Monarchy of Themiclesia

The monarchy of Themiclesia is the constitutional monarchy of Themiclesia. The current monarch is Sje-mra Ngljakw-men (司馬瓅文), who ascended the formally ascended the throne on Dec. 12th, 2016, 7 days after the passing of his great-grandfather, Emperor Sieds-tsung. As the incumbent Emperor is six years old, the monarchy is currently under the joint regency of the Emperor's mother, the Empress Dowager, and his great uncle, the Prince of Nga-sing, and the regency will continue until the Emperor reaches the age of 20.

The monarch and members of his immediate family undertake various political, legal, cultural, and ritualistic duties in a manner provided by legislation and custom. As the monarchy is ceremonial, the political duties of the monarch is limited to the appointment of officials, including political leaders, by custom or recommendation, the award of honours, and the confirmation of decisions that the government have made and carried out in the name of the monarchy. Unlike most monarchies, the Emperor is not commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces, which are led by the government under legislation. The monarchy retains de jure unlimited state power, though this is in practice never exercised personally by the monarch, but by the various constitutional elements of the state under established protocols; as such, all primary and secondary legislation are made in the Emperor's name and bear his seal.

The institution of the Themiclesian monarchy can be traced to the beginning of the Common Era, which settlers from Menghe first established a government in imitation of the Menghean one in the 100s. The growth and maturity of the Themiclesian monarchy is inextricably linked to that of Menghe, and indeed most characteristics of the Themiclesian one are common with the Menghean one, until the latter fell under the influence of Yang culture in the 700s. The Themiclesian monarchy was also bolstered in its cultural prestige when it intermarried with a Menghean royal line that governed in the very area whose culture came to dominate Menghe under the Sung Dynasty there and Themiclesia. Unlike in Menghe, where civil war demarked each dynasty from the following, most Themiclesian dynasties rose by depositions and coupes d'etat described as voluntary abdications. The current dynasty in power in Themiclesia is Tsienh, though the exonym tjons-tans (震旦) has, in all cases, overtaken the use of the name of the dynasty in describing the Themiclesian state.

The power of the Themiclesian Emperor was generally less personal than that of the Menghean Emperor. Due to the presence of powerful, bureaucratic-aristocratic clans that produced scholar-officials generation after generation, supported by large land holdings forming a formidable economic foundation for their continued dominance at court, Themiclesian policy-making has mostly been conducted by one or several prime ministers (相), and the Emperor is usually confined to either accepting or rejecting proposals drawn up by the bureaucracy. The Emperor typically strived to maintain a balance between multiple such figures so that he did not become a figurehead. Starting in the 19th Century, the imperial power further waned at the introduction of Casaterran concepts of democracy and popular representation, leading to the current political position of the monarch.

Constitutional role

In legal theories describing the formal constitution of Themiclesia, the Emperor is head of state and (in his office) holds sovereign state power. Though he is not explicitly set forth as any of these things, these attributes are considered inherited from the Menghean imperial tradition and need no positive justification; the exercise of his powers, however, are governed by convention and precedent, which define the modern role of the monarch and his relationship with the government and public. The Emperor is also the subject of the automatic allegienace of his subjects and aliens that enter Themiclesia.

The monarch's legislative power is generally held to be exercised only with the assent of the Councils of Protonotaries, Attendants, and Cavaliers, as well as some degree of acquiescence from the Council of Correspondence, which holds executive power. The precise extent of the powers of the last has never been tested in modern times, as the government retains a degree of influence in Ultraport or Cavaliers in the legislature. While there are no limits on what can be accomplished by legislation, there are conventional subjects that demand primary legislation; amongst them, the appointment of government ministers, certain unelected, local leaders, declaration of war, ratification of international treaties, and the levying of taxation. After the three bodies agree to legislate, the legislation (or its title, if lengthy) is read before the Emperor; the Attendants of Ultraport impress the Great Seal upon the original of the legislation, while the Cavaliers verbally announce to the legislators and ministers the assent of the monarch. The Monarch does not express his views during this ceremony.

The monarch also possesses executive power in the form of secondary legislation and administrative ordinances. These instruments are passed by the Court of Correspondence Administration, and similarly gain legal effect when the Emperor and the Courts of Ultraport and Cavaliers have been notified.

Etiquette

Nominal Taboo

The personal names of the current monarch, that of any of the seven preceding monarchs, and that of the first monarch of the dynasty are legally taboo. It is an offence to utter or write their names, but there is no punishment stipulated for doing so after 1892. In practice, all monarchs in the current dynasty have been given extremely obscure names, so as not to interfere with normal communication, and offenders have not been prosecuted since 1854. In 1970 it is further legislated that the government will not prosecute except with an express ordinance from the monarch, which must also be drafted by the government. The name of the current Emperor, Ngljakw-mon, consists of two characters, of which the first has no known meaning and is only found in lexicons, and though the second is common, it is not an offence to utter or write either character, but only the two in combination. The family name of the dynasty is not subject to taboo and is shared with thousands of individuals.

