China
Summary
As the oldest nation in the series, China has witnessed millennia of history and is recognized as the root of Asian culture with the world's largest population. His human persona, Yao Wang or Yue Wang, is approximately 4000 years old and considered immortal. He stands 169cm tall, with dark brown hair that appeared black in earlier illustrations, where he also wore glasses and sported a shorter cut. China once raised Japan with affection, but their relationship soured when Japan attacked him with a katana during the night, leaving a large scar on his back and sparking a war. He also raised Hong Kong, who was later separated from him when England took control of the region. The two were eventually reunited, and in Hetalia Fantasia, Hong Kong served as China’s assistant, addressing him as "sensei." Korea calls China "Aniki" and displays an obsession with him, which often annoys China to the point of snapping. China once told Japan that he possesses no villas in Korea because constructing them there is impossible. Despite his serious and superstitious nature, China can be immature. Food is his top priority, and he complains about specific flavor patterns. He is highly artistic, capable of painting on a strand of hair, but is terrible at drawing anime and manga. He attempts to act as a big brother to other Asian nations, but they do not respect him as such. He ends sentences with the Japanese stereotypical particle "aru," or "ahven" (opium) around England, referencing the Opium Wars. China loves cute things like pandas and Hello Kitty. He has a "friend" named Shinatty-chan, an old man in a knockoff Hello Kitty costume who robbed China’s house during his first appearance. Creator Hidekaz Himaruya states that "Yao" means "brightly shining" and "Wang" means "king" in Chinese. While both names are valid, Yao is the more common fandom moniker.
