The Xheng Empire
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Contents
The Xheng Empire
The Xheng Empire is a collection of six Principalities, and one Imperial Dynasty. The Xheng Dynasty, rules over the regional Empire and the territories controlled directly under the Dynasty itself is also named "Xheng Empire". Over the course of its history, the Xheng Empire as it is now known, consisted of many warring states, empires and sovereign states. Throughout their 50,000 year history, the Xheng's have various names for themselves:
Xhengs: The most common modern reference to inhabitants of the Xheng Empire.
Tarutaru: This is the biological species that the Xheng people are. Sometimes they are simply refered to as "Taru".
Zionarens: The exiles of the Xheng Empire.
Li's: Xheng people from the Li Clan.
Ming's: Xheng people from the Ming Clan.
Sui's: Xheng people from the Sui Clan.
Tang's: Xheng people from the Tang Clan.
Wong's: Xheng people from the Wong Clan.
Han's: Xheng people from the Han Clan.
The Xheng Dynasty's own dominance over the other clans and principalities relies on strategic political marriage alliances. However the Xheng Empire didn't wish to conduct inbreeding, and as a result, every second generation an infusion of natural citizen blood must be taken, which is not uncommon to find that Xheng nobility lines are very elaborate and stretch to many portions of society. Street peddlers may be direct cousins of great nobles.
The Government of the Xheng Empire is focused at the heart of the Xheng Emperor. It has to maintain a delicate balance between being a puritanical legalist state and an liberal open commercial market.
The Principalities of the Xheng Empire
Li-Xheng: Liberal Democratic Socialist
The Principality of Li-Xheng is a tiny, safe nation, remarkable for its burgeoning golden quilin population. Its hard-nosed, intelligent population of 5 million love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.
The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, corrupt, socially-minded morass -- juggles the competing demands of Religion & Spirituality, Healthcare, and Social Welfare. The average income tax rate is 39%, but much higher for the wealthy. A small private sector is dominated by the Automobile Manufacturing industry.
Crime is well under control, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Li-Xheng's national animal is the golden quilin and its currency is the xheng.
Ming-Xheng: Inoffensive Centrist Democracy
The Principality of Ming-Xheng is a tiny, safe nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate population of 5 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.
The enormous government is mainly concerned with Social Welfare, although Healthcare and Education are on the agenda. The average income tax rate is 31%, but much higher for the wealthy. A substantial private sector is led by the Uranium Mining industry, followed by Book Publishing and Information Technology.
Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown. Ming-Xheng's national animal is the black tiger and its currency is the xheng.
Sui-Xheng: Left-Leaning College State
The Principality of Sui-Xheng is a tiny, socially progressive nation, notable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate, hard-working, intelligent population of 5 million enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.
The large government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Social Welfare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 24%. A substantial private sector is led by the Automobile Manufacturing industry, followed by Cheese Exports and Uranium Mining.
Crime is moderate, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Sui-Xheng's national animal is the white snake and its currency is the xheng.
Tang-Xheng: Inoffensive Centrist Democracy
The Principality of Tang-Xheng is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its strong anti-business politics. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 5 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.
The enormous government devotes most of its attentions to Law & Order, with areas such as Social Welfare and Defence receiving almost no funds by comparison. The average income tax rate is 31%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Trout Farming.
Crime is moderate. Tang-Xheng's national animal is the silver phoenix, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the xheng.
Wong-Xheng: Corporate Police State
The Principality of Wong-Xheng is a tiny, economically powerful nation, notable for its complete lack of prisons. Its hard-working, cynical population of 5 million are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.
There is no government in the normal sense the word; however, a small group of community-minded, corrupt individuals juggles the competing demands of Commerce, Defence, and Law & Order. Income tax is unheard of. A large private sector is led by the Gambling industry, followed by Furniture Restoration and Arms Manufacturing.
Crime is a problem, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Wong-Xheng's national animal is the bronze lion, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the xheng.
Han-Xheng: Psychotic Dictatorship
The Principality of Han-Xheng is a tiny, safe nation, remarkable for its strong anti-business politics. Its compassionate, cynical population of 5 million are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."
The large, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Commerce, Defence, and Social Welfare. The average income tax rate is 29%, but much higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Door-to-door Insurance Sales.
