Administrative divisions of Themiclesia

The administrative divisions of Themiclesia are geographic entities responsible for both autonomous government and implementing the decisions of the central government. Themiclesia is a pluralistic state with varying types of regional autonomy: the states are mostly autonomous .

Terminology

The concept "sovereign territory" is generally translated as krjangh (境; 竟 in monumental style) in Shinasthana, though this is not a perfect translation. The latter conveys the meaning of "border, limit" more accurately, cp. Latin limes, "limit, border". Another term, pran-do (版圖) is also seen occasionally, though this term literally means "household records [and] land surveys", referring to the area in which the government exercises administrative control. The term gwrên-kwar (寰官) refers to the area in which agricultural revenues are paid into the Great Exchequer (大內); as Themiclesia was primarily an agrarian state in the past, agricultural revenues were taken as the basis of statehood and used to judge the extent of the state's power.  However, gwênh-kwar technically excluded alienated territories like the fiefs of peers and the palatine states. The same limitation existed for prong (邦), the term most often translated as "state".  The word kwek (國), which survives in Menghean to mean "state, country", today means "region, periphery" in Themiclesia, with little political significance.

History

The former palatine dominions and (by 500) viceregal provinces of northern Themiclesia

Antiquity

During Antiquity, Themiclesia-proper was dominated by dozens of city-states (邑, ′jep), which were ruled by their respective monarchs and aristocrats. The land around the city, usually owned and cultivated by the city's elites, was called the gwrên (寰). The combination of a city and its surrounding lands, called a "country" (邦, ke-prong), would form the basic unit of Themiclesian administration into the dynastic period beginning in 256. When a city controlled another through a colonial relationship or by conquest, tribute was exacted from the prong as a whole, as a city by itself was not economically productive in agricultural terms, while its surrounding lands often too large to police and tax.

If a conquered city lost its autonomy, as was more often the case into the Classical Period, it was often granted to the hegemon's supporters as rewards, but some were retained as the hegemon's demesne. Many such grants evolved into financial entitlements, giving the beneficiary all or part of the city's revenues, but the hegemon instead appointed magistrates to supervise the cities, as he did in the demesne. Regardless of the disposition of the city's ruler after conquest, it was rarely possible to remove the local aristocracy, and often their co-operation was sought instead. In Tsjinh in particular, the aristocracy of the mother city was particularly powerful, and the Tsjinh patriarch shared spoils of land and goods with his high nobles as a matter of course.

In the 3rd century, new settlements were often founded without the official title of "city" to avoid the alienation of power from the absentee ruler to a local aristocracy; in this case they were called gwrên and governed by a ringh (令) or "commandant". Large, poorly-settled areas were governed as provinces (郡, nkjurh); these are often considered under a nominally-military occupation rather than genuine administration. During the Sungh dynasty, regional administration was reformed after a five-year war exhausted the influence of the palatine princes, who ruled the northern half of Themiclesia-proper under their own right even though they swore allegiance to the hegemon. Viceroys (守, n′ju′) were appointed over the territories of the palatine princes, whose dominions were also called provinces, but the viceroy over a former palatine dominion was senior to the governor of an interior province.

Most scholars believe that the distinction between administration and ownership or title of land at the local level emerged during the late Antiquity to early Medieval period (2nd to 6th century CE), as a consequence of the sharing of local powers as well as opposition between an appointed magistrate and a hereditary owner of land. In addition to his economic role, most magistrates had impermanent terms by the end of the 4th century. This distinction emerged over several centuries, and even in the 6th century it was still not uncommon for a hegemon to grant both magisterial and manorial powers to a single person over a small city or a parcel of land. Under the efforts to strength finances and reward loyalists in the mid-5th century, it became the rule to appoint a magistrate to supervise and increase taxation whether that went to one of the hegemon's supporters.

Medieval

Emperor Ngjon was established as hegemon of Themiclesia in 543 due to his promise to reduce taxation, but he and his successors introduced a more vigorous local administration system in the reduced demesne of the emperor. In 552, he ordered the survey of all Themiclesian farms, a tremendous undertaking that took over 20 years to complete. Up to this point, taxes were collected by magistrates from whatever source he could find, and the co-operation of the major landowners and merchants was indispensible; their compliance was often compelled by the threat of military force. The collection of poll tax, the other common source of revenues, was laborious when there was little to no local bureaucracy. The new survey permitted his administration to levy taxation in a more controlled and centralized manner, often directly from the cultivator. This change is evidenced in the operation of a new unit of local administration—the manor or commune (里, rje), corresponding to the large estates held by aristocrats, whose contents were then opened to royal extraction.

The administration of provinces also evolved during the Mrang period, heavily influenced by the administrative techniques imported from Menghe itself. After the 6th century, new settlements came under the jurisdiction of the provinces in view of reserving revenues from them to the royal exchequer and the rights to appoint officials therein to the crown. This consideration created a two-tiered administration with a provincial marshal over a county magistrate that would become normal in Themiclesia after this time. In the 7th century, the viceregal provinces of the north were each divided into two to prevent any viceroy from gaining too much territory and power. By edict in 722, interior provinces acquired a civil administration headed by a viceroy parallel to the marshal.

