Sqin'-lang Palace

The Sqin'-lang Palace (Shinasthana: 顯陽宮, sqin'-lang-kung) a royal palace located in the Kien-k'ang citadel and the seat of the Themiclesian Emperor. It contains the Court Hall where the Government sits, both houses of Parliament, and the grounds of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

While the palace could broadly be described in terms of a set of nested walls, it is conventionally divided into several areas named for the most important building within them. Such areas are characterized by either a particular resident or a government function that has a set in the area. The main areas within the palace walls are the Great Hall, An Hall, West Hall, Gwrang-puk Hall, Grun Hall, Ku-men Hall, and Court Hall, each of which consists of a multitude of buildings that may be physically enclosed together or conceptually grouped together based on proximity and function. Those outside the palace walls but within the curtain walls are Gate Captain, Secretary Office, Royal Guards, West Treasury, Woods, Law Courts, Guesthouse, East Treasury, and East Offices.

Name

Inscriptions dating to the beginning of the Common Era bear the name sqin'-lang-tkung (顯昜宫), which is usually intepreted as the name of the palace written in monumental style, without determinatives and in more archaic forms. The word sqin' < Old Meng *sqinʔ meant "appear, visible, renown" depending on context, and lang "brightness, warmth".  kung < tkung meant palace and is found in the names of other palaces. The name of the whole palace thus may have meant "the palace of renowned warmth".

However, it is usually not thought that the current palace bearing this name was referred to using this name; rather, an older palace was also named thus. From texts dating to the 3rd century, the term "old Sqin'-lang" appears, implying an older palace of the same name whose location is now uncertain.

Geography

The Sqin'-lang Palace is situated around half-way on the northern walls of the Citadel of Kien-k'ang. The palace's external perimeter forms an irregular rectangle, with its two shorter sides measuring 1.73 km, and longer sides 1.81 km; the north-south axis points to 22° NNE. The north side of the palace is 1.76 m longer than the south; this appears to be a technical error, as almost all texts state the palace is built to be exactly rectilinear. The grounds of the palace decline slightly towards the north, with several slight natural humps that were subsequently converted into daises.

Outer palace

The outer palace is bound by the outer walls (外垣, mngwats-ghwyar), which are 5 – 8 m in thickness in the base, with a rammed earth core and masonry surface. The top of the walls, which are covered by a roof, tapers to around 4 m. The outer walls are punctuated by five gates, the southwestern and main Constellation Gate (閶闔門), South Side Gate, East Side Gate, West Side Gate, and North Side Gate. The Tlang-ghap-men gate, with three gateways, is the widest and is inset into the outer walls, forming an courtyard closed on three sides about 60 m each. Other gates have one gateway each. All gates have gatehouses over the gateways.  

The outer walls represent a later addition that dates mostly to the middle of the 6th century, when the area within what is now the inner or "palace walls" had become insufficient. The outer walls were then constructed between 557 and 570 to enclose a larger area for the relocation of many warehouses and government offices. Not all pre-existing structures within the now-expanded palace were demolished, and some were evidently retained. The additional nature of the outer walls is most explicitly attested to by the Chancery, which had abutted the palace walls and now interrupts the outer walls.

Within the outer walls are several public and institutional areas. The southwestern corner of the palace is a public park called the Guards-Marshal's Ground. It was once used as a garrison for the Royal Guards (衛士), but it has been converted into a public park since the 1950s.

Inner palace

The inner palace, as a traditional area, is delimited by the palace walls (宫垣, nkung-ghwyar). It contains the several halls previously occupied by royalty and more important departments. The walls, compared to the outer walls, are more substantial, being the defensive perimeter walls originally. They measure 15 – 18 m in thickness and uniformly 9 m tall. The walls are estimated to have been built around the 3rd century. Owing to its defensive nature, the tops of walls are crenallated, and the arcades on top of walls were added only subsequently.

These walls are penetrated by four gates, two on its south side and one each on the east and west sides. These gates had their names changed frequently in history to reflect the political ambitions of the ruling dynasty or monarch. For example, when the Mreng dynasty was restored in Themiclesia in 542, the south gate was renamed to Nem-mreng-ghra-men, that is, "South Menghe Gate" (南孟蕐門); mutatis mutandi for the east and west gates. Over time, this name was truncated to Nem-ghra-men and then Ghra-men which is literally "Flower Gate". It seems the flower beds flanking the gate were planted to echo this name. The east gate was eventually renamed "Cloud Dragon Gate" (雲龍門) and the west the "Divine Tiger Gate" (神虎門), making references to two of the quartet of mythologized beasts in Menghean culture.

The area enclosed by the palace walls is usually delineated into several sectors based on the most important royal building in the vicinity. Buildings in a sector are not necessarily functionally connected spaces, though royal buildings often encroached on the surrounding space, making them functionally connected.

