Hallian protocol

The Hallian protocol (鸕禮, ra-ri′) is the first codified set of protocols that was generalized to reception of foreign missions practiced by the Themiclesian court. It was named the Hallian protocol as it was first agreed upon with the Hallians, under a desire to establish protocol norms to aovid costly misunderstandings or slights. While a standard protocol was preambulating in the last centuries of the 1st millennium CE, it frequently varied between states due to cultural preferences or an assessment of the stature of the state represented; formally, it was also similar to how the Themiclesian sovereign greeted suzerains and domestic magnates. These caused not-infrequent diplomatic issues that could only be resolved by treating major powers equally, pressuring the court to introduce a protocol that visually signalled mutual respect. In the 17th century, it was formally extended to envoys of all foreign princes not under Themiclesian jurisdiction.

Text

Original

先爽，建康令清道，櫨使及從駕自邸出，至公門入，毋下司馬門、衙門，至端門乃下，為張帷幄坐。未盡十刻，皇帝使使持節開殿門，御史案郎中入，謁者一人立阼階下，一人立賓階下。群吏相邦、丞相、御史大夫、二千石、千石、八百石、六百石及大夫應朝者東方西面。諸王、徹侯、倫侯、它使者及諸陪臣西方東面。太行設九儐兩階之間，南面。徹侯二人夾使升輦，御郎中二人，典客御，自賓戶濟，至賓階乃下，北面立。

立定，典客言具，謁者以聞。于是皇帝朝服出房，徹侯夾，御史、中執法導，中大夫殿。左右樂奏，郎中跪伏，謁者稱警。皇帝立阼階下，西面，樂乃止。來使令介禮授儐者摯，儐者相授，跪授御史。御史奠摯皇帝位，跪，拜，乃起。徹侯稱制，來使具禮來廷，不敬納。御史授儐者，儐者授來使介。典客跪，拜，言來使介，皇帝延使登，介以告來使。皇帝輦自阼階升，來使登自賓階升。皇帝御座西面，使者東面。謁者延諸王、侯、使者及陪臣升自賓階，南面坐，延相邦、丞相、御史大夫、二千石自阼階升，北面坐。

Translation

Before dawn, the Magistrate of Kien-k'ang clears the way. The Hallian envoy and his followers exit the embassy grounds in a procession and enter the Citadel and palace gates. They are not to be compelled to dismount at the Captain's Gate or Gate of State. They shall dismount at the Gate of Rectitude, where a canopy shall be prepared for them. Ten ticks before day, the Emperor commands the gate of the palace hall be opened. The tribunes marshal the Gentlemen-at-Arms into it. One usher stands under the host (east) steps, and one usher stands under the guest (west) steps. Civil servants, i.e. the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, President of Tribunes, 2,000-bushel, 1,000-bushel, 800-bushel, 600-bushel, and other officers attending shall stand on the east side of the courtyard, facing west. The princes palatines, ordinary peers, titular peers, other envoys, and their officials shall stand on the west side, facing east. The Comptroller of Embassies sets nine intercessors between the steps facing south. Two peers then assist the Hallian envoy into a man-pulled carriage, drafted by two gentlemen-at-arms and driven by the Comptroller of Embassies. He ascends from the guest gate and dismounts at the foot of the guest steps.

All ready, the Comptroller of Embassies declares that all are prepared, and the ushers report this to the Emperor. Thus, the Emperor, in full dress, exits the rear chamber, assisted by two peers, led by an Attendant Tribune and the Enforcer, and followed by privy councillors. The Left and Right Symphonies play. The gentlemen-at-arms kneel and bow. The ushers ask for attention. The Emperor dismounts under the host steps and faces west. The Symphonies stop. The Hallian envoy commands the token gift be delivered respectfully to the intercessors, who hand the article to each other, towards the east. The final intercessors kneels and delivers it to a tribune. A second tribune kneels and reports that the Hallian mission has conveyed presents and the Emperor should observe all protocols. The gift is placed before the emperor. The emperor touches the gift with his own hands, then kneels, bows, and rises. A lord in waiting declares the Emperor does not dare receive such a valuable gift, being honoured by the presence of the mission itself. The tribunes then pick up the gift and deliver it back to the intercessors, who return it to the envoy's second. The Comptroller of Embassies kneel and bow to the envoy's second that the envoy is invited to enter the hall. The Emperor mounts his carriage and ascends from the host steps, while the envoy ascends from the guest steps. The royal seat is to the east facing west; the envoy's seat is to the west facing the east. The ushers invite the princes palatine, peers, their representatives and officials to ascend from the guest steps and sit facing south, and then invite the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, President of Tribunes, and 2,000-bushels to ascend from the host steps and sit facing north.

Implications

The use of the "nine intercessors" (九賓, kju′-prjin) in this occasion has attracted scholarly attention. Historically, Menghean cultural protocol included intercessors as agents of dignitaries as an expression of social and physical distance. The more intercessors present, the greater the dignity. The underlying principle is that by interacting through an intercessor, the potential for causing direct trespass or offence to either dignitary is reduced. Canonical documents record that monarchs used nine intercessors, nobles seven or five, and gentry three or one, though these figures are now thought to be illustrative embellishments. In Themiclesia, the "nine intercessors" represent the highest possible degree of respect the sovereign could offer. Themiclesians also invited Hallians to furnish nine intercessors for their envoy, though this appeared incompatible with Hallian culture. Aside from mediating two centres of dignity, the intercessors also represent mediation of culture. Hallians historically do not bow or spoke much Shinasthana, which was found repugnant by some courtiers; however, since the envoy could order his second to show respect in the Hallian fashion and language to the intercessor, the final intercessor could bow and speak in the Themiclesian fashion to the monarch. Diplomatic etiquette demanded the monarch perform a gesture of respect as well, though again the thought of the emperor bowing his head to the ground at the envoy's foot was found unpleasant; by bowing to the intercessor, who would be in a kneeling position, this embarrassment was averted too. Thus the intercessors would thus have translated both the message and gestures of respect to language that the early Themiclesian court accepted and understood, thus preventing disputes about decorum.

See also

• Themiclesia