Themiclesian social etiquette
Royalty
Recent reforms
In the situation where the emperor or his and any of his predecessors' consorts are present, Themiclesian law previously required a certain degree of etiquette be observed, but the law in question was repealed in 1978 as part of the Modernization of the Court Act, passed by the Progressive government. Today, there are no penalties for failing to obey cultural etiquette before royalty, but most witnesses report that it is "quite expected". Indeed, after the Progressive government obtained royal assent to the act, all members of the royal family and government continued to observe etiquette, with isolated instances of members of parliament or the public declining to do so. This is sometimes imbued with a political message.
Diplomatic history
Etiquette before royalty is a mixture between traditional Themiclesian and Casaterran gestures. As early as the 13th century, Hallian envoys have used foreign gestures to greet the Themiclesian monarch. Later envoys from Columbian natives and the Vitric people of Maracaibo have introduced more forms of etiquette that the court have accepted to one degree or another. Before the modern period, the Themiclesian court required any visitor to render the highest native form of obesquience, whether it be a palm over heart gesture (in the case of the Vitric people) or some other gesture, to the throne. But unlike Menghe, it was not generally required for visitors to prostrate their heads to the ground. An exception was made for envoys from the Yi Menghean court, to which Themiclesia had submitted as a vassal in 1385. The sovereign then replied by bowing his head to his outreached palms, as a greeting between equals.
Vehicles
If the sovereign was in a vehicle, varying degrees of courtesy could be shown by either slowing down, stopping, or dismounting. If the vehicle did not slow, it meant the monarch did not acknowledge whomever he passed, and there was no need to show any deference. If it slowed, it was customary for anyone within viewing distance to stop and bow their heads to the vehicle. If the sovereign stopped and looked at one, one was to rise to one's feet, if seated, or kneel, if standing, and then perform a bow, before the monarch spoke or departed. If he dismounted, one was to bow one's head to the ground. In modern times, acknowledgement was required only when the windows are open, as the vehicle may not be occupied. When the sovereign dismounted, men were to bow, and women to bow or curtsey, depending on the style of dress donned.
Rooms
If the sovereign entered the room one occupies, it is customary to stand up and bow to him as he entered. One should remain standing until the monarch instructed one or the entire room to be seated; if one was especially offered a seat, one should bow before taking it. If the monarch moved through the room, one was to bow to him again as he passed one, but not if one had been offered a seat already. If the monarch did not take a seat and came to speak with one, then one should assume a standing position and bow before and after replying; after this, one may resume one's seat, if seated in the first place. If the monarch was seated, there was no need to bow to the monarch before and after replying. If the room had no seat for the monarch, an available servant should be commanded to fetch one for him.
When the monarch stood up, one should also stand up if seated. When the monarch left the room, one should bow in the direction of the monarch. If one left the room with the monarch still in it, one should first bow to the monarch then again when one stepped out of the room, towards it. In all the cases above, if one was seated on a mattress rather than chair, one should substitute standing up with rising to one's knees and a standing bow with a sitting one.
During the complex ceremonies of holding court, ushers are generally present to guide attendants as to the proper courses of action. If commanded to enter the hall building, all the emperor's subjects should ascend from the east-side ramp (阼階, dzak-kri) and never the west-side ramp (賓階, prjin-kri), as this was reserved for guests who are peers of the sovereign. Foreign guests may take either ramp suitable to their dignities; sovereigns and their representatives normally ascend on the west side, while their subjects typically on the east. Entering the building, one should take care to observe which direction the emperor faced. If he sat at the west end and faced east, titled individuals should sit on the north flank and face south, and the non-titled, opposite and facing them. Within each flank, the more senior sit closer to the emperor. When court ends, attendants do not depart en masse but in order of seniority, from junior to senior. One may not leave one's seat until the person before one has left the hall, and not before one has rendered obeisance to the throne. One should also face the throne and refrain from speaking to others until the threshold is crossed, when one may turn away and begin speaking.
Taking commands
If the monarch requests something or some action from one, it is a courtesy to provide or discharge it within one's ability and the circumstance. At any rate, one should bow to the monarch after hearing his command. If it is inconvenient to follow the monarch's command, one should assert one's reasons to the monarch's attendants and then promptly leave his presence; the monarch will invariably command one to remain. The standard phrase to decline a royal command is, "I think it would be better for the secretaries of state to take this command" (詔當下尚書).