Lèse-majesté

Lèse-majesté (大不敬) has been a crime in Themiclesia for centuries. In view of its abuse in prevoius centuries, the current Penal Code clearly stipulates that lèse-majesté is limited to intentional bodily injures to the Emperor, Empress Dowager, Great Empress Dowager, and the Crown Prince, intentional desecreation of their official residences, intentional affrontery to their edicts issued regarding matters of state, and intentional destruction of the Great Temple, the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Earth, and the mausolea of former holders of those titles. It is not lèse-majesté to insult the Emperor (or any of the individuals aforementioned), because only the dignity of the office is legally protected. Even this can usually be circumvented by using one of several accepted synonyms instead of the term "Emperor" in a less respectful context. However, since the Emperor can be regarded as a natural person as well, it may be a crime under normal legislation to slander or libel him. No law currently allows the Emperor to exercise the rights of his natural person,.

The last time a person was prosecuted for lèse-majesté was in 1942, when a man who lost his sibling to the Pan-Septentrion War, dissatisfied with the compensation issued to him, set fire to the East Side Gate of the palace in Kien-k'ang. The fire was put out before significant damage was done, and the government dropped the charges in view of what may be an unpopular prosecution during a time when national unity was important.

Depictions

Previously, illustrative depictions of the Emperor (and the aforementioned personages) are also deemed taboo. If the Emperor is depicted in a painting, it is customary to have him seated in a canopy, with drapery slighly obscuring his complexion. Other common methods used to avoid depicting his person include having other persons, animals, objects, or natural phoenomena blocking his visage. Doing so without creating a jarring result on the artwork is deemed a skill. In the same vein, photogrpahy or videography of the Emperor is likewise taboo; whenever formal films are made featuring the Emperor, filming crews were instructed to capture only his profile or back and avoid his face.

After the PSW, it became increasingly common for uninvited journalists to capture images of the Emperor and publish them on tabloids; due to the awkward circumstances under which the Emperor is pictured, stories often showed the Emperor in an indecorous state. To remedy this problem, an official portrait of the Emperor was made, and it is a non-copyrightable image under Themiclesian law. The official portrait was made in 1952, when the Emperor was 37, but it has not been updated subsequently; as a result, the aging Emperor was perinnially depicted as a 37-year-old in official media, causing much confusion in foreign states.

In person

Staring at the Emperor directly, especially for a prolonged period, was deemed disrespectful to the sovereign in the first half of the 20th century. Those close in his presence usually looked at the Emperor's hands when speaking to him, though occasionally looking at the Emperor's face is not prohibited, especially for a justifiable reason, such as inspecting his health or comfort. While these rules may seem restrictive, the Emperor spends most of his time in a canopy, with the drapery loose; his sillhouette is visible, but looking at him through the canopy is sufficiently removed from the affront of staring and is not avoided.

Style

When addressing the Emperor, the speaker uses the style Your Majesty (陛下); however, in the third person, he is simply referred to as "the Emperor" and not "His Majesty".

Motorcade

Themiclesian culture places emphasis on the Emperor's procession or motorcade (駕) as a symbol of his status. There are three motorcades that the Monarch uses in different occasions. In some works the word "procession" means the part of the motorcade that emphasizes the monarch's status, while the "motorcade" extends beyond the procession and includes security officials meant to protect the entire procession.

