Tian Xia
lso known as 'The Eastern Empire' to some, the empire of Tian Xia is one of the two largest political powers on Pal Tahrenor. Situated directly east of Eyropa and covering roughly a third of the continent, Tian Xia is the principal destination of the northern and southern trade routes.
Under the guidance of the enduring Tianlong Dynasty, and despite the numerous different cultures and races found within the empire, Tian Xia is woven together by a two strong cultural threads: Every citizen of the empire is expected to learn the laws and primary language of Imperial Tian Xia alongside their own native tongue and customs.
Yulongjing, the Capital of the Jade Dragon, is the heart of the Tianlong Dynasty and where governance of the Empire begins and ends.
Geography
Regions
Tian Xia is a vast empire, but can be largely divided into three main geographical regions:
Adjacent to Tian Xia can be found a handful of smaller independent nations:
- Gur'yeo
- Wakoku
- Tai-oan
Species
Given the size of Tian Xia, it should come as no surprise that nearly every race has some kind of presence within the empire.
A more detailed listing of the races in Tian Xia can be found here.
Government
The infrastructure supporting the Tianlong Dynasty's rule of Tian Xia is referred to as 'The Sānshěng Liùbù', or 'The Three Departments and Six Ministries'.
Although the Emperor is technically the Supreme Ruler of Tian Xia, it is the Empress Tianlong Wangmu who heads the Sānshěng Liùbù. It is the Empress to whom the department and ministry heads report.
The Emperor spends his days in the Hall of Audience: a benevolent service which allows citizens of Tian Xia to, by appointment, approach the Emperor personally with requests and appeals for assistance.
A full description of the Three Departments and Six Ministries can be found here.
Military
Tian Xia's military is primarily organised into five talons, each with a particular role in maintaining the peace and prosperity of the empire.
Laws
For the Tianlong Dynasty to manage an empire as large as Tian Xia, It was determined at the start that an effective system of laws and law enforcement would be necessary.
What initially started as a simple system of punishment for a short list of crimes has, over the centuries, developed into a complex system of determining the severity of a crime and assigning punishment for those crimes on the basis of numerous exacerbating or mitigating factors.
Depending on the magnitude of the crime, punishment can range from beatings with light sticks, beating with heavy sticks, strangulation, and decapitation. Fines, brands, tattooing, reduction of social standing and exile can be included in punitive measures for certain crimes.
A more detailed description of Tian Xia's Laws and Law Enforcement can be found here.
Magic
Just as with the rest of Pal Tahrenor, magic is ubiquitous within Tian Xia, and manifests in a myriad of ways.
Unlike Thar Shaddin, which has made magic illegal except in special cases, in Tian Xia magic is legal and encouraged if used for the benefit of one's community and the empire. A trader travelling through the vast empire might see one day a farmer 'encouraging' his rice paddies to grow more rapidly, and the next day see a labourer carrying wooden beams far too heavy for a human, each by aid of his personal magic. Such individuals increase the prosperity of their communities, and frequently enjoy a level of local celebrity and colourful nicknames as a result. Often the reason why such magic users remain in their villages, rather than seek an Imperial Appointment, comes down to being a big frog in a little pond, and liking it that way.
Magic users in Tian Xia, mostly accepted and encouraged by society, generally feel less need to resort to a criminal life to get by. However, people are imperfect, and not every magic user is a kindly and generous soul. There are always those who succumb to pride or greed, wanting to lord their powers over the people around them. Consequently, there are special individuals tasked with bringing such individuals to Imperial Justice (see Jinyiwei)
The Tianlong Dynasty has at every stage taken steps to minimise the risk of magic users destabilising the empire. The Imperial University of Magical Studies was formed by decree of Tianlong Huangdi, who saw the need to have influence over the magic users born within the empire, and had began to understand his human subjects' tendency to rationalise the energies they could subconsciously feel leaking through the imperfect seal between the material and astral planes.
With government appointments becoming available specifically tailored for magic users, and Ministry examiners rewarding communities which supplied talented children to the Imperial University, the dynasty has been able to cement itself in a position of authority over magic users without oppressing them and resorting to an endless internal witchhunt throughout the empire.
More information on some of the dominant expressions of magic within Tian Xia can be found here.
History
Tian Xia was not always the sprawling empire of the modern day. Indeed, at the time of magic's proliferation around 1000 BCE, the Zhou Dynasty barely covered a fifth of the expanse of present day Tian Xia. However, it was the humble beginnings of the Zhou Dynasty which would develop over time into the vast empire ruled by the present Tianlong Dynasty.
The reign of the Zhou Dynasty from 1046 BCE to 256 BCE is known by Imperial Scholars as the Flourishing of Magic, and the introduction of magic into the Zhou empire greatly superseded in influence the simultaneous discovery and introduction of iron into Tian Xian manufacturing. The Zhou Dynasty came to an end six years prior to the end of the Changers War with the death of the Tian Xian Changer Yu Di, and was replaced by the intervention of the Tianlong family.
The Zhou Dynasty remains a popular area of study amongs Tian Xian scholars preparing for imperial examinations. New archaeological evidence from the era is often hailed with great ceremony in academic circles.
A full timeline of Tian Xia's History can be found here.