Precedence
If one is in attendance to a higher dignity, one should not turn to do obeisance to a lesser dignity, even though it may be warranted in other circumstances. For example, in attendance to the emperor, one does not need to bow to the crown prince if he is too present.
Minors
It is not necessary to render obeisance to any member of the royal family under the age of 20, unless part of their staff. While certain members of the public choose to honour royal children this way, the Cabinet Office advises that because royal children are not ready to discharge their duties relative to the public, it is not advised to show reverence to them.
Armed forces
The proper etiquette for the armed forces in the presence of the monarch varies by service. The Privy Chariotry (副車, pjugh-kl′ja), Gentlemen Cavalry(中從騎, trjung-dzjung-krjar), and Gentlemen-at-Arms (郎中, rang-trjung), though not part of the armed forces, are included in this section. The armed forces observe a complex scheme that reflects the boundaries of military and civilian jurisdictions, as well as precedence of command authority in different situations.
Within the confines of the palace halls, all members of all armed forces greet the monarch as civilians and without rank, unless entitled otherwise. This rule takes precedence over all other rules stated below, as military law and command authorities, whether commissioned or not, ceases at the boundaries of the Palace Hall. This is because commissions are issued on behalf of the monarch's absence, and they are not effective during his presence. Within the Court Hall (trjaw-dang), the seat of the government, the same applies.
The Air Force Act of 1921 grants the sovereign the dignity of the Captain-general of the Air Force, and as such all members of the Themiclesian Air Force may salute the monarch as any superior officer, in any location.
Commissioned officers of the Consolidated Fleet salute the monarch as any superior officer. Non-commissioned officers and enlisted men salute the monarch likewise, if they are on a naval ship; otherwise, they greet the monarch as civilians. This latter situation includes if they are located on a civilian ship or one that belongs to another part of the forces. NCOs and enlisted men are required to salute the captain of such a ship, as sailors must obey the captain of any ship they are on, unless it is an enemy ship. All Marines officers and men greet the monarch as civilians, unless the monarch is on the particular naval ship on which they hold office or duty.
The Royal Guards salute the principal occupant of the palace to which they are nominally attached (Hên-ljang Guards salute the emperor, Middle Guards, the empress, etc.) within the walls of that palace; otherwise, they greet the monarch as civilians. Members of the former Capital Defence Force and militiamen of the Inner Region salute the monarch outside of the palace and within the Inner Region. The militia units each salute the monarch when he is within their prefecture. But if they have been sent on expedition beyond the demesne land, they must salute the monarch. The opposite is true for Territorial Forces: they salute the monarch in Themiclesia but not abroad. Non-prefectural units of the Consolidated Army must salute the monarch as any superior officer at any place they encounter him. Cadets and faculty of the Army Academy greet the monarch as civilians, as they are not under military law.
The Privy Chariotry accompanies the monarch in his procession, whenever it is officially used. In all accompanitant vehicles, the "driver" must sit on the right side and leave the left side empty, symbolically reserved for the monarch. If for some reason someone has been assigned to sit at the left, it is necessary to adopt the l`jek position, placing hands on the railing and bowing one's head. If the sovereign's vehicle passed the Privy Chariotry or Privy Cavalry and slowed down to show respect, passengers in the vehicle or on horseback must dismount and bow to the monarch's vehicle.
Modern reforms
Prior to 1953, an additional rule existed over whether the monarch was "under advice". If the Gentlemen-at-Arms were present with the monarch, cavalrymen and infantrymen may salute the monarch with their arms presented. If the Gentlemen-at-Arms were absent, weapons at hand must be cast down before rendering obeisance, and mounted men (on horseback or other vehicles) must dismount. Usually, this can easily be discerned if the Mace of the House of Lords was carried before the sovereign by an Attendant Tribune. The legal reasoning is that, since the monarch exercised his executive power with the assent of the Lords, the monarch did not possess power over the armed forces without said mace at his side.
But this rule came under question in 1936 when he reviewed the Air Force, over which he was entitled to enjoy the dignity as captain-general. The officers and men of the Air Force saluted him without the Mace, which provoked the Lords to condemn the act. The House of Commons asserted that the military dignity of the monarch was independent of the executive power exercised with the assent of the Lords, while they stated his military dignity was within the executive and thus incomplete without the Mace. Neither bill passed the other house, and the matter was left in abeyance when the prime minister asserted that no decision was needed during the monarch's minority.
During the war, several copies of the Mace were prepared for the emperor so that he may frequently visit the forces.