Hwasan

Hwasan ( 화산/华山), officially the Hwasanse Empire ( 화산국; Hwasan-guk) is a in western Yedal. It borders Jihwa to the east and Nabei to the south-west.

Human habitation in the Hwasense lowlands dates back to the period. The region experienced several waves of human immigration primarily from northern Sinju. Records from Eastern Yoju mention the existence of several kingdoms in modern day Hwasan as early as the 6th century BCE. The three major kingdoms of Cheolsan, Hayanju, and Daegang would consolidate around the 1st century ACE, and would expand as inter-continental centers of trade. The lowlands would be formally united under the Song Dynasty in 310 ACE forming the Kingdom of Hwasan, which would exist as a tributary of Cheonje.

After the fall of Cheonje Hwasan would reorganize and expand, further centralizing and later focusing on colonial expansion. The Yellow Cap Revolution in 1090 would see the country develop a strong meritocratic tradition. Hwasanese trading companies would establish a highly successful global network of trading, effectively establishing strong presences in the market of. The Hwasense Empire would be invaded and occupied in the Eulhae War by Nukigurun, the country would be liberated by the Allied Powers on July 7th, 1940.

Hwasan is a with a sophisticated  and high. The nation's citizenry enjoys the opportunity of, , and one of the world's most open and free political processes. The country has four major urban hubs; the capital Gwangsu, Gongjeon, Cheolbu, and Anseong. Gwangsu is the nation's most populous city with a population of 4.3 million and is one of the busiest seaports in Yedal.

Ancient Hwasan
During this time period Hwasan, also known as the Three Kingdoms Period, the region of modern day Hwasan was divided intro three major kingdoms; Cheolsan, Hayanju, and Daegang. By 200 ACE the fortified settlement of Gwangsu on the western coast of Hayanju had became a crossroad of trade and cultural mingling between Yedal and Eastern Yoju. Around this time Buddhism was introduced to Hayanju and would achieve rapid popularity among the aristocracy. would have a significant impact on daily life and Hayanju would see an influx of Buddhist scholars and monastics travel to the state as advisers.

Cheolsan and Daegang would later adopt Buddhism as well, though synthesizing more syncretic philosophies and traditions from the imported teachings. Hayanju would become increasingly more dominant among its neighbors, being at the crossroads of trade between Sinju, Yedal, and Yoju. Increasing centralization and consolidation would occur as other powers on Yedal as well as growing expansionist empires in eastern Yoju became a more immediate threat.

The Treaty of 305 ACE would see Hayanju and Cheolsan united, Daegang would later be incorporated following the Spring War in 310 ACE. The Song Dynasty would arise as the preeminent noble clan among the Hwasense states in western Yedal, effectively controlling all of modern day Hwasan by its time of its incorporation into Cheonje.

Classical Hwasan
Having been unified under a singular dynasty the state began to further consolidate the various regions under its control. The emergent need for a more comprehensive state bureaucracy would lead to a number of socio-political changes which were influenced by Confucian ideas from mainland Sinju. Around 350 ACE Hwasan was formally incorporated into Cheonje as a tributary state. This is also the first verified written account of the name “Hwasan” (lit. flowering mountain) being utilized to refer to the kingdom.

Imperial Hwasan
In the aftermath of the disestablishment of Cheonje Hwasan would face the threat of two major invasions from expanding nomadic peoples in Eastern Yoju. After the failed Invasion of 895 ACE, a stronger centralized state would emerge headed by the Cheonjean influenced Cheon Dynasty. The Cheon Dynasty carried over numerous systems introduced by Cheonje such as meritocratic government organization, a more complex government ranking systems for officials and members of the noble council, and government examinations. Emperor Geongyeung would formally declare the organisation of the Hwasanese Empire in 920 ACE in Gwangsu, and a year later to the Sinju Congress. Among the royal court of Geongyeung there would arise a strong tradition of scholasticism, with a primary focus on the preservation and adaption of philosophical, political, and historical texts imported from Cheonje.

The Taecheon Code was formulated in 960 ACE, presenting a number of reforms which further centralized political power around the imperial court and introduced a more sophisticated form of to help govern new territories of Hwasan. In 983 ACE the royal court would relocate to Taemusan, south of Gwangsu, moving the center of government power away from the more populated urban centers of the country. The recentering of the Hwasene state to the Taemusan would be characterized by the emergence of a strong literary tradition, patronage of the art, and advocacy for a syncreticism between and the traditional Hwasene faith Shingyo. Elements of Buddhism from Eastern Yoju would influence Hwasene Buddhism as well; resulting in the emergence of the Tonggae school of Buddhism as well as the mystic Hongje school of Buddhism.

