Author Topic: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang  (Read 3988 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« on: December 13, 2020, 08:01:00 PM »

When we hark back to the beginning of the Universe there dwelled just two Dragons, Fucanglong and his mate Qinglong. As these two Dragons danced among the cosmos they produced the first star and from that all existence began to come slowly into life. After some time though the two dragons became bored of the endless birth, death and rebirth of the galaxies and solar systems and so created Yifeng the first human male to be caretaker of the Universe while the two dragons could return to their dance of love. Following some time though Yifeng became lonely tending to the Universe and jealous of the love between Fucanglong and his mate Qinglong. He begged the Dragons to come and speak with him and begged for them to grant him a partner to love how they loved each other. The two Dragons agreed to give Yifeng his wish but in return he must give up his immortality and ensure the bloodline he would begin gave thanks to the Dragons for their existence. Having been on the brink of insanity because of his isolation Yifeng agreed and so the two Dragons created Liying to be the first human female. Yifeng and Liying lived 1000 years and produced several hundred children who they taught to respect the Dragons and do prayers to them. Upon Liying's 1000th birthday she gave birth to her final child, a daughter called Xiaotong, before promptly dying in the arms of Yifeng who died seconds after his wife of a broken heart. At the exact moment of the first human couples death the Dragons returned and were so heart broken that they insisted all humanity mourn for 120 years. They gave instructions that the eldest living descendent of Yifeng and Liying, a man called Shaofeng would resume their duties of managing the Universe while the bloodline of Xiaotong would act as the dragons conduit with humanity.

In the time that has followed since this cosmic lovestory began the Dragons have continued their dance leaving the descendants of Shaofeng to rule in their place as Dragon Emperor. Meanwhile those of the Xiaotong bloodline have acted as Dragon Priestesses to ensure that should the Two Dragons need to commune with humanity they have a mouthpiece. Sadly mismanagement, arrogance and disputes over the millenia have seen the influence of the land known as Lijiang wither away as the Dragon Emperors became more concerned with worldly rather than cosmic matters. Today the Majestic Empire is hamstrung by old traditions which have seen it largely left behind by other nations on Earth unfamiliar with the Two Cosmic Dragons.



NATION QUICK FACTS

Population: Approx 120million
GDP per Capita: $4,780
Capital City: Fengtai (Approx 1.8million people)
Head of State: Dragon Emperor Tielin II
System of Government: Feudal Monarchy
« Last Edit: December 20, 2020, 10:12:34 PM by Lijiang »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2020, 08:50:44 PM »

HIS MAJESTY THE DRAGON EMPEROR OF THE MAJESTIC EMPIRE OF LIJIANG

Quote
Be it known that the bloodline of the ancient Two Dragons flows through the man who sits upon the throne. With the power given by Fucanglong and Qinglong he is empowered to rule the lands as he best thinks for the betterment of all who display loyalty to the cosmic dancers and to the destruction of those who displease them.


When the first two humans Yifeng and Liying died their eldest son inherited their duties and powers and became Dragon Emperor Shaofeng I. Under his guidance humanity thrived and populated the entirety of Earth. He established rules governing most things but while his word was law it was always with a glance to the Dragon Priestess that they were made. It was only after several thousand generations of Shaofeng I's family had ruled that disaster struck meaning that the direct bloodline traced back to Yifeng and Liying was broken. At this time it was left to the Dragon Priestess to determine what should happen next and as such she consulted the ancestors and the Dragons. In order to replicate what had happened when Yifeng and Liying died she imposed 120 years of mourning upon humanity and then instructions for how to re-establish the bloodline.

There have been several occasions throughout history that the "Bloodline" has had no direct descendant and the nation has shut down. As a result the nation all but cuts off its connections with the world periodically. The people of the nation are tied to superstition and devotion to their duties to the Two Dragons that they believe rule their life.


Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2020, 09:15:15 PM »


THE DRAGON PRIESTESS

Quote
A time shall come when the Two Dancing Dragons have either need of us or demands for us. When that time comes it shall be the duty of the one descended from Xiaotong to hear their words and teach Earth of the creators ways. The Priestess is both the messenger of the Two Dragons as well as their connection with humanity.

The position of Dragon Priestess is inherited in much the same way as a monarchy however it goes through the female line of the family rather than male. The Priestess is responsible for ensuring the spiritual purity of the nation and that the Dragon Emperor is vigilant in his duty to run the human world. She is also responsible for ensuring the various rituals are carried out, omens checked and upon the death of the Emperor crowning the successor.


Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2020, 12:58:07 PM »
HOW THE GOVERNMENT OF LIJIANG WORKS


The Imperial Palace. A complex where the Dragon Emperor his family and personal staff reside.

The Dragon Emperor Is determined by the Laws of Inheritance. These laws apply to all positions and possessions in society. All noble positions are allocated to male inheritance while religious titles and property are allocated to female inheritance. In both cases the law states that the eldest child of the correct gender of the posts holder inherits the title. If they have no children of the correct gender then it passes first to siblings, then to direct cousins. Noble titles may not pass to women and Priestly titles may not pass to men. Should no heir be present the title reverts to the Dragon Emperor for noble titles and the Dragon Priestess for religious titles. Should the title of Dragon Priestess be vacant the six eldest Priestess in the nation are required to find a suitable candidate who must then receive the blessing of the Dragon Emperor. Should the Dragon Emperor title be vacant the Dragon Priestess must call a period of mourning and this must last a minimum of 120 years. During that time the Dragon Priestess and the Council of Sorrow (a body made up of the descendants of 12 Feudal Lords unable to inherit the throne appointed by the High Priestess on the day of Emperor's death) will run the nation. The period of mourning may last for as long as the Dragon Priestess determines but may be no longer than 150 years. Upon completion of the period of mourning the Dragon Priestess may announce the new Dragon Emperor.

ORGANS OF THE GOVERNMENT

The Dragon Emperor - All knowing and all powerful. He is the living embodiment of the Two Dragons and is responsible, so much as he wishes, for all decisions in the nation no matter how big or small. Technically he could instruct individual farmers on what crops to plant in each field but naturally this would be impossible for a nation so large and so therefore generally the Dragon Emperor delegates a great deal of their powers.

The Grand Council of the Majestic Empire - The Empire is currently split in fifteen provinces, each controlled by a High Lord. The High Lords or their substitute each sit on the Grand Council which must meet once a month by law however today they meet several times a week. Any High Lord may appoint a substitute to sit in their chair on the Grand Council and may change this as often as they wish. They act as advisers to the Dragon Emperor and carry his decrees and laws back to their provinces.

The Noble Council of the Majestic Empire - Each High Lord has under them a number of Lords who are responsible for enforcing the Dragon Emperors Decrees as well as undertaking tasks such as tax collection, raising military forces and maintaining local infrastructure. Once every three months the Noble Council meets and any of these Lords may attend where they discuss issues relating to running the nation.

The Council of Imperial Knights - This was originally a body set up where each Lord would appoint a group of no more than 200 Knights to help them with their duties. Today however the nation maintains a large standing military. The original Council of Imperial would be open to any Knight to attend, today any officer over the equivalent rank of Captain may attend. The Council meets twice a year.

The Grand Imperial Council - This is a body made up of all the other Councils and meets once every two years. It is today largely symbolic however in the past it was used as a means of the Dragon Emperor personally speaking with all levels of government.

The Dragon Priestess - Blessed with insight and direct communication with the Two Dragons she is not officially a part of the government however does attend various council meetings and is often consulted prior to major decisions.


Sanctum of the Two Dragons - An almost replica of the Imperial Palace built on the valleyside opposite the Dragon Emperors residence. It is home to the Dragon Priestess and her staff

SPECIAL BODIES

With tradition, ritual and ceremony playing a large part in Lijiang there are a number of special bodies that while they have no political power as such still hold a huge amount of influence over the nation.

THE GUARD OF THE EMPIRE - This is a force of around 8,000 troops who are directly controlled by the Dragon Priestess. They usually provide guards at holy sites however are fully trained soldiers. They are generally more disciplined, better equipped and trained than regular military infantry and would be considered Commandos by many nations although fall short of being a Special Forces unit. They were instrumental in bringing the conflicts that marked the end of Emperor Junjie VI's reign. They are marked by their crimson red uniform. Members are selected after rigorous testing and are contracted to serve 10,000 years.

