Fusen

Fusen ( 浮川, Fusen) is a an, consisting of over 6,740 islands, located in north-east Sinju. It is located east of the Jeongmian island of Yeoseo and west of northern Yeongju. Fusen consists of three major archipelagic chains, the largest of which is the island of Kasho (literally meaning, the home island). The nation is further divided into four major regions and twenty unitary provinces, as well as a special administrative zone for the of the capital city of Chukyo.

According to archaeological findings human habitation of the Fusenese isles dates back to as 35,000 BC, with subsequent waves of from continental Sinju. Migration to and from Yeongju also occured, and would have a profound and diverse impact on the development of a unique Fusenese culture. The first semblance of a Fusenese nation emerged from the region of Kumahara, in western Fusen, in what is known as the Kamoi Era. The geographical term 'Fusen' would be recognized by other international entities as early as 90 BCE by other continental kingdoms, and become the commonly used term for the region and subsequent kingdom of the same name. With the rise of Cheonje, Fusen would establish itself as a of the expansive continental empire and would adopt numerous cultural and political traditions of the dynastic empire. The adoption in particular of Confucian social organization and rites would have a profound impact in the evolution of Fusense government. With the fall of Cheonje in 876, Fusen distanced itself from the continent and under the Arase Dynasty would declare itself a proper continuation of Cheonje governance, adopting the title of 'Emperor' for its monarchs.

The 12th century would see the isles of Fusen threatened by external forces of migratory peoples from Yeongju during the Koushi War. The following period would see Fusen consolidate and centralize, seeing the transition from local aristocracy to centralized meritocracy in vein of the Cheonje model. Subsequent rebellions from local lords would be common throughout the 12th and 13th century until the country stabilized around the Yadama Dynasty. But the 17th century, Fusen would have a considerable influence in regional politics with Chukyo becoming a regional economic, cultural, and political center. The Bonghwang Wars would severely dampen Fusenese influence until the 18th century, wherein Fusen would expand south and establish numerous maritime trade routes. The 19th and 20th century would see the of Fusen and the mass expansion of its colonial empire during the Great Hayago.

Etymology
The kanji for Fusen, 浮川, were first applied to the nation by travelers from Cheonje during the 3rd century CE in reference to the auroras they saw there. During the 5th century CE with the rise of a centralized government based in the Kato region, the name was popularized by scribes and government officials to describe the land they lived in. The character fu (浮) means "floating" while the character sen (川) means "river" or "stream." Due to this, the country is popularly referred to by many as the "Land of the Floating River."

Josei Era
Main Article: Josei Era The Treaty of Chukyo and subsequent allied occupation and would have a profound impact on the development of post-war Fusen. The dissolution of the Fusenese colonial empire was also a stipulation of the Treaty of Chukyo, and subsequent treaty accords following the Okawara Trials. The of Emperor Ensho on February 8th of 1941 was considered to be highly influential ceremonial and symbolic event of the transition towards a new 'post-war society." According to traditional line of succession the Emperor's eldest daughter, Meisho, would succeed him; however, having not yet reached adulthood at this point the throne would be occupied by a,  until the coronation of Empress Meisho in 1949. Democratization of various mechanisms of government, as well as economic liberalization, also occurred in accordance with the Chukyo Treaty.

The Akishima Diploma, signed in 1942, would serve as the basis for the nation's new constitution. The diploma served as the foundational framework for the establishment of a democratic, constitutional monarchy, modeled after the systems in place in Meisaan and Jeongmi. Political and legal reform also sought to tackle issues of the caste-like stratification of Fusenese society; particularly dissolving legal barriers to the class of citizens demarked as Fujunjin (不純人, literally impure folk) under the previous Imperial governance. The 'opening' of the Fusenese economy, beginning gradually in 1946 and continuing into the 1950s, led to a period of rapid economic growth as trade with continental Sinju flourished. Reconstruction efforts from the destruction of the Eulhae War and the payment of war repatriations preoccupied the Fusenese governmental budget for the next several decades.

