Kien-k'ang
Kien-k′ang
建康 | |
|---|---|
Metropolitan City | |
| Shinasthana transcription(s) | |
| • Timothy | kyan-k′ang |
| • Garrett | kiàn-kang |
.jpg) Dusk in Banks District | |
| Country | Themiclesia |
| Province | Exchequer |
| Inner walls | 570 |
| Outer walls | 1412 |
| Seat | City Hall |
| Manors | List
|
| Government | |
| • Body | Metropolitan City of Kien-k'ang |
| • President-Alderman | Sally Chang (Conservative Party) |
| • Chairperson of the Council | Larry Pu |
| • Civic Marshal | Lt. Gen. Mark Ryam |
| Area | |
| • Metropolitan City | 7,642 km2 (2,951 sq mi) |
| • Land | 7,257 km2 (2,802 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 574 km2 (222 sq mi) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • Metropolitan City | 11,273,520 |
| • Density | 1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | SMT+4 |
| Postal code | 103 |
The Metropolitan City of Kien-k'ang (泰邑建康, qlats-qrep-kyen-k'ang) or simply Kien-k'ang (建康, kyen-k′ang) is the capital city of Themiclesia, located in the country's west and straddling the banks of the River Kaung, about 150 km from its discharge. The city has a growing population of 11.24 million. The Metropolitan City, covering 7,642 km², is much larger than the historic walled city or the modern urban area expanding from it, occupying as much as a third of the Exchequer Province and includes rural districts and satellite cities. The urban area of Kien-k'ang covers about 450 km² and is the home of about 4 million denizens. The city is governed by the elected Metropolitan Board of Aldermen and City Council, which are its executive and legislative authorities respectively.
Kien-k'ang is considered a world city with respect to its prominence in the global economy and as a centre for international trade, culture, education, and technology. Once an industrial powerhouse of Central Hemithea, Kien-k'ang's economy is now dominated by the tertiary sector. Domestically, it is the seat of the central government and hosts the headquarters of all its primary departments. Likewise, it is the dominant city in Themiclesia as to its population and economic output, accounting for more of the latter than its population suggests. The global and Hemithean headquarters of numerous international enterprises are also located in Kien-k'ang, having presented a stable and liberal environment for much of modern history.
The city is a hub of Themiclesia's much-used conventional and high-speed railways, which connect it to both domestic and foreign destinations as far as Suurlarko, Camia, Solevant, Menghe, and Dayashina. Within the city, the is rapid transit, the commuter railway, tram, and omnibus services, which converge most prominently at Twa-ts'uk-men Station. Flights to and from Kien-k'ang are served by two airports, the urban Tibh Airport and more remote Kei Airport.
The city is home to numerous primary and secondary schools, which offer compulsory education to children living in the city. The city has private schools and a smaller number of tertiary institutions, including 5 of Themiclesia's 15 chartered universities, which are ranked in the top 100 universities in the world.
The historic core of the city is the Citadel (成), which hosts royal palaces and government departments. The urbanized area around the Citadel was enclosed by palisades since Antiquity but were only walled after the 1385 Menghean siege.
The city is the seat of the central government and the largest city in Themiclesia by population and economic product. It hosts a considerable number of corporate and institutional headquarters and cultural and historical attractions. Commerce is present in every district but particularly concentrated in a number of areas, in particular the South Fringe district. The city's per capita share of GDP is $56,250 (2017, nominal), slightly higher than the national average; however, due to fluctuations in prices and wage levels, living expenses are also higher than in other cities.
The city faces issues with pollution, high housing costs, and ageing infrastructure.
Name
Kien-k'ang was originally the name of the citadel of the city of Tsins (晉邑); however, as Tsins evolved to mean the political entity controlled from that city, the name of the citadel, given in 570 after an extensive renovation, came to denote the city itself.
