Dwarfism in Daxia: Difference between revisions

[[File:Elder Dwarves.jpg|thumb|Elderly Corummese dwarves]]

In ancient [[Corumm]] dwarves and pygmies were seen as people that had been cursed by deities at birth or whose parents were being punished for some transgression. These beliefs led dwarves to be shunned or exiled from their communities at best and persecuted or killed at worst. Ancient Corummese religions sometimes made use of dwarves in rituals, and many times the dwarves did not make it out unscathed. There are ancient records that document attempts to cure dwarfism by officials. These attempts included rearranging a dwarves organs as it was believed the limbs had shriveled due to poor blood circulation and moving bigger organs to the chest would somehow remedy this. While these attitudes and superstitions changed very little through the centuries, the arrival of Christianity and its doctrines of mercy and equality before God saw some limited shift in public attitudes. Still, dwarves could usually only make a living as objects of fun and derision, working as part of entertainment troupes or 'freak' shows, as servants to the wealthy or as menial laborers. Significant official changes in the societal status of dwarves only came about with the advent of the Qian dynasty.  

The last Corummese dynasty is known to have included through its history a significant number of members born with dwarfism and it banned the killing of dwarves, who were often preyed upon for the supposed miraculous properties of their body parts. Noble-born dwarves were not the only ones able to attain high office in this period, but base born dwarves too served as royal eunuchs, bureaucrats, craftsmen and there even was a dwarf who attained the rank of fleet admiral. The Qian court created many positions that were filled exclusively with dwarves. The Keeper of Imperial Shoes was a dwarf responsible for the crafting, storage and maintenance of the Emperor's shoes. Likewise the Stool Groom was a dwarf official who maintained the imperial stocks of toiletries,  assisted the Emperor in his personal hygiene and excretion if necessary, and applied perfumes and lemon scented oils on the monarch after the deed. The High Gardener was a dwarf official who maintained the [[Imperial Lemon Grove]] and other palace gardens. These positions were salaried ones and prestigious for they kept these office holders in constant close proximity to the monarch. For their protection and patronage of dwarves the Qian came to be known as the dynasty of dwarves.  

Lu Chin is a renowned Corummese film and documentary director. Born with a crippling case of lilliputianism and weak bones, he started his career in the show business playing the mascot of a powder laundry detergent company. The simple mascot costume consisted of a detergent box with a cutout for Chin to poke his face through and two holes in the bottom for his legs. Chin's moving performance as the charismatic box of soap gained him many fans.