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Welcome to the Hou-Ting wing of the National History Museum of Republic City. This wing was built in 200 AG through a generous donation from the Hou-Ting family, and continues to be funded by a annual arts grant from the Hou-Ting Foundation.
This season's Special Exhibition, The Hou-Ting Children, is a collection of memorabilia on generous loan from the Hou-Ting family, Republic City University and the Royal Family of the Fire Nation.
More information about the history of the family can be found at the end of the brochure.
1. The Coronation Robe of Hou-Ting LIV (on loan from the Hou-Ting family)
This robe, made exclusively of Imperial Yellow silk, was designed in 175 AG by The House of Wong, a very popular design house in Ba Sing Se at the time. It was made to commemorate the coronation of Hou-Ting LIV, the last monarch of the Earth Kingdom. Hou-Ting LIV - or, as he was more commonly known, Prince Wu - abdicated his throne a year later, leading to the dissolution of the Earth Kingdom.
The robe has been extensively hand embroidered with various flora and fauna of the former Earth Kingdom. Of special note is the right cuff, which has been embroidered with a stylized fire ferret surrounded by flames, at odds with the more naturalistic renderings on the rest of the robe. It is believed that this was in honor of Hou-Ting's Prince Consort, Mako Hou-Ting, who at one time had played on the Fire Ferrets pro-bending team.
2. A Portrait of Meili Hou-Ting by Huan Beifong (on loan from the Hou-Ting family)
This work was completed in 175 AG and depicts the mother of Hou-Ting LIV in court dress sitting in a stylized field of flowers. The original work, painted in 155 AG, was lost in the fall of Ba Sing Se in 171 AG; however, Beifong painted this replacement portrait in Zaofu for Hou-Ting LIV as a gift.
The portrait is atypical of Beifong at that time; he used smaller brushstrokes and muted colors, embracing a more realistic style than the more expressionistic style he customarily painted in during the earlier part of his career.
3. A Portrait of the Hou-Ting Children by Huan Beifong (on loan from the Hou-Ting family)
This work was completed in 192 AG and depicts the children of Hou-Ting LIV. From left to right is Yaozhi, age fourteen, Meili, age eleven, Sayuri, age four, and Naoki, age eighteen. The children have been painted in a formal style in the living room of the Hou-Ting mansion, located in Republic City.
Beifong's maturing style can be seen here. The colors are bolder and the details clearly defined and executed; the blue of Meili Hou-Ting's eyes, for example, as well as the intricate butterfly pattern of Naoki Hou-Ting's dress and the sunlight reflecting off of Sayuri Hou-Ting's curls.
4. Naoki Hou-Ting's katana (on loan from the Hou-Ting family)
Naoki Hou-Ting, a Grandmaster firebender, was also trained in the arts of the Kyoshi Warriors as a girl by Yumi, a retired Kyoshi Warrior. This katana was presented to her as a gift on her eighteenth birthday by Kya, the daughter of Avatar Aang. The katana had been owned by Kya's aunt by marriage, Suki, a Kyoshi Warrior who fought with Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko.
The katana itself was forged in approximately 95 AG on Kyoshi Island.
5. Yaozhi Hou-Ting's notes and photographs of the Qi Arachnid (on loan from the Hou-Ting Family)
Yaozhi Hou-Ting discovered, classified and named the Qi arachnid in 207 AG while exploring in the Si Wong desert. This spider is the only known arachnid which can change gender depending on atmospheric as well as environmental conditions. The spider is a very rare species and can only be found within a hundred kilometer radius. Republic City Zoo's Hou-Ting Invertebrate Center currently has an exhibition of this exquisite arachnid.
6. Photographs of Meili Hou-Ting Healing (on loan from the Hou-Ting Family)
These photographs were taken of Meili Hou-Ting between the years of 221 and 224 AG, while she was working at The Bridge Clinic. The Bridge Clinic, Republic City's first free healing clinic, was founded in 202 AG by Meili Hou-Ting, Rohan, a Master Airbender and the grandson of Avatar Aang, and Natsiq, a Waterbender Healer who was orphaned at a young age and resided on the streets of Republic City before being sent to train in the Southern Water Tribe by Prince Wu Hou-Ting, Meili Hou-Ting's father. Both Rohan and Natsiq can be seen in several of the photographs as well.
The Bridge Clinic continues its work today, financed by the estate of Lin Beifong, one-time police chief of Republic City and a very close friend of the Hou-Ting family.
7. Sayuri Hou-Ting's early prototype of the Analytical Engine (on loan from Republic City University)
This is one of Sayuri Hou-Ting's earliest prototypes of her Analytical Engine, the precursor to our modern computational machines. Sayuri is credited with the invention of this machine after she spent 211 AG on sabbatical from Republic City University at the Northern Air Temple, apprenticing with Baatar Beifong, Junior.
8. A photograph of the Hou-Ting Children with family and friends (on loan from the private collection of the royal family of the Fire Nation)
This photograph was taken in 196 AG by an unknown photographer. The setting is in the backyard of the Hou-Ting family mansion, on the occasion of Sayuri Hou-Ting's eighth birthday.
In the back row, from left to right: Naoki Hou-Ting, Rose Beifong, Poppy Beifong, Norbu Beifong and Meili Hou-Ting
In the middle row, from left to right: Prince Sozui of the Fire Nation, Orchid Beifong, Iris Beifong, Yaozhi Hou-Ting and San Beifong
In the front row, from left to right: Pearl Beifong, Rohan (grandson to Avatar Aang), Sayuri Hou-Ting, Katara Beifong and Goba Beifong
9. Pabu (on loan from the Hou-Ting Family)
This plush fire ferret was named for Pabu, the fire ferret owned by Bolin Beifong, uncle to the Hou-Ting children. It was given as a gift to Prince Wu Hou-Ting in 174 AG. All four of the Hou-Ting children slept with the doll during their childhood. The doll was carefully repaired and restored at some point by persons unknown.
10. Family Jewelry by Huan Beifong (on loan from the Hou-Ting Family)
These individual pieces were crafted by Huan Beifong and show his usual delicacy and dedication to form. The butterfly, done in silver with rubies, belonged to Naoki Hou-Ting. The spider wasp, done in silver with jet eyes, belonged to Yaozhi Hou-Ting. The silver koi with the sapphire eyes belonged to Meili Hou-Ting. The lily flower, done in silver with emeralds, belonged to Sayuri Hou-Ting.
11. The Annual Hou-Ting Photograph (on loan from the Hou-Ting Family)
This photograph was taken in 192 AG by Tuherrus, a very popular photographer in Republic City at the time. Every year for his birthday, Hou-Ting LIV - or Prince Wu, as he was commonly known after his abdication - had a formal photograph taken of his family in order to gift a copy to family and very close friends.
In the back row, from left to right: The Royal Consort the Honorable Qi Beifong Hou-Ting, Prince Consort Mako Hou-Ting, Hou-Ting LIV and Princess Naoki Hou-Ting.
In the front row, from left to right: Lozan of the Fire Nation, Princess Meili Hou-Ting, Lady Lin Beifong, Princess Sayuri Hou-Ting, and Prince Yaozhi Hou-Ting.
A note, handwritten on the back of the photo, states: Meili’s dress and beaded headband were sent as a gift from Tonraq and Senna. (The note refers to then Chief Tonraq of the Southern Water Tribe and his wife Senna.)