Geography
Kien-k'ang is situated on the east bank of the river Kaung (江, kwrang), roughly 150 km from its discharge into the Bay (小海, smaw′-qme′).
History
Before Meng settlement, the city was inhabited by possibly-migratory indigenous groups that survived without agriculture. Various cultural relics have been unearthed recently. The eraliest settlements attributed to the Meng ethnic group date to the 5th c. BCE, showing bronze foundries and domiciles. By the beginning of the common era, the city was the hinterland of the Slje-mra′ clan, which founded the first unified dynasty of Themiclesia in 265 and governed it from Kien-k'ang. With relatively brief interruptions, it has remained the capital city of all dynasties ruling Themiclesia as recognized by the traditional canon. During the early dynasties, the city was composed of the modern-day Citadel without outer walls; later, inhabited areas were fenced and gradually fortified into the modern wall that defines the city's limits. Menghean concepts, traditional or imagined, have been essential in determining the city's layout according to its political status, containing several palaces at its heart.
Government and administration
Kien-k'ang is part of the quasi-province of the Exchequer (內史). It is the economically dominant city within the Exchequer, its population and territory accounting for 85% and 31%, respectively, of the Exchequer's total.
Though Kien-k'ang was once bounded by its walls, the area within them now accounts for less than 0.5% of its administrative territory of 9,624 km². This area is divided into 13 boroughs and 35 districts. The boroughs correspond to existing towns with some degree of autonomy, and districts to all other areas, whether urban or rural. There are 9 districts within the walled area of the city. Boroughs and districts close to Kien-k'ang's city walls, being densely settled, are divided into manors (里, re), and other areas into communes or civil parishes (鄉, sqang). There are about 300 manors and over 800 civil parishes in the whole of Kien-k'ang.
The Citadel's (成, ding) immediate vicinity up to the Outer Walls is divided into 38 manors, and there are a further 145 manors beyond the walls. Most manors are either named after the most prominent landowners who were often entrusted with a degree of administrative responsibility, or given a name from historic districts of the capital city of the Meng dynasty of Menghe, whose plans remained philosophically influential to medieval Themiclesian governments. The Citadel itself is divided into 5 manors named after the cardinal directions. The manors together with the Citadel compose of the traditional Metropolis of Tsins (泰邑晉). Manorial administration in Kien-k'ang dates to Antiquity, and the 23 of the 38 modern Manors have been in place since the 15th century, when the Outer Walls were built.
| Name | Type | Area (km²) |
Population (2020) |
Parishes/ Communes |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglian | Shinasthana | |||||
| Kien-k'ang | 建康 | District | 3.7 | |||
| Sner-kru | 西郊 | District | ||||
| Twang-kru | 東郊 | District | ||||
| Dank-rem | 上林 | District | ||||
| Nem-kru | 南郊 | District | ||||
| Twang-qar | 東阿 | District | ||||
| Sner-qar | 西阿 | District | ||||
| 'An-proang | 安邦 | District | ||||
| Nem-qar | 南阿 | District | ||||
| Bli-pa | 四浦 | District | ||||
| Kek-la | 克野 | District | ||||
| Ruk-la | 祿野 | District | ||||
| Pa-la | 普野 | District | ||||
| Bing-ngwyan | 平邍 | District | ||||
| Maqs-ngwyan | 慕邍 | District | ||||
| Qa-rem | 虎林 | District | ||||
| Stsors | 算 | District | ||||
| Bing-la | 平野 | District | ||||
| 'Uks-ngwyan | 奧邍 | District | ||||
| Ni | 彌 | District | ||||
| Ngar-la | 我野 | District | ||||
| King-la | 井野 | District | ||||
| Brars-ngwyan | 辦邍 | District | ||||
| Kwis-ngwyan | 圭邍 | District | ||||
| Sli-rem | 矢林 | District | ||||
| Proang-rem | 邦林 | District | ||||
| Qyik-la | 益野 | District | ||||
| Goi-la | 龢野 | District | ||||
| Sqe-stur | 巳水 | District | ||||
| Trung-la | 中野 | District | ||||
| Prans-rem | 牉林 | District | ||||
| Ghuk | 谷 | District | ||||
| Peks-la | 復野 | District | ||||
| Tsrek-rem | 尺林 | District | ||||
| Ngrak-rem | 逆林 | District | ||||
| Sgungs | 宋 | Borough | ||||
