Taikieng

Taikieng, officially the Republic of Taikieng (: 泰岑民國; Taikieng Mingguok) is a sovereign nation in eastern Sinju, situated in the Bay of Minstates. It borders Mincang to the west, Gveigo and Byagbo to the south, Hukuek and Ziemgok to the east, and Zhuigo to the north.

The country is governed as a , and was one of the first modern republics in the world.

Etymology
Taikieng’s name is composed of the two characters “泰” Tai and “岑” Kieng in Taikiengese. The name derives from the fact that Taikieng is “shielded” by mountains in its north and, more prominently, its west.

Classical and Tianqian Taikieng
Taikieng before Tianqi's conquest was dominated by city-states and tribal societies. Tianqi eventually conquered the entire area in several wars, incorporating them directly into its realm. Several tributary states at first existed and served the Tianqians, but, as time went on, they eventually rebelled and/or got annexed by the legendary empire.

Early Taikieng
After the Tianqian Empire collapsed, noble refugees and local lords established several states. Some claimed to be the rightful successors of the Tianqians, whilst others just intended to keep control in their individual regions. After a series of wars, the State of Nuong conquered them all and claimed a heavenly mandate. The Nuong Dynasty was thus born.

The Nuong dynasty initially saw an increase in prosperity and security. The first Emperor was prudent, and engaged in wars against the Mincangan states in moderation. Under his rule, the Early Nuong virtually eradicated banditry, commerce boomed to new heights, the unified region was administratively integrated, and widespread hunger was rare due to wise investments in agricultural infrastructure and development. It was under subsequent monarchs that the Nuong engaged in wars more often. The Nuong Dynasty's rulers, under a delusion of grandeur, truly saw themselves as the successor to the Tianqians and sought to re-establish their empire in some form. As a result, the Nuong engaged in several wars against the Mincangan states, which exhausted the state and depleted the treasury. Due to the constant violence and lack of safety due to the army being deployed to the frontlines instead of taking care of domestic security, commerce was disrupted, taxes on peasants increased, and, especially under the Later Nuong, state investment in and maintenance of agricultural infrastructure gradually declined to the point of negligence. As a result of the devastation, the economy collapsed, and famines caused several peasant rebellions, which were brutally suppressed. Unrest grew and grew under the late Nuong, with the late 1000s seeing several rebellions both from peasants and aristocrats until the Nuong were overthrown by the Song in 1092.

Early Song
The Song arose from a noble family who claimed descent from Tianqian nobles. Holding the title of duke and a high military position, the first Emperor of the Song led a rebellion to depose the Nuong. Such insurgencies were not rare during this time. However, what made this particular revolt different is that the first Song Emperor managed to convince many warlords to defect, as well as join forces with peasant militias who were revolting against the Nuong. Marching on the imperial capital, the Nuong were deposed. Thus, the Song dynasty was founded.

The Nuong royal family had fled the capital, and several of their princes led counter-rebellions to restore their fading honour. The Song, under a more pragmatic leadership, silenced these rebels by bribing key Nuong princes with modest lands and titles. Thus, these rebellions ended quicker than most anticipated, and peace was restored.

The Song immediately put a halt to the vicious military campaigns against the Mincangan states, focusing only on internal issues. They demobilized a sizable portion of the army and used their now-unemployed veterans to build vital infrastructure, such as roads, canals, military fortifications, and so on. What remained of the army was then utilized to crack down on crime and guard against hostile states in the frontier. Seeking to improve agricultural output, the Song opted to lower taxes on the peasantry and passed economic policies designed to encourage a boost in production. The rise of the Song fortunately coincided with a time of good weather for Taikieng, increasing yields. Prudent in their financial policies, the Early Song kept their expenditures modest in the first years of their reign, and avoided extravagance. An exaggerated tale, possibly created for propaganda purposes but which also exemplified how the Early Song were seen, told that even the lowest peasant ate better than the crown, signaling that the Emperor was a hard-working and frugal leader to the point of zealous dedication to his duties.

The Early Song managed to agree to a détente-esque policy with the first Mincangan state, restoring peace for a considerable amount of time even after the latter collapsed. Further wars would occur less often and were driven by more rational ambitions and rationale than compared to the Nuong. A golden age in art, philosophy and commerce occurred during the Early Song. WIP

Government and Politics
The Republic of Taikieng is a   with a strong democratic tradition.