- "The marvels of Yi Ti and Asshai pass through our markets."
- ―Xaro Xhoan Daxos
Yi Ti is a region located in the far east of Essos. It is located at the eastern limits of known world, beyond the Jade Sea and to the east of even Qarth. It is sometimes mentioned in the same breath as Asshai as an extremely remote part of the world from Westeros[1]. Merchant ships from Yi Ti and Asshai regularly visit Qarth to conduct trade.[2]
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Yi Ti is one of the fabled lands of the mysterious east, along with Asshai, Bayasabhad, Kayakayanaya, and Shamyriana. It lies at the far eastern edge of the known world to the peoples of Westeros, though they are in (often indirect) trade contact with it along the long shipping circle around the Jade Sea.
The Lands of Ice and Fire map book confirms that Yi Ti is an immense nation, stretching around the northern coast of the Jade Sea. Its northwestern border is just a few hundred miles east of Qarth, on the opposite side of the immense Bone Mountains which run from the southern to northern coasts of Essos. Its eastern border is just a few hundred miles due north of Asshai. Yi Ti is bordered on the north by the Plains of the Jogo Nhai, which extend all the way north to the Shivering Sea on the north coast. The Jogos Nhai are a nomadic people who follow the religion of the Moonsingers. Ships traveling east to Yi Ti and lands beyond have to pass through the Jade Gates, also known as the Straits of Qarth because they are near and controlled by that city. Qarth has amassed great wealth by using its fleet to exact tolls from east-west shipping passing through the straits.
A round-trip journey from the Free City of Volantis to Asshai lasts about two years, so a round-trip journey between Volantis and Yi Ti must be somewhat shorter than that. The distance between Yi Ti's main port city Yin and Qarth is roughly the same as the distance between Qarth and Astapor in Slaver's Bay (a journey Daenerys Targaryen made between Seasons 2 and 3). This is only the as-the-crow-flies distance in a straight line, however: a ship can go straight from Yin to Qarth, but the impassable Red Wastes lie between Qarth and Astapor, so ships have to travel around the Ghiscari peninsula to approach Astapor from the west. As a result, a journey between Qarth and Yi Ti is probably shorter than the one Daenerys made from Qarth to Astapor.
Yi Ti is inspired by China and the Far East from real-life history. Elio Garcia and Linda Antonsson, who run Westeros.org and co-wrote the World of Ice and Fire sourcebook with George R.R. Martin, have confirmed this. As Linda put it, "if anyone in the Westeros-Essos continuum looks East Asian, we're talking Yi Ti." Elio said Yi Ti was "definitely inspired by Imperial China," particularly its rule by divine god-emperors.[3]
The nation is tropical in climate, with immense jungles just inland stretching northeast towards the unexplored, remote parts of eastern Essos. Centuries of human civilization, however, have carved out vast patchworks of green farmland from the verdant rainforest (its climate and agricultural patterns are somewhat similar to southern China).
Yi Ti's capital city is Yin and other major cities include Asabahd and Jinqi. These three cities are each located on the mouth of a substantial river. The island-nation of Leng lies just off the coast of Yi Ti, but is not controlled by it. Yi Ti is ruled by a series of divine god-emperors, though in recent centuries real power has come to reside in the regions' various strong princedoms. Several of these god-emperors originated from the city of Tiqui, one of the nation's ancient capitals, which is located in northern Yi Ti east of Bayasabhad.
The Lion of Night is a noted deity of the region. Yi Ti is also known for its merchants who wear hats made from monkey tails. Representatives from Yi Ti sometimes trade at the eastern market of Vaes Dothrak. Thus far, no named characters from Yi Ti have appeared in the books.
Yi Ti's major exports include saffron and wine. Saffron from Yi Ti travels along trade networks all the way to Westeros, but it is a very expensive spice which only very rich noblemen can afford. Davos Seaworth mentions that saffron is worth more than gold by the time it reaches Westeros, due to the extreme cost of shipping the spice from such a far away land. Davos only tasted saffron once during a feast on Dragonstone, when King Robert sent him half a fish seasoned with saffron.
See also
References
- ↑ Inside HBO's Game of Thrones, Section V, Essos:A Brief History
- ↑ Complete Guide to Westeros - Qarth
- ↑ Westeros.org Season 5 casting review
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