THE GOLDEN ENCLAVE - This is named for the area of the Imperial Capital which is controlled by the wives of the Dragon Emperor. There can only be one Dragon Empress and traditionally this is the first of the Emperors wives. Only the Emperor may be Polygamous as it is expected that he have many sons for the stability of the Empire. While there is only one Dragon Empress the other wives of the Dragon Emperor are referred to as Queens. The Emperor may only marry women of noble birth whose father is qualified to sit on any of the Councils. There have been many historical precidents however of the Emperor taking non-noble lovers as concubines and fathering children with them. The Emperor may name any non-noble born woman an "Imperial Lady of the Emperors Chamber" which carries significant prestige in the nation. Once named as an "Imperial Lady of the Emperors Chamber" a woman may have accommodation in the Golden Enclave. The Enclave is permitted to make its own laws in several areas of life and these apply to its limits which are marked with ceremonial gates and guarded by the Guard of The Empire.


Wall of the Golden Enclave


Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2020, 06:35:28 PM »
IMPERIAL GROUND FORCES

300,000 Active Soldiers
120,000 Reservists

380 x Hundun Main Battle Tanks
320 x Taotie Main Battle Tanks
120 x Taowu Medium Battle Tanks
100 x Chi Light Tanks
300 x Dilong Infantry Fighting Vehicle
100 x Jiaolong Infantry Fighting Vehicles
200 x Shenlong Armoured Personnel Carrier
250 x Teng Armoured Personnel Carrier
100 x Tianlong Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier
260 x Yinglong Armoured Car
100 x Zhulong Multiple Launch Rocket System
80 x Kui Self Propelled Howitzer
180 x Jiangshi Towed Howitzer
120 x Yaoguai Towed Howitzer
800 x Longma Mobility Vehicle
10 x H-1 Luduan Helicopter
150 x Xiezhi Mobile Anti-Air Gun
« Last Edit: December 20, 2020, 06:38:05 PM by DaveIronside »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2020, 06:39:02 PM »
IMPERIAL AVIATION WING

38,000 Airmen / 19,000 Reservist

40 x F-35 Sanzuwu Multi-Role Fighter
25 x F-21 Qingniao Fighter
35 x A-21 Fenghuang Strike Aircraft
2 x P-1 Fangbird Maritime Patrol Aircraft
15 x C-1 Crane Cargo Plane
15 x C-2 Biyiniao Cargo Plane
10 x C-22 Jiguang Cargo Plane
15 x B-1 Jingwei Bomber
20 x T-34 Peng Basic Trainer
20 x T-33 Shangyeng Advanced Trainer/Fighter
15 x H-8 Luan Helicopter

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2020, 07:51:01 PM »


36,200 Sailors / 13,000 Reservists

Xia Class Submarines

1. Yudi
2. Doumu
3. Pangu
4. Xiwangmu

Shang Class Frigate

1. Yanwang
2. Fuxi
3. Nuwa
4. Shennong

Zhou Class Corvette

1. Wudi
2. Huangdi
3. Cangdi
4. Chidi
5. Baidi
6. Shun

Qin Class Missile Boat

1. Longshen
2. Baoshen
3. Bala
4. Doushen
5. Fengshen
6. Haishen
7. Heshen
8. Gushen
9. Jinshen
10. Tudishen

Han Class

1. Wenshen
2. Xihe
3. Kuixing
4. Baxian
5. Canshen
6. Jigong
7. Luban
8. Mazu

Xin Class Minesweeper

1. Xishen
2. Yaoshen
3. Sanxing
4. Fuxing
5. Luxing
6. Shouxing

Cao Wei Class Multi-Role Patrol Ship

1. Anqi Sheng
2. Bai Qi
3. Che Kung
4. Ao Run
5. Di Jun
6. Enzhugong
7. Fusu
8. Guan Ping
9. Han Xiangzi
10. Kui Xing
11. Jinzha
12. Na Tuk Kong
« Last Edit: December 20, 2020, 07:52:20 PM by DaveIronside »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2020, 10:30:36 PM »
LAWS AND STANCES

•  Abortion: Illegal.

• Adultery: No legal stance

• Affirmative action: Not practiced

• Age of consent: 16

• Age of majority: For male age 12, for female once she begins her menstrual cycle.

• Artificial insemination: Non legal stance

• Assisted suicide: Illegal.

• Bestiality: Illegal.

• Birth control: Legal

• Childcare: No government provision

• Concealed carry: Only for those acting in capacity of security for a nobleman or his family.

• Death penalty: Yes for a wide range of crimes.

