Ji

The Kingdom of Ji is an independent state located in central Akaina, with its capital located in the city of Jìchéng.

### History

Ji is first mentioned in 487 BCE as a tributary state to Joseon ruled by the semi-legendary Qing of Lan. Qing claimed his rule was ordained by the Black Tortoise, a legendary oracular creature that lived in the mountain lakes of Akaina.

Ji's history through the next millennium is irregularly chronicled, with the region reappearing in the official chronologies of Joseon in the 6th Century CE, inhabiting the southeast corner of its current territory. The kingdom usually paid tribute to Joseon, at that time the preeminent power in the region. The rise of Aukustia during the 10th to 13th centuries resulted in the steady contraction of Joseon's borders, eventually ending with the complete conquest of Joseon by the Aukustians in 1524. The royal house of Joseon, reduced to the status of tributary kings, regained their independence in 1650 with the assistance of Ji, but in exchange awarded certain territories on the western coast to Ji.

Beginning in the late 1600s, Ji fell under the suzerainty of the Dual Monarchy of Astyria-Denishu, paying tribute to the Empire. Although never outright annexed by the Dual Monarchy, Ji existed as a client state between roughly 1673 and 1886. Through this period, Ji's kings were appointed by the Dual Monarchy. The Astyrian language and script both become predominant, largely superseding the Hangguo script and the mix of regional dialects spoken at that time.

The rise of the Fusou on Ji's southern border destabilized the kingdom's internal and external politics, as the once-weak and divided Fusan cantons organized into a powerful regional state. In 1875, Ji fought a border war with Fusou and lost three small territories. Hasty negotiation by Ji prevented further losses, and the southern border remained static ever since. The conflict signalled the end of Ji's client status with Astyria-Denishu, however, as the Dual Monarchy failed to make any coherent moves to defend Ji.

When Tokkaido gained their independence in 1880, Ji became the last of the Dual-Monarchy's client states in Akaina. Upon the death of King Hui in 1884, the kingdom become embroiled in a succession crisis, with the Dual Monarchy appointing Xiao of Yue to the throne. The local nobles, in an act of defiance tacitly supported by Joseon, instead appointed Chi Cao. Xiao launched the Appointment War (1885 to 1888) to seize the throne.

Support from Joseon ended almost immediately when Aukustia launched the Kangwon War (1885 to 1892). Ji thus devolved into a state of low-level civil war between 1885 and the spring of 1887, when Chi Cao was killed during a skirmish. However, Hata Uchino, a general from Ji's small ethnic Fusan minority, claimed to be appointed by the Black Tortoise following a visit to the Shrine of Tanzhesizhen. The monks of Zhengbaiqi supported Hata, who held the rebelling nobility of Ji together and delivered a sharp defeat to the Xiao Faction at the Battle of Feishui in spring 1888, reportedly fulfilling a prophecy made two years earlier. Xiao, captured at Feishui, declaimed the throne immediately thereafter, surrendering the crown of Ji to Hata, who became king under the reign name Uchino I.

In the political aftermath of the victory at Feishui, the Dual Monarchy attempted to switch their support to Uchino in order to retain Ji as a client state. This was rejected when the Imperial envoys were locked out of the hall during Uchino's coronation, essentially ending Ji's cliency.

In 1900, an ailing Uchino passed on the throne to his son Toru (who had married Chi Cao's daughter in 1886). In 1908, Toru's son and appointed heir Crown Prince Uchino (b.1888) married Princess Hae-yeon, the second daughter of King Ryu Seo-jo of Joseon, reestablishing political ties that had fallen dormant for several decades.

### Geography

Ji's irregular history has resulted in the country possessing three distinct coastlines. In the southeast, the peninsular country of Qichao allows Ji access to a narrow coastline in the south, along the Gulf of Qichao, as well as a lengthy eastern seaboard. In the west, Ji maintains a narrow western coastline between the Fusan border in the south, and Aukustia in the north.

Ji possessed a land border with Joseon until the end of the Kangwon War in 1892, when Aukustia gained a narrow foothold on the Encircled Sea.