Fore Hall

The Fore Hall is the premier ceremonial space associated with the functions of the Monarchy of Themiclesia. This is where the House of Commons meets in modern usage and the site of the Audience and Account ceremonies, the two exponents of royal power dating to Antiquity.

It is enclosed by its own set of walls, which are of red rammed earth upon a marble pedestal. These walls are not defensive in orientation and are not crenallated, instead being surmounted by a spacious gallery which opens into the interior. The walls are punctured by three gates, which are the Sublime Gate (耑門) on the south, Myriad Springs Gate (萬旾門) on the east, and Thousand Falls Gate (千䆋門) on the west. As a marker of the importance of the Fore Hall, the gates are opened and closed daily on the warrants of the Chief Justice of Appeals, which is an ancient office responsible for the suppression of disorder in the palace. At state occasions, the Chief Jusice of Appeals is personally present to greet visitors as they walk through the Sublime Gate.

The Sublime Gate was one of the largest and oldest structures dating to the 502 renovation until it was arsoned by Dayashinese occupants trapped in the palace in 1943. Ambassadors for centuries were received at the Fore Hall and are still now, and so the gate served as the face of the Themiclesian state and is featured on the Round Seal on diplomatic documents. The Sublime Gate was reconstructed in 1957 following the arson. The gate is renowned for its lighting—as early as the 12th century hundreds of lamps with crystal shrouds were suspended from the beams and kept lit day and night; at night, an impressive kaleidoscope effect was generated by the refracting light from the lamps.

It seems the Fore Hall was the only royal residence that was completed at the same time as the palace walls, in 291 or the 17th year of Elder Prince 'An. As such it would have served as the royal residence as well as undertook ceremonial functions associated with the throne for several generations, at least until the completion of the West Hall, which superseded the Fore Hall as the royal residence in the 5th century.

Modern buildings

Little Crystal Palace

In the southwestern corner of the palace, on the site of the quarters of the Royal Guards, a copy of the renowned Crystal Palace in Anglia was commissioned by Lord Tl'jang-mjen's government in 1876 and completed in 1878. The copy was exactly half the original in each dimension, but it was meant to stand as a permanent building rather than a temporary exhibition space, like the original. The building, soon nicknamed "Little Crystal Palace" (小水晶宮), hosted the National Trade Exhibition that Sng′rja′s government began in 1872.  Emperor Men, who personally saw the Crystal Palace in New Hadaway in 1857, encouraged the building's styling, telling the engineers he would be visiting to see "how similar it is to the original."

The Little Crystal Palace was originally maintained by public funds, but in 1880 it was leased to a private company that rented the space to merchants, smaller exhibitions, and recitals for income. The company was responsible for the building's availability when the National Trade Exhibition was held each November. In 1936, the original burned down in New Hadaway, and not more than four years thence the Themiclesian copy also burned down due to Menghean bombing on Jan. 2, 1940. The building was rebuilt in 1955 according to its former dimensions and roughly on the same site.

History

Renovations

Unlike Menghean dynasties which tended to move capital cities and therefore have many opportunities to experiment with new palace plans, the Themiclesian state has been anchored politically to the same palace for many centuries, which made adaptation of existing buildings more economical. Owing also to its smaller exchequer, Themiclesian rulers were much less able to execute a complete palace plan in a single effort, so palaces were gradually added to, reflecting changing plans (if they did exist in the first place), priorities, and artistic tastes. The other "palaces" built elsewhere were more akin to villas than complete palaces in the Menghean sense.

Indeed, the Sqin'-lang Palace is usually thought to have attained its basic shape only a century after its founding, with only a single hall (now the Great Hall) built along with the palace walls.

Ceremonial axis

The Sqin'-lang Palace is noted for its gradual but extensive remodelling centred on the Great Hall (大極殿), creating what has been called a "ceremonial axis" extending from the Great Hall southwards. The axis is composed by four "courts", numbered from south to north, each separated from the previous by a gate. There is increasing exclusivity from south to north, with the final court being dominated by the Great Hall itself, which is an indoor space that is sometimes written as a fifth court. In imperial audiences, individuals of various ranks occupy these areas according to their rights.

The First Court began at the Tlang-ghap Gate, which was inset into the curtain walls and topped by a pavilion built in the Menghean style, and ended at the South Carriage Gate. This was also known as the Grenadier's Court, as here the Royal Guard Grenadiers would have stood guard. However, the infantry regiments stationed to guard this gate has been released from this duty of little practical importance since the start of the Pan-Septentrion War.

The Second Court began after the South Carriage Gate and ended at the Sublime Gate and was divided perpendicularly into two halves. The southern half served as a driveway for visitors' vehicles. There is a raised platform that occupies the central portion of the court's northern half, permitting the passenger to step off easily.