Elements	Great Procession	Ordinary Procession	Small Procession
Elephants (7), Fanfare (13)	Yes	Yes	No
Abominator Director	Yes	Yes	No
Commune Aldermen (9), Fanfare (13)	Yes	No	No
Mayor of Kien-k'ang County, Axe-bearer (6)	Yes	No	No
Magistrate of Tan-lang, Fanfare (13), Axe-bearer (8)	Yes	No	No
Secretary of Tan-lang	Yes	No	No
Registrar of Tan-lang	Yes	No	No
Tan-lang Inspector, Fanfare (13)	Yes	No	No
Secretary of the Inner Administrative Region	Yes	No	No
Registrar of the Inner Administrative Region	Yes	No	No
Inner Administrator, Axe-bearer (12)	Yes	No	No
Puisne Justice (2)	Yes	No	No
Chief Justice	Yes	No	No
Secretary, Registrar of the Court	Yes	No	No
Grand Counsel, Fanfare (13), Axe-bearer (12)	Yes	No	No
Secretary of the Grand Counsel	Yes	No	No
Registrar of the Grand Counsel	Yes	No	No
President of the Retainers, Fanfare (13)	Yes	No	No
Grand Marshal, Axe-bearer (24)	Yes	No	No
Secretary of the Grand Marshal	Yes	No	No
Registrar of the Grand Marshal	Yes	No	No
Libator of the Grand Marshal	Yes	No	No
Clerk of the Grand Marshal	Yes	No	No
Grand Minister of Imperial Tribunes, Fanfare (13), Axe-bearer (24)	Yes	No	No
Left Clerk of the Vice Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Right Clerk of the Vice Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Ombudsman of the Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Libator of the Vice Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Retainer President of the Vice Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Grand Historian of the Chancellor	Yes	No	No
Vice Chancellor, Fanfare (13), Axe-bearer (24)	Yes	No	No
Governor of Imperial Guards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colonel-General of Foot Soldiers, of Maritime Troops	Yes	Yes	No
Colonel-General of Artillery, of Cavalry	Yes	Yes	No
Lieutenant-General of Armoured and Dragoons	Yes	Yes	No
Generals of the Left, Right	Yes	Yes	No
Road-Clearer of the Amber Gate	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fanfare of the Amber Gate	Yes	Yes	Yes
Compass Car	Yes	Yes	Yes
Minister of the Ushers	Yes	Yes	Yes
Imperial Secretary of Tribunes	Yes	No	No
Genleman Colonel of the Life Guards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Standard Car (1)	Yes	Yes	No
Standard Car (2)	Yes	Yes	No
Standard Car (3)	Yes	Yes	No
Standard Car (4)	Yes	Yes	No
Standard Car (5)	Yes	Yes	No
Left, Right Blossom Car	Yes	Yes	No
Under-Secretary of Infantry, Attorney-General, Processions	Yes	Yes	No
Secretary of State for Processions	Yes	Yes	No
Windsock	Yes	Yes	Yes
Car of the Seasons	Yes	Yes	No
Tribune, Governor of the Palace Hall	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tall Umbrella	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tribune of the Seals	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blossom Umbrella	Yes	Yes	Yes
Commander, Marshal of the Palace Hall	Yes	Yes	Yes
Golden Drum, Golden Chimes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Golden Root Car	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bent Blossom Umbrella	Yes	Yes	Yes
Regular Attendants	Yes	Yes	Yes
Meridian, Cavalier Attendants	Yes	Yes	Yes
Car of the Golden Axe	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windsock	Yes	Yes	Yes
Superintendant of the Protonotaries, of Librarians	Yes	No	No
Litter	Yes	Yes	No
Director of Cuisine, of Medicine	Yes	Yes	No
Golden Root Car	Yes	Yes	No
Blue Standing Car	Yes	Yes	No
Blue Sitting Car	Yes	Yes	No
Red Standing Car	Yes	Yes	No
Red Sitting Car	Yes	Yes	No
Yellow Standing Car	Yes	Yes	No
Yellow Sitting Car	Yes	Yes	No
White Standing Car	Yes	Yes	No
White Sitting Car	Yes	Yes	No
Black Standing Car	Yes	Yes	No
Black Sitting Car	Yes	Yes	No
Ornaments Car	Yes	Yes	No
Agriculture Car	Yes	Yes	No
Easy Car	Yes	Yes	No
Open Car	Yes	Yes	No
Wardrobe Car	Yes	Yes	Yes
Writing Implements Car	Yes	Yes	Yes
Medicine Car	Yes	Yes	Yes
President of Correspondence	Yes	No	No
Left, Right Ministers of Correspondence	Yes	No	No
Secretaries of State	Yes	No	No
Cheetah Car	Yes	Yes	No
Light Car (20)	Yes	Yes	No
Golden-Mane Horses (60)	Yes	No	No
Bronze Axe Car, Clapper Car	Yes	Yes	No
Fanfare of the Amber Gate	Yes	Yes	No
Drum Car	Yes	Yes	No
Chief Clerk of Protocols	Yes	No	No
Counsel of Protocols, Axe-bearer (12)	Yes	No	No
Grand Minister of Agriculture, Axe-bearer (12)	Yes	No	No
Privy Treasurer, Axe-bearer (12)	Yes	No	No
Three Ministers, Axe-bearer (36)	Yes	No	No
General-Commander of the Forces	Yes	Yes	No
General of the Front, of the Rear	Yes	Yes	No
Marshal of the Barbarians, of the Chariots	Yes	Yes	No
Marshal of the Chariots, of Light Infantry	Yes	Yes	No
Governor of the Forces	Yes	Yes	No

Protection

At the most intimate distnace, the protection of the emperor is the responsibility of two separate organizations, the Gentlemen of the Enclosure and the Ushers of the Enclosure. The Gentlement perform guard duties around the building complex in which the emperor is present, while the Ushers ensure that individuals coming into the complex are unarmed and escort them to the royal presence. The law strictly requires the building where the emperor is to be clear of weapons of any sort, and it is strictly prohibited to come into the physical presence of the monarch under arms. These laws apply to the emperor's guards as much as his other courtiers and visitors. There is a slight exception to this rule for civil servants to bring eraser-knives (similar to letter knives) to make corrections to inscriptions on wooden or bamboo slips, which served as writing media before the Middle Ages; however, these knives are usually not sharpened to a blade, since a blunt edge was sufficient to scrape off unwanted writing marks. By law, these blades cannot be longer than three inches (c. 7.2 cm). Both the Gentlemen and Ushers are under the portfolio of the Under-Secretary of State for Palace Affairs (殿中郎), who in turn reports to the Cabinet Office. The