• Divorce: Permitted only by decree of the Dragon Priestess

• Double jeopardy: An individual may be tried repeatedly with the blessing of the Dragon Emperor

• Drinking age: 15

• Driving age: 14

• Education: School is compulsory for males between the ages of 6-10. The children of nobility must be educated between the ages of 5 and 16.

• Eminent domain: All land can be distributed by the Emperor

• Equal pay for equal work: No

• Felony disenfranchisement: No elections

• Flag desecration: Carries sentence of 1000 lashes.

• Gambling age: Non set

• Gun purchase age: May only be purchased by those assigned as security to nobility.

• Homosexuality in the military: Not permitted

• Human cloning: Illegal

• In vitro fertilization: No legal stance

• Marriageable age: 16

• Military conscription: Yes

• Minimum wage: No

• Parental leave: None

• Polygamy: Only permitted for the Emperor or via his arrangement

• Pornography: Legal

• Prostitution: Legal in licenced venues

• Race: No legal stance

• Same-sex marriage: Not permitted

• School leaving age: Varies by gender and class

• Sex reassignment surgery: Legal but not provided by government

• Sex toys: Legal

• Sexually transmitted diseases: Knowingly infecting someone is the equivalent of assault with AIDS/HIV being charged with murder

• Smoking age: 15

• Sodomy laws:- Illegal

• State ideology: Two Dragons

• State religion: Two Dragons

• Stem cell research: Illegal

• Taxation: As determined by Emperor but is currently based on size of land holdings

• Torture: Legal

• Trial by jury: Yes but made up of 5 Knights of the Empire

• Universal healthcare: None

• Voting age: No elections

• Women's rights: Many restrictions on women's rights

• Working age: No legal stance

• Working week: No legal stance


OOC- Thanks to TYP for template
« Last Edit: August 05, 2021, 07:20:51 PM by Lijiang »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2020, 09:08:01 PM »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2021, 09:18:13 PM »
THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE EMPIRE

The Empire is made up of 13 Provinces which were incorporated into the Empire at different times. The name Lijiang translates literally as Beautiful River and is taken from the river that acts as the boundary between many of the provinces and runs down the length of the vast majority of the nation. The nation is essentially a large plateau of land in the South where it borders New Derusima, SCIR and Ui Cenneslaig and then forms into a valley housing the river known as the Dragons Spine. Either side of the valley are several tributaries which feed into the Dragon Spine meaning the land is extremely fertile and in many places huge rice terraces have been carved into the hillsides.

Today each province is under Imperial Law which is enforced by a High Lord. These provinces are then further divided into Dukedoms which are further subdivided into territories overseen by an Imperial Knight.

1. The Province of Lóngzui - Translates as the Dragon's Mouth

The final Province added to the Empire in 379 BCE by Emperor Ah Wu Xinghan. Today it is governed by High Lord Li Ke who inherited the title in 1987.

2. The Province of Mùgǔ - Translates as the Wooden Place

Was conquered by the Lijiang Empire in 409 BCE. Today its High Lord is Jiang Guangtai who inherited the title in 2013.

3. The Province of Mànyóum - Translates as Roaming Horse

Was part of the small Fuyang Empire and became part of Lijiang in 431 BCE through marriage arrangements. Today the High Lord is Wang Shenchao who inherited the title in 1997.

4. The Province of Baoshan - Translates as the Treasured Peak - Emperor

Became part of the Empire in 431 BCE as it was part of a small Empire ruled by Fuyang and thus included in their marriage arrangement. Today it is in the care of the Shaohua family thus making it the Imperial Province. It is the birth place of current Dragon Emperor Tielin II who under the laws of the land vacated the title upon his coronation in late 2020 passing it to his son Prince Chun. With Chun however being just 16 the Emperor has insisted that the boy continue in formal education until his 21st birthday with the running of the Province being passed to the Emperors brother Lian until that time.

5. The Province of Fuyang - Translates as Abundant Sunshine - Empress

Fuyang became part of the Empire in 431 BCE and was added to the Empire through marriage arrangements. Today it is ruled by the Emperors brother in law Bai Chai who inherited the Province from his father in 2013. It is the birth place of Empress Jing.