The unpopular rule of Emperor Cheongae would result in the Yellow Cap Rebellion, which saw the Hwabaek rebel against the Emperor. The conflict between the noble council and the seat of the Emperor would result in the in the creation of the Jungchaek Code, which transferred more power to the council of nobles effectively forming a form of parliamentary monarchy. The Hong Dynasty would supplant the preceding Cheon following the rebellion. Under the Hong the Hongje school of Buddhism fell out of favor in the upper class, seeing a resurgence in traditional philosophy. The 13th and 14th centuries would be considered a golden age for Hwasanese culture with a significant amount of Confucian inspired visual arts, literature, and architecture emerging in this period, accredited to the formation of a significant Imperial grant supporting what was defined as high court art.

Under the orders of Emperor Taein Hwasan would being the process of expanding and modernizing its navy in the the late 15th century. An Imperial grant was formed to sponsor long range naval expeditions to the south, seeking to expand the nation's trade routes. As maritime commerce and trade expanded and more advanced machinery increased the output of traditional craftsmen a robust class of wealthy merchants emerged. Merchants and craftsmen would find organize into Imperial Guilds, which sought to create a mutually beneficial bond between the state and the merchant-craftsmen class.

By the mid 1600s Hwasan had established a sustainable network of trading routes throughout most of the southern hemisphere. Several guild and company owned colonies would emerge, bringing in new material wealth to the Empire. The Hwasene Empire would emerge as a significant force in the trade of such as precious metals and spices. In the 18th century Hwasene colonial venture and trading companies would have a significant foothold in the Mulberry and Eastern Oceans, however they'd find themselves dwarfed by ventures from Jeongmi and Meeisaan resulting in the state taking a stance of appeasement towards the larger colonial powers. The Taeyang Guild would take advantage of a particular devastating winter in 1760 to lead the unsuccessful Inseong Uprising, which would result in more codified organization of the Imperial merchant guilds and the redistribution of the Taeyang's Guild's assets.

The Industrial Revolution would arrive in Hwasan by the 1860s by way of Jeongmi leading to rapid economic and socio-political changes. Craftsmen guilds would fine themselves falling increasingly out of favor as they were unable to keep up production in competition with automated factories owned by the larger merchant guilds and later corporations. The emergence of a wealthy capitalist class and a growing middle class would also see profound changes in Hwasene society, resulting in a gradual of society. Social mobility became increasingly possible as industrialization reshaped the economy and the market trended towards the beginnings of a modern capitalist economy. Mass electrification efforts and infrastructural overalls would occur from the 1880s well into the early 20th century under a series of decrees known as the Modernization Acts.

Post-War & Contemporary
The liberation of Hwasan by allied forces on July 7th, 1940 would see the dissolution of the Nuki-backed Denilha puppet government and the restoration of the Hong Dynasty. The Hwabaek would meet consistently throughout the month of July, convened by order of Emperor Deokhwa to ratify a codified constitution for the nation. The election of 1940 would see the Liberal Party win their first majority leading to the appointment of Prime Minister Won Myung-Ki, who would serve the longest term of office out of any Prime Minister in Hwasanese history (1940-1952). Mass state operated reconstruction efforts would become the focus of the Imperial government in the post-war era, which would lead to an influx of immigration from abroad in an attempt to bolster the dwindled Hwasanese workforce. Allied investment from Sinju would greatly benefit the reconstruction effort and would further cement the strong bonds between Hwasan and Jeongmi and Meisaan. The Decolonization and Repatriation Act of 1942 would see Hwasan grant independence to a few of its overseas island territories which had voted in favor of independence.

Following the formation of the Sinju Union the Heungju Treaty in 1949 would lead to the formation of the Yedal Union and the Economic Co-Prosperity Zone in 1951 which would reduce barriers to international trade in the region. The 1950s would be marked by a period of great regional investment, both from abroad and from within Yedal as Hwasan further strengthened relations with its neighbors, in particular Jihwa. The first segments of the inter-regional Grand Yedal Railway would be laid down in 1958, introducing increased ease of travel between the Hwasan and its neighbors and introduce the now common phenomena of.