| Bek | 孛 | Borough | ||||
| Qlwa | 舒 | Borough | ||||
| Breng | 盈 | Borough | ||||
| Kwei | 鬼 | Borough | ||||
| Mrei | 微 | Borough | ||||
| Mi | 米 | Borough | ||||
| Prar | 皮 | Borough | ||||
| N'wer | 妥 | Borough | ||||
| Qlis | 四 | Borough | ||||
| Kar | 可 | Borough | ||||
| Ghwra | 于 | Borough | ||||
| La | 余 | Borough | ||||
Economy
Demographics and housing
As the citadel was mostly occupied by the palaces and government offices, residential areas arose outside of the citadel. The few residences within the citadel were held by the Privy Treasury and granted to royal favourites for convenience. In time, many of them became consular and ambassadorial residences and chanceries. Most of the palaces and government offices also had areas set aside as residences for its officers, though these were more akin to elaborate dormitories in use, the officers returning to a city home whenever released from work. Most of these residences have been torn down to make space for more offices as government ministries sprung up and struggled to find space within the citadel.
Beyond the citadel, in terms of land area, much of the city was royal forest and farmland until the 19th century. Once occupying almost 40% of the city, the High Woods (上林) to the north and the Metropolitan Botanical Garden (都木苑) are two remnants of royal forests that have been opened to public use; other parts of royal forests have been sold to private investors. Around another 12% of the city was held by the Privy Treasury as "serjeanty land" (采), leased to bureaucrats that did not already possess productive lands for the duration of their employ, according to their ranks. A commoner serving as secretary of state received some 30 hectares, while a warehouse manager received four.
The aristocratic families in Kien-k'ang built walled estates of considerable size. The very largest of these estates rivalled the palaces and housed dozens of extended families. Most land there was agricultural, worked by the estate-holder's tenants, living on the estate and sometimes for generations. These farming operations provided the estate-holder with a source of rent, partly paid in kind, was converted at markets. The estate-holder usually lived in a mansion located on the estate. Other houses existed for tenants and retainers, from single bunks and rooms for menials to detached, multiple-room residences for an estate-accountant and his family. It has been proposed that as many as a third of all of the city's residents were tenants and agents of its aristocratic houses.[1]
Most of these estates fell apart between the 17th and 19th centuries, with a few surviving into the 20th in remote areas or owned by exceptionally successful and conservative magnates. In the 1600s, the state began taxing aristocratic lands, prompting their owners to sell them off or convert them into more profitable uses. The city's growth during the 18th century led to "salami process", whereby an estate would have strips of land, facing streets, sliced off and converted into rental houses. This process accelerated in the 19th century, when the city's population grew from 400,000 to 2 million by 1900. Meanwhile, workshops and factories offered new opportunities to dispossessed farmers, encouraging agricultural land to convert to other uses.
However, most new dwellings built in the 19th century concentrated around the city's southern limits, where factories bloomed in the mid-19th century due to convenient transport (river, canal, and railway), availability of capital, and government promotion. Many factories provided dormitories for its workers that grew into communities with subsequent, independent development. Co-operating with factory owners, houses were rapidly built with the express purpose of housing as many people as cheaply as possible near to the workplace, with minimal consideration for sanitation, ventilation, and privacy. Communal kitchens and wells were the rule in these communities until cast-iron ranges and running water became common in the 20th century. Despite rapid construction, the demand for housing was insatiatble, and shantytowns grew at an astonishing pace, often infringing on existing properties.