6. The Province of Hohot - Translates as The Blue City

Became part of the Empire in 482 BCE. It is named the Blue City as the capital of the province had rules determining any property belonging to its then King must be painted blue. While much of this city was destroyed during the invasion in 482 BCE the name has remained. It is currently without a High Lord. It is the birth place of Queen Dandan who was the daughter of the former High Lord who rebelled against the Dragon Priestess. It is likely her elder brother who remained loyal to the Dragon Priestess will be given the position of High Lord with a new family name of Qīnglóng.

7. The Province of Shèngdiàn - Translates as Holy Temple

The Province contains the capital Fengtai and in the 500's BCE the Empire conquered the city and upon guidance of the then Dragon Priestess they built the first temple on the modern day site of the Sanctury of the Two Dragons. The current High Lord is Li Guanting who inherited the Province in 1983.

8. The Province of Hefei - Translates at The Junction of the River

Became Part of the Empire in the early 510's BCE. The position of High Lord is currently vacant. The province is the birth place of the Imperial Lady of the Emperors Chamber Jihai Huian whose father was the previous High Lord but rebelled against the Dragon Priestess and the Imperial Guard and was executed in 2020.

9. The Province of Huīyán - Translates as Grey Rock

Became part of the Empire in 520's BCE. The current High Lord is  Chow Ping who inherited his title in 1993.

10. The Province of Huācodiàn - Translates as Flower Meadow

Became part of the Empire in the early 570's BCE and was the last province to be conquered personally by the First Emperor Ah Hsu. Today the High Lord is Zhu Da who inherited the Province in 2002.

11. The Province of Rizhao - Translates as Sunshine Valley -

The 2nd Province added to the Empire in the late 570's BCE. It is a series of steep valleys and is famed for in the summer producing a huge number of sunflowers which give the province its name. In more recent times though the sunflower fields have been replaced with crops seen as more useful. The Province is noted also for a Temple built in the lake on their southern border which is said to have been the birth place of the first human Yifeng.

Today the Province is governed by Lord Kexing who is also the High Councillor. He became High Lord in 1967 and is the oldest and longest serving High Lord.

12. The Province of Hézhun - Translates as The River Turn

This was the first Province conquered by Ah Hsu in the 580's.

The Province is relatively flat making it ideal for production of silk which is became famed for. Even today around 60% of the Empire's silk production comes from this province. It is also famed for being the birth place of Priestess Qing who in the 8th Century BCE codified much of the faith of the Two Dragons. Her burial mound is an often visited place by pilgrims.

Today the Province is governed by High Lord Jiang Ru who became High Lord in 1998.

13. The Province of Gāodì - Translates as The High Place

Gāodì was the original part of the Empire. It is a large flat plateau with a huge abundance of high quality farmland and pasture. It has since the ancient times been the producer of a lot of horses and these were utilised to kick start the Imperial expansion heading North. Dotted among the farms of the region are lots of mines that produce a significant amount of precious stones which helped fund the initial expansion of the Empire. Today the region is governed by High Lord Huan Chang who has held the position since 2008.

The conquest of the various provinces began here in the 6th Century BCE when King Ah Hsu unified various tribes into an army and headed North. He did not live long enough to see the entire Empire formed in its modern guise having died sometime in the 560's BCE.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2021, 10:22:31 PM by Lijiang »

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2021, 01:54:05 PM »
The Liǎng Tiáo Lóng Faith
The Two Dragon Faith

The Liǎng Tiáo Lóng faith, translated into English as The Two Dragon Faith, is the predominant religion in the Majestic Empire. It is thought to have close to 100% following in the Empire and has not spread much beyond the borders of Lijiang. The faith places emphasis on the worship of Two Dragons,  Fucanglong (Male) and Qinglong (Female), who created humanity in addition to placing a duty on respecting ancestors.

HISTORY OF THE FAITH

There have been traces of pottery featuring the symbol of the Two Dragons going back some 17,000 or 18,000 years however it is not until around 3,000 BCE that any mention of the Dragons as Gods begins to appear. In the Province of Shèngdiàn an engraving found on a stone tablet tells of people making offerings to Two Dragons and this was dated to 2,987 BCE making it the oldest known reference to the religion explicitly. In all 13 of the current Imperial Provinces the religion seems to have found a foothold by 2,500 BCE as inscriptions have been found in every province dating to around these times. The heartland of the faith though appears to be the more southern provinces. It was in the South that a Priestess known as  Qing codified much of the faith of the Two Dragons in the Province of Hézhun during the 8th Century BCE. Her burial mound is an often visited place by pilgrims. Her teachings spread to many of the neighbouring provinces and copies of her texts were found even in Lóngzui which is the most Northern Province.

