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[Lore] Huangjing


Bellosh

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Huangjing - Heart of the Dragon Kingdom

 

Huangjing: a city of tradition and prestige. Emperors and empresses have ruled from the cradle of Long Sun civilization ever since the the Qilin and Longma came together as one nation. Although ruling dynasties have come and gone like the four seasons, the magnificence of the Imperial Capital remains untarnished from the ages. In Huangjing, all aspects of Long Guo’s culture and society are put on display for all to see.

 

When the first Imperial Sovereigns unified Long Guo more than two thousand years ago, they realized the strategic importance of establishing a new capital city in a central location. The spot they chose was a spot a few miles north of the Lu’ma River, around the shores of a lake left as a remnant of a massive, mountain-carving ice river from prehistory. From this spot, an Imperial Capital would enjoy close proximity to water, farmland, and transportation routes. While the surrounding region was previously ill-suited for development on account of its swampy nature, great toil saw to it that such wetlands were drained away.

 

The Lake itself became the grand moat for a rectangular island of reclaimed land just off the southern shore, upon which stands the Imperial Palace. The Palace is a sprawling, symmetrically arranged complex of ceremonial, administrative, and residential structures. Due to the enormity of this compound, it is very much possible for an emperor to spend their entire reign without ever stepping outside the Imperial Palace! For the Imperial Palace is a virtual mini-city unto itself, serving the needs of the emperor, Imperial Family, top bureaucrats, and all their servants. Intermingled with courtyards, terraces, and gardens, the wooden buildings of the Imperial Palace — which incorporate curved tile-roofs and emphasize immerse width over height — set the highest standard possible for Long Sun architecture.

 

Enormous brick walls and guard towers help protect the Imperial Palace from intruders; the only land entrance crossing the lake are stone causeways connected by a retractable bridge. As per tradition, entry to the Palace is barred to non-residents except by the consent of the Imperial Household. Additionally, it’s forbidden to fly over the aptly-named Forbidden Lake without permission; trespassers can find themselves subjected to imprisonment and/or severe fines.

 

Beyond the Imperial Palace, Huangjing is divided into an Inner and Outer Ward. The Inner Ward — which borders the Forbidden Lake — is an exclusive zone accessible only to the privileged. Lying outside the Inner Ward is the Outer Ward, the domain of Huangjing’s commoner population. Each district is surrounded by walls, towers, and moats that are almost as impressive as those of the Palace itself. These walls form the octagonal boundaries of the Imperial Capital’s districts. Running through both the Inner and Outer Wards is the wide Imperial Avenue, which originates at the Palace Gate and runs southward as the primary thoroughfare of Huangjing.

 

The Inner Ward of Huangjing is defined by beauty and spaciousness; entrance is barred to those without a proper permit. It is here in Huangjing’s urban core where wealthy, scholarly, and other renowned individuals live. The southern areas closest to the Imperial Avenue are home to the financial district, high-end establishments, museums, and scenic ponds. As one travels further away from the Avenue, the grid-like urban core gives way to academic institutions, middle-class homes, large parks, and the occasional pagoda. At the north end of the Inner Ward are lavish, beautifully landscaped estates for lesser royalty, high-ranking military commanders, and the upper class. No matter where one trods in the Inner Ward however, well-maintained streets and lovely aesthetics are always assured.

 

In stark contrast to the Inner Ward, the Outer Ward is a gigantic (yet orderly) grid of rustic, densely packed buildings and unpaved backstreets. This district is so crowded that it once earned Huangjing the title of Most Populated City in the world, before the advent of modern cities like Manehattan and Long Kong. For a traveller, the real wonders of the Outer Ward are not the tourist-pandering businesses lining the Imperial Avenue, but rather the street markets, artisan shops, and teahouses littering the urban sprawl. The bustling of Huangjing’s Outer Ward is second to none, especially during the fireworks-laden festivals of the Lunar New Year when dancing Serpent Dragons have been known to partake in the celebrating.

 

Both wards of Huangjing may seem like polar opposites of one another, but they are fundamentally two sides of the same coin. Whether in the grandiose Hall of the Dragon Throne or a modest laborer’s home, Long Sun culture in the Imperial Capital is always encountered in its purest form. To be a true citizen of Huangjing is to perpetuate the customs of the ancestral past, reminding all Long Sun not lose sight of their origins even as the country blazes forward into the future. 

~Journey to the Dragon Kingdom

Dr. Tong Zei & Ash Ravencrest

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