Lake Laogai

:This article is for the location. For the episode with the same name, see "Lake Laogai (episode)".
Lake Laogai is a large body of water located within the Agrarian Zone of Ba Sing Se. Hidden beneath, there was a high-security underground prison, which existence was initially relatively well known,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 37. it was repurposed and became surrounded with secrecy during the Conspiracy of Ba Sing Se. Long Feng began to use Lake Laogai for his personal purpose of interning anyone there whose actions were contrary to his plans, while his agents such as Joo Dee declared the area to be a vacation spot. The hidden location eventually became the Dai Li's base of operations, where they organized their conspiracy through brainwashing and other illegal means; however, it was abandoned due to its discovery by Team Avatar.
== History ==
Centuries before the Hundred Year War, Lake Laogai was used as a high security prison by the Earth Kingdom for criminals of note, where escape was nearly impossible. Early in Avatar Kyoshi's life, the notorious waterbending pirate Tagaka was imprisoned under the lake after she was brought to justice. Several Fifth Nation pirates planned to free Tagaka,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 34. and, at one point, the prison was infiltrated by a group of adventurers who sought to question the pirate queen.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 264.
By the latter years of the Hundred Year War, the large underground facility had become a secret prison and headquarters, run by Dai Li agents and overseen by the Grand Secretariat, Long Feng. During this time, the base contained several chambers and tunnels with prison cells and training facilities, including rooms spacious enough to hold large animals, which the Dai Li used to conduct numerous covert operations. Among the most notable operations was the brainwashing of people in Ba Sing Se who discovered or discussed the seriousness of the war into forgetting it ever happened. The Dai Li would target anyone who rose to enough prominence to cause trouble or otherwise made themselves an enemy of Long Feng, dissidents and refugees alike. Captured victims were put through a "re-education" process, in which they were forced to look at a bright flashing light while the phrase: "There is no war in Ba Sing Se" was repeated by a Dai Li agent. Once brainwashed into forgetting about the war, the person was released back into their old life.Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 63.
The Dai Li also used the facility to hypnotize women into adopting the name "Joo Dee" and becoming guides for important visitors to the city in order to neutralize unwanted outside influences. Utilizing a similar process to those who stirred trouble or discussed the war, the Dai Li hypnotized the Joo Dees into memorizing different mantras, such as "I'm Joo Dee. Welcome to Ba Sing Se" and "We're so lucky to have our walls to create order". Long Feng was not above using the facility to create unwilling spies,Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game. Core Book, Version 1.0, 2022, p. 62. brainwashing Jet into convincing Team Avatar that Appa was shipped to Whaletail Island. Ultimately, Zuko had followed the captive Appa there in the hopes of capturing Aang for his family honor, but Iroh who was also there convinced him not to go through with his plan to use Appa as bait and released him from his confining cell. On the surface outside, with Aang and his friends surrounded by the Dai Li and escape route blocked by two stone walls, Appa flies down ramming the two walls and opening an escape route. The celebration with Appa did not last long, as Jet did not survive the trip into the secret Dai Li base.
The secret headquarters was ultimately abandoned and rendered inaccessible, as discovered by Team Avatar when they tried to convince Earth King Kuei of Long Feng's conspiracy. In an attempt to expose the facilities to incriminate Long Feng, Toph raised the ground under the lake with earthbending only to uncover a destroyed entrance to the base.
In 171 AG, Avatar Korra, Tenzin, and Jinora went to Lake Laogai at Mako's suggestion, believing the Dai Li had reestablished their base to hold captive airbenders for the Earth Queen. However, when Jinora projected her spirit to scout the place, she discovered that the underground base had long since been flooded.
== Trivia ==
* The term Laogai is an abbreviation for Láodòng Gǎizào, (simplified ), which means "reform through labor", and referred to the system of re-education camps in the People's Republic of China. These camps used forced labor and ideological study sessions to convert opponents of the Communist Party of China, similar to how Lake Laogai was used in the series.
* After the Hundred Year War, a pro-bending team named the Laogai Lion Vultures was formed.
* The exterior views of Lake Laogai were redesigned in The Legend of Korra by Lauren Zurcher to more closely resemble Lake Tahoe.DiMartino, Michael Dante; Konietzko, Bryan; Hedrick, Tim & Hamilton, Joshua (December 2, 2014). "In Harm's Way" commentary. Book Three: Change Blu-ray.
== References ==
de:Laogai See
es:Lago Laogai
fr:Lac Laogai
nl:Laogai Meer
pl:Jezioro Laogai
ru:Озеро Лаогай
Category:A to Z
Category:Ba Sing Se
Category:Bodies of water
Category:Dai Li
Category:Earth Kingdom
Category:Locations
Category:Prisons