Crime -- especially youth-related -- is well under control, despite the fact that it is difficult to make it through a day without breaking one of the country's many laws. Han-Xheng's national animal is the giant panda, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the xheng.
Utilizing sheer force and bribery the Xheng Clan was able to secure themselves by means of political and family relationships such as marriage alliances. Thus all the clans of the region are under direct administration from the Imperial Throne of the Xheng Emperor.
All of the nations under the rulership of the dynasty itself have to submit their foreign affairs and military interests directly to the mercy of the Imperial Government for approval. On paper, these now conquered kingdoms have great autonomy, but in practice this was far from the truth. From the capital of Xheng-An, the Emperor and his ministers and bureaucrats control nearly every aspect of the Empire, at least in theory.
As with such a massive state, the Empire was too large to be controlled by a single individual so the marriage alliances of the six clans were given provisional control over "Principalities". Each Principality technically acted like a sovereign state, giving generous authority and autonomy back to the Imperial Government. Again as with tradition vs practice, they were subject to many overrulings from the Xheng-An as the Emperor could easily overturn domestic and foreign issues.
The Xheng Principalities all varried significantly in terms of their internal structure of governments. Overall the Xheng Throne maintains the status quo between the more free Principalities and the more oppressive ones. While the Principalities of Li-Xheng and Sui-Xheng allow great freedoms of expression and social issues, others like Han-Xheng and Wong-Xheng often sacrifice personal freedoms for the greater good of the state itself.
In truth, the Principalies are puppet states.
Tarutaru
The Xheng people upon first inspection by most humans and other humanoids are not quite the same. They are Tarutaru, physically small yet highly intelligent little beings who are known to be playful and cheerful. The Tarutaru people originated from a mysterious realm called "Windurst" in the land of "Vana'diel". All known records of these fabled mythical lands have been long lost, even the legends are of little knowledge. The Xheng Empire's history mentions that nearly ninety thousand years ago there may have been a great fleet that arrived, landing them. Where this legendary "Windurst" is, no one knows. Archaeological evidence to the fleet's arrival is non-existant so the Xheng's more than likely believe themselves to be indigenous.
The Tarutaru are physically small, nearly 1/6 the size of a human being. Their height would reach the knee of a full grown human male. Long ago in their archaic age, the Tarutaru had practiced arcane magics and excelled in scientific knowledge, which explains why the later Xheng Dynasty would refuse to ever trade with "savage barbarians from the ouside world" The Xheng Dynasty maintains a government structure that shows expert knowledge of bureaucratic functions.
The Emperor and the Bureaucracy
The Emperor of the Xheng Empire holds many titles and positions:
High Heir of the Xheng Dynasty: Highest hereditary ruler of the Xheng Dynasty
Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army: Commands all land forces
High-Grand Admiral of the Xheng Navy: Commands all sea forces
Supreme Air Marshall: Commands all air forces.
Chancellor of the Vaults: Overseer of all money in the Empire
Supreme Archon of Truth: Highest judge in the Empire
However it is extremely rare to find a member of the nobility to be in a government position such as a ministry. To those responsibilities the Emperor appoints citizen scholars who have passed an extremely difficult and refined system of examinations based on political theories, social issues, financial records, bureaucratic and foreign affairs. Due to the fear that a fellow member of the nobility could overthrow the Imperial Throne, the Emperor delegated imporant responsibilities to the Ministers instead of his family members who would be hungry for power.
Ministers were all designated certain responsibilies like finance, military, taxation and so on. Depending on which Emperor there could be a variable number of ministries. The Emperor can create and dismiss them at his will.
The Prime Minister
To coordinate the affairs of state the position of Prime Minister is taken by the highest ranking civil servant, usually an individual of an outstanding reputation and career already established. This individual is most likely the second most powerful individual in the Empire easily outstripping any member of the nobility in authority. The Prime Minister takes care of the day to day affairs of the state without having to bother the Emperor on every detail of government. To his assistance Lesser Ministers and Administrators assist in dealing with smaller issues. To balance out regional interests the Emperor usually appoints these ministers from various regions of the Empire so that they manage things fairly.
