Kang Lâm

Kanglâm, officially the Imperial Union of Kanglâm (Tianqian: 江南帝聯邦, : Kang Lâm Tè Liânpang), is a   in central Sinju, consisting of eight smaller constituent states- two kingdoms, three duchies and two lordships ruled by subnational state monarchs, plus an imperial territory under the direct rule of the imperial government. Compared to its northern neighbours, Kanglâm is a relatively conservative, deeply Neoconfucian country. Until the 20th century, Kanglâm was known as the Empire of the Great Chiu (大周帝國, Tāi Chiu Tè Kok) after its ruling dynasty, but changed its name to "Kanglâm" (meaning "south of the river") as part of a transition to constitutional monarchy after losing a major war in the early part of the 20th century, an event that undermined the authority of the throne. Modern Kanglâm is a although it retains a titled. Emerging as a unified power later than other Sinju nations, Kanglâm was a minor coloniser, but since the 19th century has been a major continental military and economic power. Today Kanglâm is regarded as somewhat backwards (by Sinju standards) by the likes of Jeongmi, Fusen and Meisaan, due to its cultural conservatism and stubborn resistance to economic integration and liberalisation. However, Kanglâm is a member of the Sinju Union.

Names and Etymology
Kang Lâm means "south of the river" in, and refers to the country's geographic location south of the Chinchu River (珍珠河, Chin-chu-hô, literally meaning "Pearl River"). The name Kang Lâm was first used to refer to the country in the time of Imperial Tianqi, during which Kanglâm was part of the empire. After the fall of Tianqi the region was eventually united under the rule of the Chiu dynasty (周朝, Chiu tiau); the country was consequently referred to officially by the name of the ruling dynasty. Unofficially, a number of terms were used by foreigners and Kanglâmese alike to refer to the nation. The Chiu emperors regarded themselves as the legitimate successors of Tianqi as rulers not only of the territory under their direct rule, but of the entire world; the Kanglâmese regarded their state as being the very centre of the world, and so often referred to it as the Middle Kingdom or Central Kingdom, 中國 (Tiong-kok). The term "Celestial Empire" or "Celestial Dynasty," 天朝 (Thian-tiau), was also used as a name for the empire. "Kang-san" (江山), meaning "rivers and mountains", simply refers to the entire world, and here the most prominent features of which being rivers and mountains; it is often used in a poetic sense to refer to the state of Kanglâm, reflecting the historical view of the Kanglâmese that their emperor's domains encompassed "all under Heaven." "Peace reigns forever over the rivers and mountains" (和平統治永遠在江山) is the official motto of modern Kanglâm, "rivers and mountains" in this case referring to both Kanglâm and the wider world.

Other Sinju nations refused to recognise Kanglâm as the sole successor of Tianqi, and thus continued to refer to the state by its ancient name, "South of the River," or simply as "Chiu." The main ethnic group in Kanglâm refer to themselves as Hô-ló (河佬, "river folk"). This may also be written as 鶴佬, Ho̍h-ló, meaning "crane folk." The latter form better preserves the archaic pronunciation of the name of the people. Historically, the Chiu dynasty used the Tianqian term 華夏, Huáxià, read as Hôa-hā in modern Min Nan, to refer to their country and civilisation. This term, made up of the characters 華 meaning "magnificence, flowery, greatness" and 夏 meaning "grand," was meant to refer to the grand rituals, etiquette and beautiful clothing of Tianqian civilisation, as opposed to the crudity of the foreign "barbarians." Their use of this term made it clear that in the eyes of the Chiu, they were the continuation of the great Tianqian civilisation. Other states were treated as either tributary states or barbarians. The people of Kanglâm were called 華人, Hôa-lîn, by the Chiu. Today, the term 江南之人, Kang Lâm chi lîn, meaning "people of Kanglâm" is used to refer to all Kanglâmese people regardless of ethnicity.

Politics and Government
Kanglâm is a. The is the Emperor of Kang Lâm (江南皇帝, Kang Lâm Hông Tè), currently Tiǎu Sìbîn ( Liông-tek, 隆德). The (大會, Tāihōe) consists of two houses, the Jîn-bîn-gīhōe (人民議會, "People's Assembly"), members of which are elected to serve for four years or until the Tāihōe is dissolved, representing the people of a single constituency, with constituencies drawn up to be of approximately equal population size. The upper house, the Goân-láu-oān (元老院, "Senior Statesmans' Assembly" or ), is composed of representatives elected in state-wide elections to represent the constituent states of the Imperial Union for the same term, with each state having a number of senators apportioned based on population size; this replaced the old Siōng-gī-oān (上議院) which was composed of hereditary and appointed. The head of government is the (宰相, Chái-siòng), who is appointed by the Emperor and is conventionally the leader of the largest party or coalition in the Jîn-bîn-gīhōe. The Emperor then appoints the rest of the cabinet on the advice of the chancellor. Since 2010, Sòng Jiông, leader of the Dutiful Governance Party (善政政黨, Siān-chèng Chèng-tóng), has been Federal Chancellor of Kang Lâm.