The 60s would become a period of 'national reformation' for Fusense society, marked by an increasingly open market (to foreign investors and businesses), vast societal change with a focus on the democratization of education, and the growth of the middle class. The size of the electorate doubled between 1950 and 1968, in accordance with an increase in access to higher level education and a standardization of new educational curriculum on a national level. The 'Great Swing' of the 1960s saw an increase in popularity of more labor-centric populist policy, favoring an increase in social programs. The latter half of the 1960s and early 1970s would see clashes between populist policymakers and 'establishment' forces which favored the larger vertically-integrated corporate 'cliques' of the traditional Fusenese market.

The Great Bargain was negotiated in 1971 following the Kyusen Protests earlier the same year. The Bargain introduced a multitude of changes to the Fusenese domestic market, market structure, and labor regulations. The results of these changes would see the traditional corporate cliques maintain their positions, however expanding to offer a form of privatized social services for employees as well as consumers within a given region. Restructuring into large 'interest groups' was seen as a compromise between populist and establishment policy goals, though it would later be criticized by economists in favor of a more laissez-faire structure. Economic growth would continue steadily throughout the 1970s though reported perceptions of social mobility in the following decade would be markedly lower than they were in the decade before.

The 60s and 70s also saw the development of various precedents in Fusenese foreign policy, spearheaded by the administration of minister Yoshino Tadao and the Legalist faction. Fusenese intervention in the Araswi Conflicts in particular led to the precedent of an interventionist foreign policy, favoring positions held by other members of the Sinju Union and establishing strong strategic relations with countries such as Namju and Matobo. Activities carried out by the Fusense military and Fusenese intelligence agency, the Shujoku, throughout the 70s and 80s would be a point of criticism of Fusense foreign policy by those favoring a policy of noninvolvement abroad.

In Fusen the 80s are considered to be a cultural and social departure from the previous decades, being understood as a decade of renewed optimism following the first term of minister Sugai Masahiko. With full withdrawal from Araswi, strengthen trade relations with Fusen's allies in the southern hemisphere, and steady real wage growth the 80s saw a sharp increase in perceptions of satisfaction of quality of life in Fusen. The Electoral Reform of 1986 would see the reshuffling of Fusen's electoral districts as well as the implementation of stricter anti-corruption measures. Shortly following came limitations on corporate lobbying of elected officials, reducing the political influence of Fusen's large conglomerates.

Geography, Wildlife, and Climate
Metropolitan Fusen consists of a of over 6,740 islands, though the Imperial Bureau of Geographic Analysis suggests this number may have decreased due to several 'micro' island chains subsiding over the course of the last few decades, which make up a total surface land area of XXX km2. The majority of the Fusenese archipelago sits atop a, formed by the border with the tectonic region of the Okaikyo Basin. Due to its presence between two convergent tectonic plates, the Fusenese archipelago is classified a a, and is susceptible to destructive.

Of the many 'micro' and uninhabited island of Fusen, there are three major chains which are considered to be the three main geographical groupings which islands and within a region are categorized into. The largest of the Fusenese isles is the central island of Chushu (中州, lit. central provinces) where 85% of the metropolitan population of the nation resides. Major centers of population are focused along the south-western coast of the nation, as well as the north-east. Chushu is divided into 6 major regions, which are further divided into provincial sub-units and villageships and metropolitan areas.

Politics and Government
The Fusense government is structured around the Chukyo Protocol, drafted in 1943 and formally ratified in 1945 following revision at the Marumori Convention. In accordance with this document, Fusen is organized as a under a. The Emperor of Fusen serves as the formal with the majority of  handled by the Daijo-kan, a 5-seat executive body which operates as the. The Chief Minister serves as the informal head of this body, operating as a speaker of the cabinet and a representative of Fusenese domestic affairs.