Local government

Tier 1	City ke-prong, (邦)		Municipality gwrên, (寰)		Province nkjurh, (郡)		State ke-prong, (邦)	Region kwek, (國)
Tier 2	Commune skok, (區)	Borough brji, (啚)	Commune skok, (區)	District kraw (交)	Township ta, (都)	County gwrên, (寰)	(Locally regulated)	District be, (部)
Tier 3		Manor rje′, (里)		Manor rje′, (里)	Commune skok, (區)	Manor rje′, (里)		Manor rje′, (里)

First-level divisions

Themiclesia is divided into 33 first-level divisions. Except the 3 Autonomous States and 2 Territories in the north and east of the country, there are 7 municipalities, 6 counties, and 15 provinces.

Provinces

Each province is jointly governed by the governor, the marshal, and the tribune-invigilator.

The governor (守, n′ju′), responsible for general administration, is appointed by the central government; it is a political office. His term lasts as long as the government that appointed him remains in power. It is rare for a governor to be dismissed, as they are unlikely to be caught in political controversies. It is also a position where discredited Cabinet ministers find themselves, expecting that their popularity or reputation would be rehabilitated by a period of lesser activity or exposure; on the other hand, a junior minister appointed as a governor would often be seen as promoted. Governors have comparatively little autonomy and few subordinates, and they mostly serve a supervisory purpose in the local (county-level) implementation of government policy. The governor's principle assistant is the secretary (丞, gjeng).

The marshal (尉, ′judh) is nominally responsible for the recruitment, maintenance, equipment, and training of the prefecture's militia, which with the regular and reserve armies and territorial forces compose of the Themiclesian army. The actual duties surrounding the militia has devolved to the Ministry of Defence, so the office is, for the most part, ceremonial. Formerly, males aged 20 may be called to service locally, on the borders, or as a palace guard. Local service also varied between garrison, sentry, and prison duties. The prefectural marshal was responsible for distributing militiamen to these stations. When bandit groups appeared within the prefecture, he also directed the militia to suppress them, in conjunction with a county's marshal. When a larger force was assembled, the marshal ensured that the order was legitimate before releasing his forces. While not suggested by the title, the marshal was invariably a civilian official, and he led several departments that trained specialists, e.g. cavalry, crossbowmen, and chariot troops.

The tribune invigilator (監御史, kram-ngjah-srje′) is an ombudsman for the prefecture. He accepts allegations of official misbehaviour and investigates them, proceeding to recommend charges if required.

Inner Region

Main article: Inner Region

The quasi-prefectural region around the capital city is called the Inner Region (內史, nubh-srje′), named for its governor, the Inner Administrator (內史, nubh-srje′). Historically, the Inner Region was not considered a prefecture, as county magistrates there reported directly to the central government. For this reason, the Inner Region is also called "state" (邦, prong) in some texts, though this use is suppressed in view of its derogatory connotation. The Inner Administrator, who was also the central government's finance minister, exercised supervision in financial matters over these counties; however, his portfolio gradually grew to become analogous to other prefectural governors, and today the Inner Region is a prefecture in all but name. The analogue of prefectural marshals is the Capital Marshal (中尉, trjung-′judh), though his duties contrasted slightly with theirs. He led the Capital Defence Force (中尉卒, trjung-′judh-tsut), a standing formation of the Inner Region's militia. As with the prefectural marshals, the integration of the CDF into the army has left this a ceremonial position. There is no analogue of the tribune-comptroller, as the Inner Region is thought to be within the direct purview of the Tribunes.

States

The eastern part of the country is divided into a number of states (邦, prong). There are several different types of entities called "states" under Themiclesian law, including the autonomous/devolved state (which is described in this section), the palatine states, baronial states, and the virtual titular states.

The government of the devolved state imitates the central government. The executive head of an devolved state is the chancellor (相邦, smjangh-prong), and there is usually also one vice chancellor (丞相, gjêng-smjangh).