The 60s and 70s would see further significant social and political change in the nation, as traditionalist elements of society were further questioned by emerging liberal think tanks and leftist student political groups. Increased social mobility and a general rising consciousness over social and economic inequality would see a period of social among the populations. Questions of, , , and came to the forefront of the national political conversation during this period. Most major political parties experienced major platforms shifts, coming to terms with the changing reality of Hwasanese society. The Year of Smog in 1972 and the Incheong Burning River Incident in 1973 would lead to the formation of the Bureau for Environmental Conservation and trend of environmental consciousness within Hwasanese politics.

The 1982 Jeongin Scandal would see several members of the Liberal Party tried for tampering with the 1980 election through coercion, manipulation of voter records, and voter fraud; this would lead to the creation of more rigorous electoral reform and a wave of voter consciousness calling for a more open political process.

Geography
Hwasan's borders encompasses the entirety of the geographical and historical area known as the Hwasene Lowlands. This name stems from the low elevation wetlands along the nation's coastline where a majority of historical and current human settlement activity first occurred. The most northern part of the lowland coastline is the Hongin Peninsula which has expansive and  and is known for flooding. The central interior of Hwasan, south of Gangsu-ju, is a flat plains region and is home to the majority of the country's. South and south west of the Daepyeong-won plains stretches the Daesan mountain range which makes up the Daesan-ju region which is the highest elevated area of Hwasan with a prominence of ‎3,176 meters. To the west of Daesan-ju is the nation's largest inland body of water, lake Yeongnak which is an that flows into the Hongdeok River that proceeds south through Yedal.

Government and Politics
Hwasan is a  as defined in the countries codified constitution of 1941, which is an reorganized document based upon the Teacheon Code and various succeeding court decisions and decrees. The country is headed by a, currently Empress Myeonghon. In the modern day the monarch has literal in the way of realized executive power, however their many prerogative are to appoint ministers such as the Prime Minister of Hwasan and the Imperial Cabinet of Ministers. The monarch of Hwasan may also consult and be consulted by the nation's legislature as the Imperial Cabinet, though these consultations hold no binding legal power.

The nation has a referred to as the Hwabaek. The upper house is the House of Nobles which consists of the nations peerage as well as individuals representing both the and  philosophical traditions respectively. The upper house serves mainly as an advisory council to the monarch and lower houses and its members serve for life. The House of Nobles posses no executive power and is generally considered to be a political organ of tradition than law making by most political observers. The lower house is the 631 seat House of the People, formed from representatives from pre-determined municipalities across the nation. These members are elected directly by their constituents for a term of 4 years. The House of the People reserves the majority of legislative power in Hwasan and may draft and pass legislation which is then forwarded to the House of Nobles which may add commentary or advisory to the legislation.

The Prime Minister of Hwasan is the nation's and is responsible for day-to-day governance of the nation. The Prime Minister is appointed by the monarchy, though they are almost always the leader of the majority part or coalition in the legislature. The current Prime Minister is Yeong Jin-Sang of the Liberal Party.

Hwasan maintains the right of for all citizens over the age of 18 who have passed voter examinations. Voters exams are state-subsidized and state-proctored. The larges and most influential political parties in Hwasan are the current majority Liberal Party, the National Conservative Party, and the Social Democrats. Smaller parties such as the Green Party and the New Justice Party also maintain seats in parliament however they have historically never maintained majority or occupied the office of Prime Minister

Demographics
The most recent government estimate put the population of Hwasan at 11,542,523 million, showing gradual population growth since the last official census in 2014. Studies pointed to immigration, specifically from South Jungju and Eastern Yoju, as a major contributing factor to upward trends of population growth. Since 1990 the Bureau of Census Data observed a stagnating which researchers predict will likely trend negatively in the future. Due to the mountainous terrain of the southern interior and the vast usage of the interior plains regions as farmlands Hwasan experiences a rather high population density. became a ongoing trend after the Eulhae War as large land grants were granted to farmers and agricultural corporations to reestablish the nation's food supply chain after the war, leaving the majority of residential land along the coastline and in the south-west of the country. The cluster of urban centers in the north-east is typically refereed to as the Daejugyo-ju region and is home to a majority of the population. The largest city in Hwasan is the capital of Gwangsu, with a population of 4.1 million. Gwangsu is considered the political as well as industrial and financial capital of the nation and is one of the busiest seaports in the world. Other lager urban centers include Gongjeon (2.4 million), Cheolbu (1.5 million), and Anseong (950,000).