In Fusen, the Grand Council of State is the 421-seat which is directly elected by the voting-certified citizen population of Fusen. Like most countries throughout the world, are utilized to grant citizens 18 and older the right to vote in. The Fusenese voter exam is known as the Imperial Civic Participation Examination. Each seat represents a kuni (国), or electoral-specific administrative district. Candidates are generally nominated by the local branch of their to serve as the club's representative during an election. To qualify as a political representative a citizen over the age of 23 must pass the Imperial General Civil Service Examination, considered the graduation goal of most undergraduate students in political science, policy, and civics. The Grand Council of State serves as the main of the state, drafting and proposing laws for approval by the Daijo-kan and eventually the Emperor. A bill which has received approval by both the Grand Council of State and the Chief Minister of the Daijo-kan is, by tradition, elevated to law by the Emperor without opposition.

The Daijo-kan is elected directly, the same as the Grand Council of State. However, candidates for each position of the Daijo-kan are chosen by a political club's leadership at the national level. Each seat is up for election at the same time, with incumbents serving a period of 4-years with no term limits. The Daijo-kan reserves the right to approve or deny bills proposed by the Grand Council of State, however the body has no formal ability to draft laws of their own.

Architecture


Fusense traditional architecture is generally notable for its common traditions of internally modular spaces, or tiled rooves with upward swept, use of natives woods and at times vibrant paint, and  on. While there are many decade specific and regionally specific styles of recognized Fusense architechture, the culture of the Fusense built environment is often split into 'high architecture' (such as public buildings, temples and shrines, and royal structures) and 'low architecture' (folk architecture and ). The latter is less standardized is is not considered to be inline with any of the various ryuha of traditional architecture.

Historically, Fusense architecture utilized bamboo, thatched rooves, and wood and was often constructed with modularity or small scale in mind. A style of large-scale temple building was imported from Cheonje, later inspiring a more formal tradition of large-scale public structures and palaces. From this continental Imperial Style came the development of a uniquely Fusense style, utilizing native woods and materials as well as construction techniques imported from the mainland of Sinju.

The closure of the Koushi War saw the rebirth of a centralized Fusense state, and the gradual reorganization of regional governance. With a desire to further extend the authority of the Imperial court, the Yadama Dynasty cultivated a tradition of palace-building and extensive public works projects. The 12th and 13th century saw a flourishing of 'high-style' Fusense architecture, with examples such as the Yadama Estate at Nisekoan, Mazawa Temple, and Takaiwa Shrine. The formation of a new syncretic Ministry of Spiritual Affairs in the late 13th century would lead to a century spanning campaign of shrine construction; with these structures often serving as adjunct facilities of local governorship and cultural affairs.

Following the closure of the Eulhae War new trends of modular and pre-fabricated architecture become increasingly popular during the reconstruction effort. Though modernist and minimalist movements had prospered in Fusen since the late 19th century, it did not reach mainstream prominence until its heavy use in the post-war reconstruction effort. Fusense Modernism, an umbrella term encompassing a wide range of different styles, is typically recognizable by its lack of ornamentation, heavy use of glass, and allusion to traditional Fusense architectural elements through abstracted forms. Various revival movements emerged in the 1970s and 80s seeking to return to a more historical and traditional approach to architecture, which can be observed in certain projects in Western Fusen.

The Chukyo School of the Built Environment is a pre-eminent and internationally recognized institution of, , and. Yadama Shrine in Chukyo is one of the most visited historical structures in Fusen, with approximately 11 million annual visitors from around the world. Fusen maintains a strong modern culture of, with the Central Bureau of Cultural Conservation overseeing the registration and custodianship of structures of historical importance.

Sport
Fusen is the headquarters of various internationally recognized sporting agencies; such as the International Kenjutsu Association, All-Persons Judo Association, The International Jodo Federation, Grand Sumo Federation, and The International Yabusame Federation. Fusen hosts large annual sporting events such as the Grand Kenjutsu Seminar and the Fusense Cup (Sailing); as well as having been the host for rotating venue events such as the 2009 Aquatic Marathon, 2010 Formula 1 International Cup, and the 2018 All-Sinju Games. was reported to be in the top three reasons for vising Fusen in 2019, including trips for both spectating and participation in sporting events. North-eastern Fusen is also home to a number of (such as  and ) training facilities utilized by tourists and professional athletic organizations alike.

, such as and, have long been among the most popular categories of sports in Fusen. As of 2020, Fusen has produced a number of international champions in sailing, swimming,, , and.