It appears however that there were a large number of variations in the way that the faith was practiced and that this continued until the Imperial Era under King Ah Hsu in the 500's BCE. As Ah Hsu moved North through the modern day Empire he took large numbers of Priestesses with him and these took the Qing version of the faith with them. There are many accounts of during this time period of Ah Hsu allowing the Priesthood to harshly deal with anyone who refused to accept the Qing version of the faith. When Ah Hsu's army reached Rizhao in c.570 he had reached the location where Qing had written that the Two Dragons had created the first human, Yifeng, and here he ordered a Shrine to built. It is also at this shrine that Ah Hsu was buried in 561BCE when he died of illness while conquering Huācodiàn.

Following the death of Ah Hsu his eldest son Jike continued his father's conquest and was responsible for the construction of the first Temple on the site of the Sanctury of the Two Dragon's in Shèngdiàn in 509BCE. Jike died two days after work began on the Temple at the age of 87. His Dragon Priestess was Yingchao who believed the spot marked a meeting point between the Dragon's world and the human world. She claimed that the Dragons were so pleased with the recognition that Jike had given them by constructing a temple there that they had summoned him to their world. It is for this reason Jike is considered the first Dragon Emperor rather than using the title of Emperor like his father had.

The conquest of the rest of the Empire took around 200 years and was completed by a mixture of military conquest and intermarriage between royal families. It was however in 379 BCE that Emperor Ah Wu Xinghan added the final Province to the Empire when he symbolically marched into the Krimeon Sea to show they had nothing left to conquer. It was at this point he had the Sea Dragon Temple constructed.

Since the time of Dragon Emperor Ah Wu Xinghan the Empire has focused on ensuring the Qing version of the faith has been enforced across the Empire however the method of this enforcement has changed radically. In the early days there was a period of time known as the Zhífǎ (Enforcement) during this time period the Imperial Guard would travel around the nation and herd locals into temples to take part in rituals lead by an Imperially appointed Priestess. Anyone discovered trying to leave these forced rituals or deemed to be subverting them was executed. In addition to this members of the Imperial Guard would travel the Empire in the guise of a travelling merchant and record the location of groups not following the Qing version of the faith. This period of the Zhífǎ lasted roughly from 370BCE - 200BCE during which time all other variations of the faith were all but eradicated.

Following the Zhífǎ the faith entered a period known as the Xuéxí (The Learning) where the faith began encouraging great steps forward in scholarship. The Priesthood in 196BCE came under the command of Jingyan and actively encouraged questioning of the faith where as under the Zhífǎ period this would have been meet with the Priesthood sending the Imperial Guard to carry out executions Jingyan would dispatch scholars who would formulate philosophical, scientific and sometimes even medical responses to show the truth of the Qing version of the faith. While much of this work was naturally bias and often not fully accurate it marked a period where the faith began to the Empire make great advances. This approach and period also saw a great emphasis placed on education and created a class of female Priestess alongside these male scholars who were extremely well educated. The Sanctury of the Two Dragons became a great library as knowledge from across Ardia and even further afield was sought out.

The Zhífǎ period continued until the 4th Century AD when Dragon Priestess Noujin assumed the leadership of the faith. She started a practice known as  Jiāméng (加盟) which translates as "Joining" where she promoted the idea that the Dragon Emperor and Dragon Priestess marked the pure bloodlines of Dragons and thus by producing children they could strengthen the Empire. This approach saw a number of Emperors father children with the Dragon Priestess with the male offspring entering the Imperial Guard while the female entered the Priesthood. This time period cemented the idea of social hierarchy and bloodlines being very important and while the process of Jiāméng is not practiced much today it is still respected. The Dragon Priestess Noujin also began a process of placing a greater emphasis on the rituals dedicated to ancestors than her predecessors.