Damage and preservation

1940 – 41 bombing damage

In the Battle of Kien-k'ang, the Sqin'-lang Palace suffered significant bombing damage, with an estimated 200 or so detonations of explosives dropped from above. Most did not strike buildings but the open space between them, but those that did strike buildings started very destructive fires in buildings whose superstructure was nearly completely wooden. Such fires then spread through the wooden corridors, galleries, and arcades to reach other buildings. Additionally, after the infiltration of the D/ISOG agents who shut themselves into the Palace, the fire brigade could not put fires out without concern for hostility; at any rate, the state of the Palace (which had been officially evacuated) was not a priority for the city's administration during the war.

It is estimated by covered area that up to 85% of the palace was burned down by the end of 1941, and this included multiple highly historic buildings dating to the late 5th century. Amongst the unexpected survivals is the Sublime Gate (耑門 / 光華門), which escaped unscathed (along with its drapery) despite the conflagration of the two chambers Ability and Talent in close proximity.

The buildings that were known to have been destroyed to their foundations in the 1940 – 41 bombardment are:

• Outer wall
• Inner wall
  • South Carriage Gate (南庫門)
  • East Carriage Gate (東止車門)
• Parts of the Great Hall
  • Chamber of the Able (易賢室)
  • Chamber of the Talents (集才室)
  • Royal Commissioner Gate (御事門)
  • Hall of Perpetual Peace (永龢大室), ceremonial seat of the Emperor and seat of the House of Commons
  • West Chamber (殿西堂), next to the Hall of Perpetual Peace, mostly used for royal receptions
  • West Pavilion Gate (西閤門), between the two buildings above
  • West Sublime Gate (西光華門)
  • Myriad Springs Gate (萬旾門)
  • Privy Council Chamber (中大夫省)
  • Barons-in-Waiting Chamber (寺中矦省), place where Royal Assent is given
  • Inner Secretary Chamber (中治書內省)
• Parts of the Ku-men Hall
  • Tiger Gate (白虎門)
  • Warmth Gate (大陽門)
  • Law Gate (法門)
• Parts of the Grun Hall
  • Grun Hall (侖室), seat of the Appellate Committee
• Parts of the Court Hall
  • Most of the East Gallery
  • Court Gate (廟門)
  • Dzrung-ri Gate (崇禮門)
• Parts of the Gwrang-puks Hall
  • Gwrang-puks Hall, seat of the Crown Prince
• Parts of the West Hall
  • West Main Hall (端西室), seat of the Empress-consort
  • Magnificent Echo Hall (徽音室), Empress-consort's spare hall

1943 arson

For the buildings that survived the aerial bombardment, a further destruction occurred in 1943 when the D/ISOG infiltrators set fire to them realizing there was no feasible escape from their immurement. The Sublime Gate, which had been mostly an original building dating to the 502 renovation, was thus burned down in December 1943.

1947 – 59 restoration

When the government and imperial court returned to Kien-k'ang in 1946, the four palaces of the Citadel were in ruins and unfit for use. For the Sqin'-lang Palace, even the buildings that remained standing suffered a surprising degree of damage, both intentional and unintentional, from the D/ISOG residents. They frequently dismantled parts of buildings and their furnishings to obtain kindling and firewood, and over several years this translated into serious aesthetic if not structural problems. Additionally, they also dug deep holes into the ground in the hopes of either breaching the walls to obtain exit or in search for something hidden.

While general reconstruction had begun as early as 1943, continued constraints on resources required their application to civic, rather than royal buildings. No serious effort to restore the palaces began until 1947, and even until then funds were not plentiful until 1955. The National Government was of the view that restorative efforts should be restrained until troops were withdrawn from Menghe—it would be unconscionable as well as unaffordable to restore a palace to its pre-war state while troops were still living in makeshift barracks and tents on (albeit pacified) enemy territory.

Nevertheless, some functionality returned to the Palace. The Chancery was re-occupied in October 1948. The two houses of Parliament were both convoked at the standing Kaw-men Hall in January 1950, taking turns using the main chamber and sharing the committee rooms. Rebuilding of major buildings started with the re-erection of posts and lintels at the emblematic Sublime Gate in July 1950; that work topped out in 1952 and completed in 1954, and its sine qua non crystal lamps were re-lit on 15 November 1954. Work on the new House of Commons began in 1952 and completed in 1955.

However, the restoration work was far from complete when budgets were again diverted in 1958 owing to the blooming communist rebellion in Maverica. Most of the palace gates remained unrestored, leaving gaps in the walls, though this was no longer perceived as a security concern since patrols were redistributed.

1967 – 77 restoration

Compared to the first phase of restoration, this second phase was limited to the Great Hall area and intended to restore it to its pre-war state. The main structures rebuilt were four gatehouses and the West Chamber.

See also

• Themiclesia
• Middle Palace
• List of palaces in Themiclesia