gong-gong noticed this exchange and became increasingly worried, yet this stress only triggered his condition more and made him more confused. Realizing the seriousness of Smellerbee's request, Jin reluctantly prepared Gong-gong some tea and asked him to stay inside as she was going to be back "in no time". To make sure he understood, he had to repeat his granddaughter's words.[14]
As his granddaughter was gone, however, the old man picked up a red notice he found on the floor; this paper contained a Fire Nation propaganda text announcing the occupation of Ba Sing Se.[15] Understanding the message, Gong-gong experienced a heart attack in his room, crumbling at a wall.[1][15] Upon her return, he was found in this way by Jin who was horrified and tried to get a reaction from him to no avail. Her friends Smellerbee and Longshot helped to put the old man on a sleeping mat, while Jin sped away to seek Doctor Jan.[15] As Jan had disappeared during the ongoing coup, she instead brought her son Xuan who had some medical knowledge. After providing some early treatment and assessment, Xuan left to get a proper medic early the next day.[1]
Death and burial
In the following night, Gong-gong awakened and experienced a lucid moment. Noticing this, Jin immediately got to his side. The old man expressed his worries about his granddaughter, telling her that he realized her tribulations and how proud he was of her. Afterward, he sank back into sleep. Soon after, he peacefully died without Jin noticing.[1] When Xuan brought a doctor at dawn, the latter could do no more than to inform those present about Gong-gong's death.[4]
Though heartbroken and shocked by her grandfather's demise, Jin was determined to give him a proper burial. Helped by Xuan, Smellerbee, and Longshot, she made preparations and put his body into a cart. Accompanied by Xuan, she brought Gong-gong to the Spring Overlook section of Ba Sing Se, locally known as the "Weeping Hills". On the way and at the graveyard, several anonymous Lower Ring people assisted the two in accordance with the local community's tradition of mutual aid. In this way, the old man was buried and received a spontaneous vigil.[4]
Legacy
Gong-gong's views and teachings had a profound impact on Jin. He contributed to her understanding of society and power structures, helping her navigate these during her early life. However, she did not subscribe to his disdain for physical labor and ultimately rejected his commitment to always remain within existing power structures.[2][6][16]
Personality
Gong-gong was usually a calm, proud, and dependable man.[2][3][12] He deeply valued his own craft as calligrapher and education in general, thus insisting on Jin continuing her studies even under difficult conditions.[2] In contrast, he somewhat disdained physical work, disapproving of his daughter's career choices. He felt an antipathy toward practical earthbending in particular, a feeling which potentially stemmed from the horrific death of Biyu who had made earthbending part of her everyday life.[9] In general, Gong-gong sought safe ways to socially advance his family, believing that one could rise by studying, working hard, and avoiding the negative attention of more powerful people.[2][6][16] He was also fastidious, keeping his living and working spaces clean and tidy.[15]
Putting others first, he was willing to sacrifice his own health for his family, and generally worked hard to support his loved ones.[2][3] He would also often joke about his own leg injury, trying to make light of his near-death experience.[2]
As a result of his illness, however, Gong-gong increasingly lost his hold onto reality, with Jin describing him as another kind of person during the repeated bouts of confusion. In these phases, he would just lie in bed, claiming to be still in Daying and confusing Jin with other people.[2] His bouts of confusion could be triggered or worsened by stress.[14] To some degree, he was aware of his worsening health and growing dependence on his granddaughter's help which irked him, as he felt that she had already more than enough work. In his better phases, he thus insisted on independently working on commissions, partially out of his remaining artistic pride and partially out of a desire to still be useful.[1][12]
Relatives
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Appearances
Avatar Legends novels
Trivia
- Gong gong (ε
¬ε
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(GΕnggΕng)) refers to one's grandfather in some southeastern Chinese dialects. In an interview, Judy I. Lin said that Gong-gong's name is specifically derived from Taiwanese Mandarin.[17] - The symptoms of Gong-gong's illness resemble dementia.
References
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