In the 10th Century Dragon Priestess Dali saw what some historians have called a civil war within the faith as she began to move away from the Qing teachings. This angered several young Priestesses lead by Yanmu who took off to the Shrine of Yifeng in Huācodiàn and refused to use the new rituals Dali had authorised. Dali dispatched the Imperial Guard to execute Yanmu and her followers however upon reaching Huācodiàn the young Priestess managed to persuade them to support her. Despite Dali raising a new army and having the support of the Dragon Emperor, whom she had a son with, Yanmu was able to prevent the Dragon Priestess taking control of the province of Huācodiàn. When the then Dragon Emperor died his son was concerned that Dali had corrupted his father and withdrew support for Dali. This quickly brought the conflict to an end and the Imperial Guard removed Dali from power by throwing her into the Dragon Spine River along with her son who was the Emperors step-brother and in the eyes of many a rival for the throne. Yanmu took over as Dragon Priestess and while she enforced the Qing variation of the faith she took no action against those who followed variations of the faith so long as they fulfilled two criteria. The first of those criteria were that they made offerings to the Dragon Emperor and the second was that they made an annual offering at an Imperial Temple. This process therefore ensured the loyalty of the people while ensuring the Imperial backed Qing variation of the faith was protected.

In the 15th Century Dragon Emperor Longxu actually turned his back on the Qing variation of the faith however made no orders to change the nations faith. This period of time saw Longxu and the Dragon Priestess,  Xiao Zhen formalise separation of duties and powers between the Dragon Emperor and Dragon Priestess. The faith of Longxu had minimal impact on the Empire as his conversion to a variant of the faith known as Wen happened in the middle part of his thirty year reign and his children and wives were all followers of the Qing variation. Upon Longxu's death the right of following variations of the Two Dragons faith became more acceptable as his son Longxu II and Dragon Priestess Xiao Zhen allowed his cremation where as followers of Qing practice burial. This more tolerant approach to the faith has continued until this day however still less than 5million of the population of modern Lijiang state they believe in something other than the Qing variation of the Two Dragons faith.

WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE?

 Fucanglong and his mate Qinglong were dragons who have always existed. These Dragons created everything in existence today in the cosmos. The Two Dragons gave life to two humans Yifeng and Liying who are the descendants of all humans. To allow Yifeng and Liying to survive the Two Dragons ensured Mundus would give them everything they need. A summary of what the faith believes is given below

1. Nothing can survive without the consent of the Two Dragons.
2. The Two Dragons control life and death.
3. The Two Dragons must be thanked daily for permitting life to exist.
4. Humanity must share with the Two Dragons everything we are given.
5. The Two Dragons do not make mistakes however humans who fail to respect the Two Dragons can and this leads to evil and other problems
6. To ensure order in the world the Two Dragons have left us with a hierarchy. Those at the top have a duty to care for and look after those below them with kindess and mercy.
7. It is the duty of all to ensure that the creations of the Two Dragons are well looked after.
8. When we die one of two things happen to use. Those who have lived good lives are given new bodies in the heavens where we join the Two Dragons in their cosmic dance. Those who have lived bad lives are destroyed by the Two Dragons with their life-force being back onto Mundus to help the planet grow.
9. Those permitted to join the Two Dragons are expected to still serve them and may at times be returned to Mundus either with a physical form or as a spiritual power.

HOW DO THEY WORSHIP?

Offerings and rituals play a huge part in the faith. It is expected that a person visit a Temple at least once a week however there is no set date for prayers and no single day deemed Holy like a Christian sabbath. At arriving at the Temple it is expected that an offering be given most people from the peasantry take offerings of food they have grown while nobles will often take goods they have purchased. Temples usually offer daily prayers with small Temples doing so at sunset everyday while larger Temples will offer multiple services a day. Those attending a service will listen to the prayers offered by the Priestess who will also include the congregation on the service. Those attending when their is no service will first attract the attention of the Dragons by passing incense sticks through a flame which is kept burning in the Temple at all times. They will then conduct their own prayers giving thanks to the Two Dragons.

At home people are expected to maintain a small shrine which is dedicated to the family spirits. This shrine is expected to contain two significant items, the first is a scroll telling the family history. It is expected that this is updated at least annually and may be replaced when deemed necessary. Some of these from the noble families have become significant historical documents charting the histories of the nation. Some families have also digitalised their scroll and others have obviously lost and replaced or restarted scrolls the importance is that the prescience of the document is a way of showing the ancestors that they are going to be remembered and should they return they can find out what has happened to their family. The second item is a bowl of rice so that the ancestors are nourished in families the rice is replaced every day. On special occasions the rice is made more significant by adding fish, meat or vegetables.

During the year there are several key dates which mark festivals of certain events. These each have their own rituals and ceremonies.