The Prime Minister appoints his cabinet from the authority and decisions of the Emperor. Unlike Parliamentary Democracies, the Emperor has all the power remove anyone he wishes.
The Ministries
Ministry of the Vault: Responsibilities of direct financial relocation of treasury funds.
Ministry of Citizens: Immigration and Exiles.
Ministry of the Seal: Keeper of the Imperial Seal and Foreign Representation.
Ministry of Industry: Maintains upkeep of all industrial functions.
Ministry of Trade: Maintains effective trade internally.
Ministry of Principality Order: Maintains dominance of the Principalities.
Ministry of Medicine: Oversees health and safety issues.
Ministry of Ritual and Culture: Responsible for the upkeeping of heritage sights and monuments.
Ministry of Protection: Army, Navy, Airforce.
Minstry of Infrastructure: Upkeep of civilian roads and state buildings.
Ministry of Security: Private Security for the highest officials and nobility.
International Relations
In terms of the global community the Xheng Empire is nearly xenophobic. Foreigners are not permitted to engage in trade or diplomatic contact with the Xheng Empire. The Emperor has banned all foreigners from entering the territories of the Empire and has little interest in engaging with the outside world. The Xheng Empire at the moment does not even posess a member seat in the United Nations though this is expected to change in the near future for observation interests.
Interestingly enough, the Xheng Empire does maintain one embassy, at Zionaren City, the capital of the Principality of Zionaren where the exiles live. Allowing trade with its exiled colony the Xheng Empire recieves information and goods from the outside world conveniently still keeping up the facade of isolationism.
The Zionaren Breakup
Throughout the ages many of the citizens of the Xheng Empire were unwilling to settle for isolationism and decided to journey throughout the world. Under the decree of the Emperor, these unsettled peoples were permitted to leave, but they were forever banned from returning to the Xheng Empire. Their leader was an individual named Zionaren Venixer. He was not of any noble blood. He was a commoner but he was a magistrate in the port city of Blue Pearl. The Emperor allowed three years for the now labled "Exiles" to prepare to leave, if they were not gone by the end of the three year period, they would be imprisoned.
Zionaren wasted no time and began to raise money to build ships. Many more people than he suspected wanted to leave the Xheng Empire, nearly three million people! This was the largest mass exodus in recorded history. Nearly 1/8 of the Empire's entire population wanted to leave for a new homeland. Zionaren Venixer eventually assembled a fleet of nearly 80,000 ships, some of the largest ever constructed and departed. The journey to unknown lands was not easy. The fleet divided into four armadas of 20,000 ships each to find new places to settle, but it was extremely difficult. Many of the lands that they had come to encounter were already settled and could definately not sustain a huge influx of population like three million exiles.
Eventually Zionaren's own fleet reached one of the many "Banished Continents" of Xheng folklore where supposedly the gods lived and no living being was to step foot onto. However Zionaren was a practical minded individual and realized that his people could no longer sail througout the known world without food or a home. He ordered a landfall and soon the first established villages were constructed. It was with extreme fortune that the Zionaren Exiles found lush farmable land and wealth of forests for their construction. Like Xheng architecture they used wood to extremely efficient means never abusing what nature gave them. The Zionarens still kept much of their Xheng heritage as they built their cities according to Xheng city plans and kept many Xheng Legal customs. However Zionaren Venixer eventually loosened many laws that made them leave the Xheng Empire to begin with.
Zionaren sent out ships to explore neighboring lands and discovered many cultures were neraby. The other fleets had arrived back with knowledge of the surrounding states and kingdoms and soon Zionaren wanted to trade. The lush warm weather of the new "Principality of Zionaren" was perfect for rice cultivation, tea plantations and unfortunaetly, disease. The Zionarens had to devote a great deal of their effort to trading for medicines to combat these tropical diseases. They were smart enough to alert all incoming trade ships from foreign lands to conduct their trade by the means of an artificial port built out at sea, so that contact would be limited and that disease spreading would be controlled. These quarantined ports would be safe from any infections or plagues. Eventually the Zionarens themselves developed the means to combat diseases that were rich in the tropical regions and they lived well.
The Xheng Empire had kept their watch on the Zionarens but still maintained an isolationist point of view.
