[jason taylor]

Privy land vs common land: Among Aslan especially those in contact with humans it is common to effectively incorporate parts of the land to make room for massive projects (stereotypically a ranch). Furthermore, if they are Ihatei, they often make covenants of vassalage with the occupants of the world that involve service-and no one can individually do enough service to merit enough land to handle a Clan's investments while it is often considered vulgar to demand land earned by others for private usage. The result is to divide unassigned land into commons and privy land. In fact this is a misnomer: usually the Ko at least has the legal fiction of owning the commons and indeed the land of the various vassals. But the Ko's privy land is actually treated as personal property of the Ko while the commons are the property of the clan in actuality, that is they are treated as corporate property.

Gift Chests: While Aslan males often have a sentimental romance for heroic gift economies of the supposed past, they know perfectly well that money is more efficient for most needs. Male Aslan are in the difficulty of not being able to admit to knowing how to handle money and need face savers. The favorite one is to use a female relation as an agent. Another is to use ornate gift chests. These are boxes that are works of art in themselves, decorated with caligraphy, painting, and other such means, sometimes including gilding. Inside are carried the type of geegaws considered to be honorable. Among these gifts, will often be given a check. Supposedly the check is a by-the-way. But in reality the check is often the main good exchanged and the gifts are a face saver.

Regifting: As among Humaniti precious and unique artifacts are a common lubricant to commerce and politics. Gifts given by this method are often unfortunately rather like "white elephants": it is impossible to liquidate them without insulting the giver. Giving them again however is perfectly honorable as long as done carefully. Indeed as with similar customs among Humaniti the artifact will often gain in value as it's "ancestry" is lengthened and sagas will be told of their history.