CULTURE AND SOCIETY
The Jade Empire is a proudly diverse and interstellar nation, covering four Imperial Planets and dozens of colonies. The people of the Jade Empire are diverse, including Yokari, Yokeneko and Frame constructs living together in relative harmony. The official language of the Jade Empire is Ingenious, whilst the lingua franca is Galactic Basic. Alejandran and several dialects of Neusattran are both widely spoken.
As a multi-planetary empire, there are many different faceted cultures located across Jade territories, but the dominant and over-arching culture remains Ingenious.
As a multi-planetary empire, there are many different faceted cultures located across Jade territories, but the dominant and over-arching culture remains Ingenious.
PHILOSOPHY AND ETHOS
Visitors to the Jade Empire will notice that its streets and public spaces are clean, orderly and verdant. This is thanks in part to the pervasive concept of social and personal wa, or 'harmony'. This idea is central to Jade civilisation and is a key part of their cultural expansion when annexing new territories, with disruption to the harmony and peaceful order of society being seen as damaging to both the general population and the perpetrator themselves. For this reason the people of the Jade Empire are often viewed as excessively polite and considerate, to the point of subservience. However, visitors are often surprised at how swift, unforgiving and brutal the punishment for crime and disorderly conduct can be.
This need for wa is exemplified in the trifold teachings of the Eightfold Fence, the River of Peaceful Conveyance and the Three Favoured Faces, which are taught and reinforced in Jade schools and temples across the nation. The Eightfold Fence is a psychological concept wherein Imperials are taught from a young age to compartmentalise their thoughts and feelings, to be able to view problems and concepts from a place of neutrality, and to put away their personal opinions and thoughts when necessary. In a society which developed in high-density settlements and continues to subject its citizens to crowded situations such as mining colonies and spaceships, the ability to respect personal boundaries is a vital life skill.
The River of Peaceful Conveyance is a simple precept that teaches individuals to be aware of what they can and cannot change. Young Imperials are taught that some things in life are out of personal control, and the only thing that can be reliably controlled is their own response to situations. Change, adaptability and flexibility are important concepts which tie in to the teachings of the Eightfold Fence.
The Three Favoured Faces is perhaps the most controversial of the three teachings, although it is much simpler than the Eightfold Fence for foreigners to understand. The core concept is that each individual has three faces. The first face is the face they show to strangers and the outside world. It is polite, level-headed, friendly and welcoming, and never betrays anger. The second face is the face reserved for family, friends and loved ones, the face that confides its worries, hopes, fears and dreams, and laughs and cries at ease. The third face is the private face, the face that is never worn or shared with anyone, which bears our true thoughts.
This need for wa is exemplified in the trifold teachings of the Eightfold Fence, the River of Peaceful Conveyance and the Three Favoured Faces, which are taught and reinforced in Jade schools and temples across the nation. The Eightfold Fence is a psychological concept wherein Imperials are taught from a young age to compartmentalise their thoughts and feelings, to be able to view problems and concepts from a place of neutrality, and to put away their personal opinions and thoughts when necessary. In a society which developed in high-density settlements and continues to subject its citizens to crowded situations such as mining colonies and spaceships, the ability to respect personal boundaries is a vital life skill.
The River of Peaceful Conveyance is a simple precept that teaches individuals to be aware of what they can and cannot change. Young Imperials are taught that some things in life are out of personal control, and the only thing that can be reliably controlled is their own response to situations. Change, adaptability and flexibility are important concepts which tie in to the teachings of the Eightfold Fence.
The Three Favoured Faces is perhaps the most controversial of the three teachings, although it is much simpler than the Eightfold Fence for foreigners to understand. The core concept is that each individual has three faces. The first face is the face they show to strangers and the outside world. It is polite, level-headed, friendly and welcoming, and never betrays anger. The second face is the face reserved for family, friends and loved ones, the face that confides its worries, hopes, fears and dreams, and laughs and cries at ease. The third face is the private face, the face that is never worn or shared with anyone, which bears our true thoughts.
CLASS AND SOCIETYThe Jade Empire is a class-based feudal state. All land is owned by the Jade Throne which in turn grants fiefs to its vassals. The society is dominated by the principles of bushido which dictates the behaviour of the samurai, or 'noble' class, and by shinto, the animist religion of the Jade Empire. Approximately 12% of the population are samurai.
Samurai are the hereditary landowning noble class of the Jade Empire. Bound by the strict code of bushido, they owe allegiance to their direct feudal overlord. Although samurai status is hereditary, land and therefore status can be granted or removed at the discretion of the feudal overlord. Samurai must complete a two-year minimum tour with the Imperial Jade Navy per decade. Ashigaru are the common people of the Jade Empire. Little is expected of them other than that they pay their taxes, obey the law and show the proper respect |
to the samurai classes. Ashigaru military veterans who have served at least 15 years are offered 50 acres of land upon discharge, conferring samurai status.
CALENDAR AND HOLIDAYS
The Imperial Calendar is based on the rotation of the planet Laptev, which takes 24 hours to spin once on its axis to form a single day. Laptev takes 341 days to orbit Stays once, with a lunar rotation of approximately 34 days. The 10 calendar months are named after precious gems, in order: Jade, Emerald, Sapphire, Lapis, Amethyst, Carnelian, Ruby, Jet, Obsidian and Diamond, representing the natural progression of the seasons from green spring, blue summer and red autumn through to black-white winter. The Jade New Year is celebrated on Jade 1st, the first day of the calendar year.
Neusattar also has 24 hour days, but takes 405 days to orbit Stays. As Neusattar has three moons, the lunar cycle is complex and varied and so, prior to Imperial contact, Neusattar used a simple 45-week calendar of 9 days. This calendar is still used unofficially, but the Imperial Calendar is used for government business.
New Imperial worlds have their own local calendars, but use the standard Imperial Calendar for official and technical purposes. When selecting new Imperial Planets, as opposed to Colony Planets, efforts are made by central authorities to select worlds with near-24-hour days, sometimes artificially slowing or accelerating the planetary spin where possible.
Neusattar also has 24 hour days, but takes 405 days to orbit Stays. As Neusattar has three moons, the lunar cycle is complex and varied and so, prior to Imperial contact, Neusattar used a simple 45-week calendar of 9 days. This calendar is still used unofficially, but the Imperial Calendar is used for government business.
New Imperial worlds have their own local calendars, but use the standard Imperial Calendar for official and technical purposes. When selecting new Imperial Planets, as opposed to Colony Planets, efforts are made by central authorities to select worlds with near-24-hour days, sometimes artificially slowing or accelerating the planetary spin where possible.