Immigration has greatly shaped Hwasanese demographics, chiefly after the 1940s when colonial citizens were offered a fast-track program to relocation in Hwasan proper during the age of decolonization. Hwasan attracted immigration abroad during the reconstruction effort following the Eulhae War, in a series of government programs aimed at bolstering the weakened workforce. are a common phenomena in Hwasan, specifically with its eastern neighbor Jihwa, due to the policies within the members of the Yedal Union.

There is a significant diaspora of Hwasanese abroad, mostly found in northern Sinju. These communities were typically formed in times of hardship such as the Eulhae War or by way of international commerce. Large communities formed in Jihwa (1.2 million) and Jeongmi (1 million). Hwasanese ethnic enclaves are common in larger, international cities in Sinju.

Education
its good and centralized. kinda tough tho. (wip)

Language
The official language of Hwasan is Hwasanese. The Hwasanese language is considered to be of very close relation to Jeongmian and Jihwan. Hwasanese is with Jeongmian and Jihwan. Hwasan utilizes the script, with  characters being used infrequently. Standard Hwasanese is based in the Gwangsu dialect however other regional dialects have developed over time, chiefly the Chelobu Dialect and Anseong Dialects.

Because of the mutual intelligibility between Hwasanese and Jeongmian the latter is not taught in schools like it is throughout the majority of the world. Meisaani is taught as a required second language, and is common in the younger generations.

Architecture


Traditional architecture in Hawasan is generally known for its characteristics of horizontality, curved tile roofs, and occasional ceramic mosaics. Earlier traditional vernacular traditional architecture typically incorporated and utilized more abstracted decorative elements. Larger walled estates utilizing representational decorative architectural features become increasingly more common among the upper class as well as larger religious and cultural institutions. Incorporation of natural elements such as running water, enclosed gardens, and open gardens and mechanical waterworks is a long lasting characteristic of modern elaborate estates and religious sights. Architectural movements in the 16th and 17th century saw a trend of increased in an attempt to distinguish a new Imperial Style, that differentiated from the architectural styles of eastern Yeonju. Modern Hwasanese architecture has its roots in the mid 19th century when architects sought to answer the questions of increasing population and population and density and the high demand for quickly constructed housing near industrial centers. Issues of efficiency, lighting, and ventilation also became relevant in the field of industrial architecture. Architect Mun Seungri would become a pivotal figure in the establishment of the New Style in the 1880s, which would later become known as the Cheolbu School. The stripping back of ornamentation, simple geometric shapes, and a focus on efficiency became the tell tale characteristics of the Cheolbu School of Architecture. Architechts would make increasing utilization of pre-fabricated and mass produced materials to make large-scale housing structures and industrial architecture.

The Cheolbu movement experienced widespread popularity and blended with the general international trend of modern art and architecture. In the 1910s and 20s certain members of the traditional aristocracy published a series of essays, backed by classicist architechts, which heavily criticized the Cheolbu school. In reaction, the New Imperial Style was formed which included characteristics of traditional architecture but exaggerated to fit the scale of an industrial society. Many of these structures became synonymous with the traditional pillars of society such as the nobility and upper-class.

The Eulhae War and Occupation of Hwasan would see the loss of a majority of the nation's traditional architectural stock and great structural damage to major city centers. The Design Bureau for Urban Reconstruction convened a board of architects and structural engineers who utilized many of Mun Suengri and the Cheolbu's schools design theories and applied them to an urban scale. Due to this mass reconstruction it is common for most cities in Hwasan to have a mixture of traditional architecture which survived the occupation and modern architecture which was built during the reconstruction era.

Fashion
Hwasan has a robust history of high-fashion, originating in the 18th century with the emergence of the modern "Bongje" (lit. elevated sewing) tradition. Since, fashion has been a prestigious, high-revenue industry as well as a renowned cultural export of Hwasan. Aspects of modern Bongje stem from fashion and design movement based in Gwangsu, which today is considered one of the fashion capitals of the world. Hwasanese fashions trends would initially see the "pairing down" of traditional court wear to appear more attractive and viable to the increasingly mobile upper-middle class and upper-class.