Each state is governed by a mediatised sub-monarch and a state assembly (國家議會, Kok-ke-gīhōe). The leader of the largest party in the state assembly becomes State Chancellor (州宰相, Chiu-chái-siòng) or First Minister. The state chancellor is appointed by the monarch of that state, except in the case of the Imperial Territory (帝州, Tè chiu) which is under the direct rule of the Emperor; the Emperor therefore appoints the state chancellor. The duties of the state monarchs, like those of the Emperor, are largely ceremonial. Actual power is exercised on their behalf by the elected governments. Outside of the state monarchs, there is also a peerage consisting of individuals ennobled by the Emperor or by his vassal monarchs. These titles are still granted today but no longer hold any substantial power or influence over government. Peerage titles degrade by one rank with each generation, so that all noble families will ultimately become commoners unless a new peerage is granted.

The Emperor retains several reserve powers, collectively known as the imperial prerogative, which are in practice exercised on the advice of the chancellor. These include the right to dissolve the Tāihōe and call new elections, receive and appoint ambassadors, approve treaties with foreign states and declare war.

Monarchy
The imperial family of Kanglâm, known as the Chiu dynasty (周朝, Chiu-tiau), has reigned since the 10th century CE. The throne that the Emperor sits upon is known as the Vermillion Bird Throne, 朱雀座 (Chu Chhek chǒ͘), which is also used as a metonym for the imperial monarchy. The of the Emperor is a white  flower. The reigning emperor, Tiǎu Sìbîn, ascended the throne upon the abdication of his father Emperor Tiǎu Kím-tô (the Hōe-tông Emperor, 會同皇) in March 2015. His era name is Liông-tek (隆德), meaning "abundant virtue." It is considered impolite to refer to a reigning or prior emperor by their personal names in Kanglâm, and consequently the reigning emperor is referred to simply as "the Emperor" or "His Imperial Majesty." Each emperor assumes an era name upon their ascension to the throne; this name is then used to refer to the era of that emperor's reign, and often former emperors are referred to by their era name, although all emperors also receive a temple name and a longer posthumous name after their death, the latter often constructed by scholars from adjectives describing the emperor's reign.

Kanglâmese emperors have not exercised absolute power in over 600 years, following the collapse of central authority in the late 14th century after a long period of imperial decline. Although the Chiu emperors remained the nominal rulers of Kanglâm, during this period powerful regional rulers established themselves as the masters of de facto independent states, whilst imperial authority was limited to a region around the capital that would become the modern-day Imperial District or Imperial Territory. During this time, emperors were often deposed by powerful vassals. In 1521, the King of Sio̍k overthrew the reigning emperor and declared himself emperor of the new Sio̍k dynasty; however the state of Sio̍k was consequently defeated in a war by a coalition of other Kanglâmese states, and the Chiu dynasty restored. There were no further efforts to overthrow the dynasty, which came to be regarded less as a political institution and more as the head of Kanglâmese religion (as the chief worshipper of Heaven) and a focus for national culture and identity. The monarchy became a nucleus for nationalist sentiment in the 19th century, and following the unification of the Kanglâmese states in 1859, the Chiu emperor was proclaimed head of state and sovereign ruler of the new nation under the Thài-bîn Constitution (太明憲法), with extensive powers. In practice, however, the emperors largely deferred to the authority of the ruling oligarchy. The Democratic Revolution abolished most of the emperor's executive authority, mandating that the emperor act on the advice of his ministers. However, a proposal to establish a Kanglâmese republic was rejected as it was believed that the new government's legitimacy would be strengthened by the retention of the monarchy, and royalist sentiment remained high within the country.

Today the constitutional role of the emperor is largely limited to carrying out diplomatic functions, public engagements and charitable work. However, the emperor retains the theoretical authority to dismiss the Tāihōe and call elections, and is also the only person who can formally declare a state of war between Kanglâm and another nation, though this power may be exercised only on the advice of the chancellor. Succession to the throne is by male-preference primogeniture, and only male-line descendants of the founder of the Chiu dynasty- Chiu Ko-chó͘ (周高祖)- may inherit, meaning that while women can reign as empresses regnant, they cannot pass the throne to their children. The last empress regnant was the Sià-koan Empress (聖觀皇), who reigned from 1868 to 1914 and was succeeded by her nephew.