Each entry lists English, Chinese characters, pinyin, and a one-line meaning. Bookmark this page and use Ctrl/Cmd+F while roaming Kaifeng or decoding sect titles — quick lookups beat memorizing Five Dynasties vocabulary before your first parry.
How to use this glossary
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Hear a place name or dynasty twice? Search here before pausing for a full article.
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Growing list
We add entries as expansions ship. For History / Genre / Fiction tags, use the Quick Reference.
Game & title
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where Winds Meet | 燕云十六声 | Yànyún Shíliù Shēng | International vs Chinese title — “Sixteen Sounds of Yanyun” |
| Yanyun | 燕云 | Yānyún | Historical northern region; Yan Yun Sixteen Prefectures |
| Sixteen Prefectures | 十六州 | Shíliù Zhōu | Strategic northern prefectures ceded to Liao in 936 |
| Sixteen Sounds | 十六声 | Shíliù Shēng | Sixteen-tone musical system in Wang Pu's Lüzhun |
| Everstone Studio | Everstone Studio | — | Hangzhou developer; NetEase-published |
| NetEase Games | 网易游戏 | Wǎngyì Yóuxì | Publisher |
| Youxia | 游侠 | Yóuxiá | Wandering adventurer — the player character type |
| Mystic arts | 奇术 | Qíshù | Supernatural-flavored skills (e.g. Tai Chi throws) — game term |
History & dynasties
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms | 五代十国 | Wǔdài Shíguó | ~907–960 fracture between Tang and Song |
| Tang dynasty | 唐朝 | Táng cháo | 618–907; cosmopolitan empire whose collapse opens the game's era |
| Song dynasty | 宋朝 | Sòng cháo | Founded 960; reunification horizon in historical background |
| Later Zhou | 后周 | Hòu Zhōu | Last of the Five Dynasties; Wang Pu's music reforms |
| Later Jin | 后晋 | Hòu Jìn | Regime associated with 936 Yan Yun cession |
| Shi Jingtang | 石敬瑭 | Shí Jìngtáng | Later Jin founder who ceded Sixteen Prefectures to Liao |
| Liao | 辽 | Liáo | Khitan empire controlling Yan Yun after 936 |
| Wang Pu | 王朴 | Wáng Pǔ | Later Zhou minister; author of Lüzhun |
| Lüzhun | 律准 | Lǜzhǔn | Musical treatise defining sixteen tones |
Places & regions
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaifeng | 开封 | Kāifēng | Major in-game region; historical capital of several northern regimes |
| Qinghe | 清河 | Qīnghé | In-game region themed on vanished xiake legends |
| Hexi | 河西 | Héxī | In-game poetic frontier region; late-Tang romantic palette |
| Central Plains | 中原 | Zhōngyuán | Heartland China — political prize behind northern passes |
| Dunhuang | 敦煌 | Dūnhuáng | Silk Road art hub; flying-deity dance mocap cited in development |
Jianghu & martial culture
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wuxia | 武侠 | Wǔxiá | Martial-arts hero fiction genre |
| Jianghu | 江湖 | Jiānghú | “Rivers and lakes” — world outside direct state control |
| Wulin | 武林 | Wǔlín | Martial-artist community within jianghu |
| Xia | 侠 | Xiá | Chivalric hero ideal — righteousness, skill, personal code |
| Martial sect | 门派 | Mén pài | School of martial arts with rules and rivals |
| Tai Chi | 太极 | Tàijí | Soft martial art; in-game mystic art for throws and environment tricks |
| Mo blade | 陌刀 | Mò dāo | Heavy infantry blade — historical type used in game weapon set |
| Yuen Woo-ping | 袁和平 | Yuán Hépíng | Legendary HK action choreographer; Global Action Consultant — cinema article |
| Stephen Tung | 董玮 | Dǒng Wěi | Martial arts director for in-game action mocap — cinema article |
Art & literature cited
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Along the River During the Qingming Festival | 清明上河图 | Qīngmíng Shàng Hé Tú | Classic urban scroll — Kaifeng research reference |
| The Night Revels of Han Xizai | 韩熙载夜宴图 | Hán Xīzǎi Yèyàn Tú | Figure painting of elite banquet life |
| A Dream of Sorghum | 高粱河 | Gāoliáng Hé | Historical text cited in visual research (not the novel Red Sorghum) |
| Xieyi | 写意 | Xiěyì | Expressive brush style — Hexi region's romantic aesthetic |
In-game factions (names may expand)
Sect names follow Steam/global English localization where available. Story details intentionally omitted (spoiler-free glossary).
| English (common) | Notes |
|---|---|
| Well of Heaven | Righteous sect path — community PvE / social focus in guides |
| Silver Needle | Healing / medicine-themed sect |
| Midnight Blades | PvP-oriented sect identity |
| Nine Mortal Ways | Trickster / unorthodox themed sect |
Want mappings, not just definitions? See the companion Quick Reference: Game ↔ History & Tradition.
Dragon Forge Culture is editorial — not affiliated with NetEase or Everstone Studio. Terminology aligns with global English client where possible.