List of first-level divisions

Name		Alternate name		Postal Code	Counties	Capital		Notes
Inner Region	内史	Tsjinh IR	晉内史	10	32	Kien-k'ang	建康
Sngrjêr-ljang	山陽			11	18	Ra	魯
Gar-nubh	河內			12	12	Grui	懷
Gar-nem	河南			13	22	Lap	葉
Kju-ngjon	九原			14	13	Lja′	輿
Sngrjêr-′rjum	山陰			15	14	′Rjeng	凌
Gar-ngwadh	河外			16	11	′An-′jep	安邑
Pek	北			17	9	Le′	代
Gwin	弦			18	10	Drjang-tsje′	長子
Rjem-m′e′	臨海			19	24	Rjem-tsrje	臨淄
Tsjinh-brjêng	晉平			20	11	Gawh	顥
Nem-l′oi	南陲			21	15	′Ju-rjem	幽林
Nem-lêih	南地			22	17	Ljêng′	郢
Prjin	濱			23	24	Lja-ljaw	餘姚
Rak	洛			24	29	Rak-ljang	洛陽
Rjem-ljaw	臨洮			25	16	Gras-′jep	下邑
Pjang-nubh	房內			26	15	K′jok-ljang	曲陽
Gwrjêng′-ljang	潁陽			27	13	Djuh-t′jur	壽春
Lu′-nem	道南			28	10	Nem-brjêng	南平
Sngw′jan-trjung	泉中	′jeng IR	應内史	29	12	Smjang	湘
Pjang-ngwadh	房外			30	5	Ngja-lang	漁陽
′Jengh	應			31	15	Ngrakw-djêng	樂成
′Jong	雍	Mlem IR	滕内史	32	18	Drjang-′an	長安
Ng′ja	許	Djang	上	33	14	Kjung′	鞏
Gat	葛	Gra′-tong	下東	34	12	Brjêng-djêng	平城
Ljoi	隨	Gra′-sner	下西	35	10	Pjan-ljang	繁陽
Brjêng-nêng	平寧	Kem IR	干内史	36	18	Sjei′	喜
′Un-ljang	溫陽	Le′	戴	37	15	Sjing-ljai′	新野
′Un-′rjum	溫陰	Sjin	莘	38	13	Ljan-brjêng	延平
Gwrjang′-′an	永安	Gwret	滑	39	19	Ngjakw-ljang	櫟陽
Dzar′-lêng	左庭			40	11	Kaw-′rjeng	高陵
Gwrje′-lêng	右庭			41	8	Rju′	柳
Srum-l′jun	三川			42	22	Trjung-ljang	中陽
Gwjêng-tong	瀅東			43	13	Gwjen-trjung	雲中
Gwjêng-sner	瀅西			44	18	Stjang	商
Mhje′	汜			45	15	Ngja-′rjum	浯陰
Sngrak-pjang	朔方			46	3	Trjung-′an	中安
Grje IR	淇內史			48	n/a	TBA	TBA	State
Gwrei IR	淮內史			49	n/a	TBA	TBA	State
′Jur′ IR	委內史			50	n/a	TBA	TBA	State
Ngjar′ IR	宜內史			51	n/a	TBA	TBA	State

Second-level divisions

Counties

Counties (寰, gwrênh) compose of prefectures. There are 540 counties in total, each covering an area with around 20,000 to 40,000 people during the early 19th century, before Themiclesia urbanized due to industrialization. Currently, counties often fall between 30,000 and 60,000 people, as a result of rural depopulation, which remains an ongoing, albeit more sedate, process. The magistrate of a country, 寰令 (gwrênh-ringh) is elected.

Counties are considered the fundamental units of Themiclesian administration. Most counties known today were established before or during the Mrangh (543–752) and have remained remarkably stable in their borders and internal structures. Having a sedentary, agicultural culture, the arable areas of established county are unlikely to be changed except by irrigation works, which were largely handled by local labour and initiative. While county leaders were appointed centrally through most of history, assemblies, led by local gentry, possessed considerable influence over the implementation of central policies. Most civilian policies also occurred on the county level, and the prefectural militia also heavily relied on county-level administration.

Civic activities, such as the spring and autumn harvest festivities, were also organized by the county independently. Themiclesians are thus much more likely to have an affinity towards counties than prefectures.

Market counties

While rural counties steadily lost population, a handful of counties are much more populous than average because they contain urban areas. The capital city, Kien-k'ang County, has a population over 4 million; there are 34 other counties that have populations over 250,000. Such counties most often correspond to the site of the prefectural government or regional centres of commerce. In the local government reform of 1901, they became designated as city (都, ta), which are given some additional allowances in staff and budget to administer their larger population and to maintain urban conveniences. Urban environments became unsanitary and had inadequate social services during the period of rapid industrialization between 1860 and 1880; the reforms addressed these problems by establishing local clinics and subsidized pharmacies, which were administered by the county.

Third-level divisions

There are three types of third-level administrative divisions, the village (鄉, sk′jang), hamlet (邑, ′jep), and the commune (里, rje′).  

Village

Villages are found in rural areas. The administrator of a village is called a village alderman (鄉良人).

Hamlet

A hamlet is usually a small town between 2,000 and 5,000 individuals.

Commune

Communes cover more densely settled locales, such as the local market or, in the case of an urban county, residential areas. The elected administrator of a commune is a commune administrator (里正). While the ordinary communes have around 2,000 to 5,000 invidiauls living in its jurisdiction, Kien-k'ang's communes may have as many as 50,000, which is as many as several counties or an entire urban county; this exceptional situation is provided for by specific legislation. In the early 19th century, parts of the walled area of Kien-k'ang remained very under-settled and were considered hamlets; however, by 1900, all hamlets became communes via settlement.

Historical changes

Themiclesian prefectures, c. 1700

See also

• Themiclesia
• Administrative divisions of Menghe