Yizhui

Yizhui, officially the Overseas Crown Territory of Yizhui, is a treaty port of Liotain on the Astyrian coast, located on the Bight of Yongbao.

### History

The port city of Yizhui was founded in the 1300s, but did not come into prominence until the late 1600s, when it became a popular entrepot for traders in northern Astyria. At various points, Yizhui became a hotbed for pirates (including Fusouan *wokou*). On several occasions, it was raided by foreign navies intent on suppression of piracy, including Antargentina (1690), Firocco (1700, 1734, and 1801), Joseon (1730), and Liotain (1759, 1794, and 1822).

Through the 19th Century, the regional governor of Yizhui developed significant autonomy from the government of Astyria-Denishu, developing their own independent army and fleet, including several ironclads and gunboats. In early 1879, a group called the Friendly Uncles, encouraged by the governor of Yizhui, entered the town for anti-foreigner riots, sacking both the foreign quarter as well as native districts nearby.

This action, together with a sharp rise in regional piracy endorsed by the regional governor, resulted in the Great Intervention. A coalition of powers, including Antargentina, Eirenn, Firocco, Fusou, and Liotain all deployed warships and troops, resulting in the Battle of Yizhui Bay on October 2, 1879.

In the aftermath of this action, Dual Monarchy declared the independence of Tokkaido, and awarded permanent territorial concessions to each of the coalition powers except Eirenn (which received a monetary settlement). As part of these concessions, Yizhui was given to Liotain, which held de facto control over the city following the Great Intervention.

When Liotain offered to return the city to Astyrian control in 1884, the local populace rioted in protest, as they feared reprisals from the Astyrian government, and believed a return to Astyrian rule would result in an economic catastrophe. In 1896, Liotain again opened negotiations with the Astyrian government for the city's return, only negotiations to so hilariously miscarry that the treaty port's total land area doubled, with the territory being ceded in perpetuity.

After this point, with the local mood still favorable, the Liotainian government stopped trying to give Yizhui back and instead focused on a combination of urban, social, and legal reforms.

### Government and Politics

Following the Reform of 1901, Yizhu is officially an Overseas Crown Territory. It has local autonomy in domestic matters, with Liotain being responsible solely for foreign affairs and defense.

The monarch of Liotain serves as the Territory's official head-of-state. The Governor-General, who acts as the territorial head-of-government, is elected by the territorial parliament. The election of a Governor-General can be vetoed by the monarch or by a supermajority of the Liotainian parliament. In practice, this has never been done.

A unicameral Territorial Parliament is elected for purposes of selecting a Governor-General and setting policy for the region. As of 1907, Yizhui is organized into thirty-one districts, each of which sends one Representative to the Territorial Parliament. The city of Yizhui covers twenty-four of these thirty-one districts.

The Liotainian monarch also appoints a viceroy (or vicereine) to serve as the monarch's direct representative in the territory. This position is basically ceremonial, being bestowed to senior officials as a reward for a long career of public service. The viceroy's duties often resemble an ambassadorship in most respects, being accorded a seat on the Governor-General's executive council but having no binding power.

The Territorial Parliament also elects two representatives to the Liotainian Teismas (Parliament) in Neris.

* **Head of State / Monarch**: Queen Kotryna Urmana
* **Governor-General**: His Excellency Tao Zuo

Three political parties - largely informal - exist within Yizhui's political structure.

* The **Chamber of Commerce List** represents the city's Old Money, although the party has lost seats in three elections in a row, and is currently begining a period of serious internal reform.
* The **Lunbei Dao Party**, which takes their name from a local temple which teaches martial arts, and the dao (sword), represents the largest party in Yizhui. They advocate free market economics mixed with traditional Astyrian family values.
* The **Adaptational Party** represents more progressivist thought, arguing for an increased social safety net and public services.

### Geography

Yizhui is located on the west side of the Chuanshan Peninsula on the northern coast of Astyria. The entire region is hilly, with extensive granite outcroppings. The largest of these, Tung Shan, stands 552m tall. The harbour itself is also dominated by a large hill, on top of which the remains of old Astyrian-era fortification of *Wú tóu jī* can still be seen.

The harbour is identified as one of the best deep-water anchorages in the region. It is dotted with numerous rocky islands.

### Demographics

Most of the territory's population remains ethnically Astyrian, although there are substantial minorities of foreign-born residents. The vast majority of residents speak Chuantonese, a variant dialect of Astyrian, which is common in the Chuanshan peninsula. Approximately forty percent of the population speaks good to fluent Liotainian, while Fusoan and Firoccan are the most commonly-known third languages.

Income inequality in Yizhui has fallen massively since 1879. This is largely attributed to the lower median age, which in turn was driven by the substantial health improvements brought by the Liotainian administration.

### Economy

Yizhui serves as a major port for northern Astyria, and trans-ships significant raw materials and finished goods. Additionally, new factories are starting up in order to take advantage of selling finished goods within Astyria.

The local banking industry is also fairly well-developed.

### Infrastructure

#### Transport

Given the nature of Yizhui's harbour and the subsequent urban layout, water taxis - both powered and unpowered - are a major means to get around the city, although they are not strictly required unless a traveler is attempting to reach one of the island neighborhoods.

Beginning in 1902, Yizhui began to adopt electric street trams, largely identical to those used in the Liotainian city of Rokantiskes.

Alongside the trams, bicycles and hired *vinaigrettes* (rickshaws) remain the most common method of transportation. In 1901, during a reworking of the street system, Yizhui published an official series of rules for bicycle and vinaigrette traffic.

The 2.4-km long Yizhui Rack Railway provides a major transportation artery for people moving between Yizhui's waterfront and the neighborhood of Kouhu.

A number of automobiles have been imported (largely from Liotain or Firocco) but remain relatively rare. Following a fatal accident in 1903, the city took the unusual step of outlawing automobiles on a number of streets.

#### Utilities

One of the largest changes the Liotainian administration brought to Yizhui was the development of systems for clean drinking water and the removal of wastewater. This was accompanied by the construction of heated public bathhouses, built to the Liotainian model. These developments, first started in the 1880s, made a massive difference in public health, with a strong drop in infant mortality rates. The seasonal plagues and diseases which once affected the city have largely faded.

In more recent years, the administration has started developing a plan to bring electric distribution to the rest of the city. This took on greater urgency after a 1904 fire caused by an illegally-installed private electrical network.

### Culture

In the years since Yizhui's change in sovereignty, the region has started to develop some of its own unique cultural differences that set it apart both from Astyria and from Liotain.

#### Cuisine

Rice and fish are the two main staple foods in Yizhui. Yizhui natives consume more fish per capita than any other place in Liotainian control. Congee, or rice porridge, is one of the major ways of eating rice.

Egg tarts, barbarque pork buns, and mango pudding are also popular Yizhui dishes.

#### Sport

The Liotainian game of sritije has proven relatively popular, although most of the players in Yizhui are Liotainians living abroad. Horse racing also draws significant crowds.

Through the 1880s and 1890s, a martial art variant called *Wyushu* gained popularity in Yizhui. This fighting style had its roots in the traditions of the Friendly Uncles as well as Fusouan pirates. Since 1900, training in wyushu became a mandatory part of the standard educational curriculum, being taught to all children as part of their physical education.