These living conditions created a hotbed for infectious diseases that culminated in the dysentery epidemic in 1894, killing over 10,000 without medical facilities. These new communities also presented a challenge to urban authorities, who were accustomed to comparatively simple land titles in less congested areas; in the shantytowns, however, real interests were difficult to register and enforce, and residents themselves could not be censused without a conventional address. For many decades, the population of Kien-k'ang was under-reported by hundreds of housands, which hampered (admittedly limited) efforts to improve the quality of workers' lives. A professional police force did not exist until 1881, when the apparent lawlessness of the urban communities is thought to have motivated its introduction.
By 1890, the industrial and bustling south starkly contrasted with the quiescent north of the city, but tramways and urban railways, first operated in 1892, allowed working communities to propagate north. It is commonly held that this movement caused the city's elite to escape from what is now midtown and seek out new residential areas; however, the movement to more remote areas has actually existed since the beginning of the century for a variety of reasons. "Casual" houses were, in the 19th century, a hallmark of leisured lifestyles. A growing portion of merchants, formerly based in the port of Tonning, moved to Kien-k'ang; not needing access to factories, they settled in the city's northwest, where free land was still availalbe and not enclosed by estates. The growing middle class also began to live there to maintain social and physical distance from whom they believed were lesser.
The New District (新里), carved out of High Woods, was settled by upper- and middle-class residents in the 1850s, whose ranks swelled after propertied men acquired the franchise in 1845 and sought to establish themselves in the capital city. The growing middle class sometimes built their principal houses to compete with the aristocracy's casual houses, located in the same district, in terms of opulence and access to imported tastes. In the 1870s, the New District is described by The Times of Kien-k'ang as "the place where every respectable man has a house—but not necessarily live." Much of the aristocracy had other houses, either in the city or the countryside. The practice of competitive house-building in the New District then engendered its most prominent modern problems: dilapidated houses and landlord absenteeism.
In 1884, the government levied an urban land tax that drove the final nail into the coffins of remaining estates, which were being held mainly by a syndicate of landlords and corporations as land speculation. This was actually a regressive tax, but the largest estates were so under-utilized that the tax easily exceeded its value; nevertheless, the law also provided for a ten-year grace period for holders to make profitable plans for them. This tax released some 500 hectares of land into the market over the ensuing ten-year period, much of which became residential land. A few estates were sold to the government at market value.
In the 1890s, the City made its first provisions for urban planning. Like a police service, this policy was motivated by both the want of services in industrial and slum districts and a fear of social unrest if administration became impossible. In 1897, a multiple-day riot ensued in Ladh-brjêng District (大平里) after an explosive conflagration consumed almost 5,000 houses because fire engines were blocked; many residents of the city feared, without much evidence, that a revolution might be under foot. After the conflagration, the industrial district continued to expand.
A variety of groups advocated for restricting "industrial activity, clamour, and waste" to certain quarters and protecting the people that lived beyond it. The government sought to meet these demands while not depriving the industries of the land and labour they required. The resulting urban plans thus became a defence mechanism for a minority of city denizens against the problems they associated with industrial slums. They campaigned for "equal housing", which meant communities inhabited by families of comparable means, tastes, and expectations. The first planned district, founded in 1902, possessed provisions for lanes, sewers, running water, and manufactured gas. Running water was crucial as manufacturing and human wastes had poisoned underground water in many places. It was hoped that these new communities, with a density ceiling, would deter working-class housing and class-based hostilites.
The New District, isolated from both industry and commerce and inhabited by a highly-respected social class, was the inspiration for early urban planning. In the same decade, the City issued further plans for the east. Many communities were targeted towards certain economic and social classes through location, lot size, and other rules imposed through residents' councils. A homogeneous living environment proved attractive to many that sought to express their wealth and status through dwellings. By 1910, some 20,000 houses have been built in planned neighbourhoods. But most of these early lots were unaffordable to workers, and walking from these places to work and shop would have been impossible. Ironically, "equal housing" introduced strong geographic barriers between social classes that still remain highly visible today.