TBC



 

Offline Lijiang

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 230
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Lijiang
Re: The Majestic Empire of Lijiang
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2021, 07:00:54 PM »
• Education: School is compulsory for males between the ages of 6-10. The children of nobility must be educated between the ages of 5 and 16.

EDUCATION IN LIJIANG


Education is valued in Lijiang however it is currently not totally open to all. Education is organised into four groups.

1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. Higher
4. Academies

Primary, Secondary and Higher groups are largely tackled chronologically whereas Academies sit in a parallel stream. A person's status in society also has an impact on their access to education and the rules connected to it.

PRIMARY EDUCATION


A typical rural Primary School

Primary Education is compulsory for all males between 6 and 11 years of age and if from a noble family all children aged between 5-11. Each province is expected to ensure all students who are required to attend do so and parents can be punished if they refuse to allow their child to attend. While for non-nobles only males are required to attend there is nothing stopping individual schools supporting girls attending, current evidence suggests that around 80% of non-noble males successfully complete Primary Education compared with 60% of non-noble females. The nobility however have 95% of both genders completing the educational stage. The focus of the curriculum at this point is based on learning Lijiangian (RL-Mandarin), maths, art, basic science and theology. The nobility are further expected to begin memorising certain short texts by scholars from the nation.

There is an emphasis also placed on physical well-being and each morning every child is expected to complete a 45 minute physical work out based on tradition martial arts such as tai chi.

SECONDARY EDUCATION


A typical urban secondary school

Secondary Education is only compulsory for noble males and while it typically runs until the age of 18 it is only compulsory until the age of 16. Generally the urban non-nobles take the offer of this education while in rural areas most are educated "at home" which normally means either beginning to work on the family farms or some other type of apprenticeship in skills such as carpentry or smithing. Schools are provided for free however once the male nobility has been allocated a place the remaining school places can be allocated as the school see fit and while most schools run at around 90% capacity most provinces have in place schemes that would administer entrance exams. While it is only compulsory to attend school until the age of 16 a total of 90% of noble males continue beyond the age of 16.

The curriculum at Secondary school focuses on the same subjects as Primary school but also introduces History, Philosophy, Calligraphy and Music. In addition the students are required to undertake at least 1 hour a day physical activity and this usually is in the form of a pre-class whole school exercise routine based on martial arts.

HIGHER EDUCATION


A typical Higher Education Institute

At the age of 16 any individual can apply to a Higher Education Institute, these take many different forms but the most traditional is University. Other types of higher education Institute's are Specialist Colleges which teach things such as electronics, engineering and skills such as music and arts, there are also Military Schools which prepare men for a career in military service. There is no upper age to Higher Education and the vast majority of the courses on offer are free although some, such as Military Schools place a fixed term of service for graduates. While the minimum age of entry to these institutes is 16 most students do not reach the required standard until the age of 18. There are no laws preventing women from attending these institutes (however no woman may serve in the military) however only 5% of female nobles attend them. The main subjects studied include Law, History and Literature.

ACADEMIES(Shūyuàn)


One of eight Academies

A parallel system of education exists in the shape of the 10 year Academy programme. This is a series of eight institutes spread across the Empire the oldest of which is the Shūyuàn of Yansheng which can trace its origins back to around 500 BCE. The Academies are highly prestigious and in general they are the only route into working for the administration of the country in what could be described as the civil service. The vast majority of those employed as advisers to the Councils, ministers and diplomatic service are graduates of this system. The Academies are open only to males but of any age and social standing. Every year in March the Academies work out how many places they are willing to offer that year and invite interested candidates to sit exams. All potential students across the Academies sit the same exam which tests knowledge of Lijiangian language, literature, history, theology and philosophy. The vast majority of those sitting the test are 11 years of age. Once the tests are completed a student will be given a score out of 2000. Students are allocated a place by virtue of the student with the highest score being given the 1st place and so on until all places are allocated. Should for example students tie in scores for the final place open the younger student is given the place. Every student who is accepted then completes a 10 year course of study which focuses on History, Literature, Maths, Science, Philosophy, Law and Theology. In their 10th year students sit a final series of exams which gives them a score out of 1400 and also rank orders them based on performance, in event of a tie the younger student ranks higher. These rankings are seen as very important as those with higher rankings tend to get the pick of the best government jobs. Most Academy graduates do not then go onto University.