Each entry lists English, Chinese characters, pinyin, and a one-line meaning. Bookmark this page and use Ctrl/Cmd+F while playing or watching trailers — quick lookups beat memorizing every late-Ming or Shu term upfront.
How to use this glossary
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Hear a place name twice? Search here before pausing for a full article.
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Start with Late Ming Sichuan in 10 Minutes.
Growing list
We add entries as we publish more Culture articles for WUCHANG.
Places
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shu | 蜀 | Shǔ | Ancient and literary name for Sichuan; game setting |
| Bashu | 巴蜀 | Bāshǔ | Broader region of Sichuan and Chongqing; “Ba-Shu” culture zone |
| Chengdu | 成都 | Chéngdū | Capital of Sichuan; Zhang Xianzhong's Great West seat |
| Sanxingdui | 三星堆 | Sānxīng Duī | Major Bronze Age site near Guanghan; masks and sacred trees |
| Jinsha | 金沙 | Jīnshā | Chengdu archaeological site; famous sun-bird gold foil |
| Zhenwu Mountain | 真武山 | Zhēnwǔ Shān | Mountain in Sichuan; significant game chapter location |
| Xichong | 西充 | Xīchōng | County north of Chengdu; Zhang Xianzhong died here in 1647 |
People & groups
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhang Xianzhong | 张献忠 | Zhāng Xiànzhōng | Late Ming rebel; ruled Sichuan as Great West (1644–1647) |
| Chongzhen Emperor | 崇祯帝 | Chóngzhēn Dì | Last Ming emperor; suicide 1644 as Beijing fell |
| Du Yu | 杜宇 | Dù Yǔ | Legendary Shu king; became a cuckoo in folklore |
| Bie Ling | 鳖灵 | Biē Líng | Legendary rival king; rebel against Du Yu in chronicles |
| Bo people | 僰人 | Bó rén | Ancient population associated with Shu in regional histories |
| Emperor Wang (legendary) | 望帝 | Wàng Dì | Title linked to Du Yu in poetry and Shu annals |
| Southern Ming | 南明 | Nán Míng | Post-1644 loyalist courts in the south |
Events & concepts
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Ming | 明末 | Míngmò | Final decades of Ming dynasty; game era label |
| Great West (Daxi) | 大西 | Dà Xī | Zhang Xianzhong's short-lived regime in Sichuan |
| Feather People Country | 羽民国 | Yǔmín Guó | Winged people in Shanhai Jing; mythic source for feather symbolism |
| Cuckoo / Du Yu legend | 杜鹃 / 子规啼血 | dùjuān / zǐguī tí xuè | King-turned-bird; “cuckoo weeps blood” poetic motif |
| Huayang Guo Zhi | 华阳国志 | Huáyáng Guó Zhì | Regional chronicle of southwestern states; Shu history |
| Shanhai Jing | 山海经 | Shān Hǎi Jīng | Classic of Mountains and Seas; mythic geography |
| Impermanence | 无常 | wúcháng | Buddhist/folk term for transience; protagonist's name echo |
| Land of Abundance | 天府之国 | Tiānfǔ zhī Guó | Traditional praise for fertile Sichuan — ironic in 1647 |
Game-specific
| English | Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers | 明末：渊虚之羽 | Míngmò: Yuān Xū zhī Yǔ | Global title vs Chinese title (different words, same game) |
| Wuchang (protagonist) | 无常 | Wúcháng | Playable hero; infected warrior — not the underworld deity pair |
| Bai Yu | 白钰 | Bái Yù | Wuchang's younger sister; central motivation in story |
| Feathering (disease) | 羽化病 | yǔhuà bìng | Fictional plague; feathers and wings; inverts 羽化 immortality |
| Red Mercury | 赤汞 | Chì Gǒng | Fictional red ore; upgrade resource; cinnabar echo |
| Skyborn Might | 羽势 | Yǔ Shì | Combat feather-momentum system |
| Chisel (artifact) | 凿子 | záo zi | Divine tool in myth; five fragments in game plot |
| Fallen Feathers | 渊虚之羽 | Yuān Xū zhī Yǔ | Chinese subtitle; abyss + feathers; title theme |
| Leenzee | 灵泽 | Língzé | Developer studio (Chengdu) |
Missing a term? Tell us in article comments — we expand this glossary as WUCHANG Culture grows.
Want game ↔ history / myth / archaeology mappings? See the companion Game ↔ Sources Quick Reference (living doc v0.1).