Education
Transportation
Inter-city railways
As the capital and most populous city, Kien-k'ang has been and is the primary railway hub of Themiclesia, whereto inter-city railways have connected since the beginning of the railway age in the 1850s. During the maximum of railway density in the 1950s, the city was served by eleven main-lines leading to other cities, though that number has since diminished to eight. Since the 1960s, the city has also been served by the Themiclesian High Speed Rail, which operates three lines out of the city.
All inter-city railways, conventional and high-speed, are on standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm). Power supply is mixed: one-third of the main-lines and all high-speed lines stand electrified with overhead AC power, and the remainder rely on diesel adhesion. Electrified and improved conventional lines are capable of supporting maximal speeds up to 120 mph (190 km/h), while high-speed lines may accommodate speeds up to 200 mph (320 km/h). Non-electrified main-lines are usually limited to line speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Lower speed limits exist on other lines for a variety of reasons.
Kien-k'ang is served by two primary inter-city termini, Twa-ts'uk-men Station and Tlang-qrum Station, the termini of National and Themiclesian & Great Northwestern, respectively.
Rapid transit
The publicly-owned Kien-k'ang Rapid Transit System operates 12 heavy-rail rapid-transit, 2 medium-capacity, and 9 light-rail lines, and on them, 394 stations. Rapid-transit lines generally converge in central Kien-k'ang and terminate in suburbs. Light-rail systems, often converted from tram lines, are more common at the termini of rapid-transit lines and can function as feeder services; however, they also exist in the urban core, along with two medium-capacity lines built in the 1990s to 2000s on the basis of an old rapid-transit line removed in the 50s. The KRT has a daily ridership or trips taken of about 3 million in 2020, a figure that has been increasing since the 80s.
The entire KRT runs on the standard gauge of 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm), which was mandatory on revenue railways since the 1850s, but because the lines were constructed for different rolling stock, their loading guage, power, and signal systems are not intercompatible.
The KRT is one of the oldest urban rail transit systems in Hemithea, components whereof date as far back as 1883. Four major railway systems existed during the first half of the 20th century in Kien-k'ang—Urban, Metropolitan, Central, and Underground Electric. These were brought under common management in 1943, by which the City undertook the duties of building and maintaining tracks, and public ownership in 1948.
Regional railway
Commuters' need to travel to and from the city have underlaid the creation of the Inner Region Regional Railway (IRRR) in 1968 as a separate railway system, which previously existed as subsidiary services offered by the main-line operators on its main and branch lines. The IRRR is meant to offer semi-frequent services with good capacity at distances longer than the KRT's farthest reaches, lines running as far as 157 km from the urban core.
Omnibus
Air
Kien-k'ang is served by two international airports, Tibh Airport and Kei Airport.
Tibh Airport is located across the River Kaung from Kien-k'ang-proper, on the riverbanks of Tibh. This facility served as the city's primary airport from its enlargement in the 1950s until the early 90s, when Kei Airport opened. Tibh Airport's primary attractiveness is its proximity to the city, at a mere 2 miles away. Once in a vacant district, this area has come to be densely settled up to the airport's limits, which has placed pressure upon the airport's nighttime operation and limited expansion. In the 70s, the airport's ageing terminal became notoriously congested but could not be expanded due to urban development nearby. After the opening of Kei Airport, Tibh underwent a major overhaul, closing its infamous northern runway and selling the land that runway occupied to developers to cover the expenses of the overhaul. It acquired an improved terminal that today serves as its primary terminal, while the old terminal is now used for administration.
Culture
See also
Notes
- ↑ The state exempted aristocratic land from taxation until the early 1600s, so working for an aristocrat enabled one to retain more of the product.