Ji is defined in the east by the Chaobai River valley that flows down to the southern coast. Jìchéng is located inland on the eastern bank of the Chaobai River.

### Demographics

The country is composed of three main regions: Yan, Yue, and Yiqu. Yan is the largest by population and area, located in the southeast. Several other smaller regions exist in the north and west of the country.

Ethnic Ji (plural *Jian*) compose the majority of the country, being approximately 75% of the population. Small pockets of ethnic Joseon, Monmon, and Fusans can be found in the western, northern, and southwestern portions of the country. Some ethnic Jian live in Fusou and Monmon.

The Jian people are generally stereotyped as conservative, honest, and somewhat superstitious. Foreign observers regard the Jian as highly religious, much like the Monmon to their immediate north.

The Jian speak a distinct dialect of the Astyrian language, and write using the Astyrian alphabet - indicative of the kingdom's long history as a client of the Dual Monarchy. This dialect has been heavily influenced, however, by both the Fusan and Joseon languages, with both technical terms and slang helping to make Jian distinctive. Native Astyrian-speakers can generally make themselves understood in the Jian dialect, and vice-versa.

#### Ten Largest Cities

* Jìchéng (capital)
* Xian
* Liulihe
* Youbeiping
* Zimu
* Lu
* Nankou
* Taolin
* Miyun
* Nanshao

### Government

Ji is ruled by a monarchy, modelled somewhat on the now-defunct Dual Monarchy of Astyria-Denishu. The royal line is only in its second generation, but the populace believes that their right to rule has been ordained by the Black Tortoise, an oracular spirit that oversees the destiny of Ji. The Black Tortoise is explicitly not viewed as a god or higher order of spirit, merely the oldest living thing; therefore Jian natives would reject a 'divine right' argument.

An elected unicameral parliament was established in 1899 shortly before King Uchino's abdication. This reform was instrumental in allowing a peaceful transition of power to King Toru, but the parliament largely exists by royal fiat rather than by the popular acclaim of the people. Twelve of the forty-six seats are reserved for members of the Jian aristocracy, and another sixteen seats for the chief monks or abbots of the powerful temples. The Jian, by and large, are content to avoid democracy since the majority feel they are being ruled well by their monarch.

The Jian parliament possesses the right to confirm the monarchial line of succession (a task inherited from the aristocrats and the abbots of the various temples). The parliament approves the monarch's selection of an heir or crown prince, which may or may not be a member of his own bloodline. When the heir ascends to the throne, the parliament again has the opportunity to approve or reject the monarch.

Each of Ji's various provinces is ruled by a number of aristocrats. Beginning in the middle of the 19th Century, the center of power swung toward the aristocracy, but is at present swinging back towards the monarchy.

Ji is a member of the Akaina League.

#### Military

The Ji Army is fairly small, numbering approximately seventy thousand men during peacetime.

The Ji Navy has four small coast defense ships built during the 1890s, supplemented by eight old destroyers and six naval trawlers. Two of the coast defense ships and all of the destroyers are based in the Gulf of Qichao in the south, where Ji's most important ports are located. A third ship is stationed on the east coast, and the fourth ship on the west coast.

Ships:

* Coast Defense Ships: *Shanggu*, *Tian Dan*, *Zhang Tu*, *Wucheng*
* Destroyers: *T1*, *T2*, *T3*, *T4*, *T5*, *T6*, *T7*, *T8*

### Economy

Ji's economy heavily revolves around a mix of subsistence agriculture and forestry.

### Transport

Exactly ten automobiles have been registered in the country of Ji - two of which are owned by Crown Prince Uchino.

Ji has two railways. A metre-gauge railway runs from northeastern Fusou into Ji, stopping at the port of Xian before running north along the Chaobai River to reach the capital of Jìchéng. The railway crosses the river on a ferry in order to continue southeast into Qichao.

A second railway line, constructed in Joseon's 3'6" gauge, runs from Fusou up the western coast of Ji, along the Encircled Sea, entering Aukustia at Ji's northern border and continuing onward into Joseon.