Fengjiang

Fengjiang (Phoenician: 鳳降, : Fèngjiàng, : Otorikou), referred to in diplomacy as the Great and Sublime Imperial Realms of the Eternal Sanctuary where the Splendid Phoenix Bestowed Light (大崇熙鳳降明永殿帝國, Dàchóng Xīfèng Jiàngmíng Yǒngdiàn Dìguó, Dai takahaszi-hiroszi otori koumei eidono teikoku), is a country in Serica. Clockwise from its metropole, Fengjiang borders Arsytia in the north along the Serican Demilitarized Zone; and possesses a maritime border with Buhan in the southwest. It is the world's most populous country with a population exceeding 1.7 billion people. The national capital of Fengjiang is Fengtianmen where its ruling dynasty, the Imperial House of the Vermilion Crown resides, though its most populous city and financial center is Yutseng, with the cities of Szuto, Liugam, and Kaijing ranking close after.

Fengjiang is one of the oldest in the world at nearly 3,000 years old, the Fengquan River (鳳泉河) valleys from which it originates considered one of the. In its earliest form, Fengjiang first emerged as the Matriarchy of Fengjiang after its mythical founder and first Scion of the Phoenix, Yanshizu, united the disparate city states of the inner river valleys through war and diplomacy around the 1000s BCE. As technology advanced and agriculture became widespread, political power became centered on the vassal landholding princes instead of the ruling lord, which only held religious authority, they all nominally served - beginning the Princely Era (900-363 BCE). These princedoms would eventually be unified under the Yi dynasty after a unification war beginning in 363 BCE, who declared themselves the regents of the Scion and ruled in their place, even while the Scion's authority was only nominal. This regency era would last for nearly a millennium (349 BCE - 900s CE), seeing Fengjiang's immense cultural and economic development just as it finally became centralized under a singular authority.

Historians recognize the Regency to have transformed into the Empire of Fengjiang after it expanded out of the confines of the Fengquan valleys and mounted a war of assimilation against the neighboring Kingdom of Yu in 902, a trend which would continue for the better part of four centuries as a series of regents supported expansionist drives that saw Fengjiang become the foremost political, military, and economic power in the region. While looked upon fondly as a by the Fengese due to contemporary world-leading advances in technology - notably the invention of, , , and  - foreign historians have noted the Empire to have been highly  to non-ethnic-Phoenicians and even repressive at times to Fengese citizens, seeing the development of a  to bolster economic output. By the later centuries of imperial rule, the Fengese economy had grown increasingly reliant on slavery, fueling corruption and multiple poorly planned wars which eventually led to significant unrest and revolts across large parts of the population. This would lead to a gradual erosion of central imperial power, prompting several independence movements and self-proclaimed inheritors to the regential throne which culminated in the Great Fragmentation (1303-1810) - a five-centuries long which amounted to over 100 million casualties. This period of war would be vastly influential to Phoenician culture even until the modern day, additionally incentivizing massive technological and industrial advancements which only contributed further to the war's devastation. This civil war would only end in 1810, after the five major remaining belligerents came together in the Scion's capital of Fengtianmen and were nominally vassalized as her Five Great Houses in the First Fengtianmen Congress, ending the war.

Nominally under the absolutist rule of the Imperial House of the Vermilion Crown and its theocratic monarch, the Scion of the Divine Phoenix Ascendant, since the events of the Sixteenth Fengtianmen Congress, Fengjiang has seen an extreme corporatization and privatization of all levels of government and society, promulgated by corporations (national champions) backed by their respective Great Houses. Incited by the political upheaval resulting from participation in the Great Serrataran War in the 1940s, a political conspiracy by a group of influential corporations known as the Fengjiang Ten would eventually dissolve the vassalized constituent statelets of Fengjiang and uniting the nation under the de facto rule of the Corporate Forum - a body of corporations and conglomerates which now rule in place of traditional governments. While incredibly in economic terms, corporate rule in Fengjiang is widely considered to be highly, seeing the widespread and systemic erosion of  as the ruling conglomerates exercise a nearly total control over the public and private lives of those in Fengese society.

Fengjiang, with its great economic, technological, and military capability, is one of the two superpowers of Tellurus - leading the GOCE alliance against the TTO in the ongoing Cold War. It ranks as the largest economy in the world in both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity. The private militaries of each of its ruling conglomerates rival those of regional powers, and when combined under the Vermilion Banner Armies, is the largest and among the strongest globally. It is a founding member of the Atomic Ban Convention (ABC), and possesses a significant arsenal of atomic weapons under the control of its ruling conglomerates. A global leader in, , and industries, the country is one of the foremost pioneers of technology in the world, notably having established a permanent presence on the two moons of Tellurus and achieved human landings on the planets of Adrestia, Thrax, and Aerehtyc. The culture of Fengjiang is well known around the world, and though it may have its detractors, its cultural influence is felt in, , , , and all around the world.

Etymology
WIP

Prehistory, before 1000s BCE
The species  arrived in Serica sometime between 1.3 and 1.8  (Ma) and numerous remains of this subspecies have been discovered within the modern boundaries of continental Fengjiang. The earliest fossilized human remains on the continent were found in the Longshan Mountains (within modern Fengjiang), being the Longshan Men (龍山人) - representing 30 fossilized individuals belonging to the human subspecies . Fossils of animals found alongside similar dated hominid fossils include short-necked s, and s from Rhodin as well as  and s from northern Hatar. Simple stone tools such as the, , and  have been discovered amongst these remains, alongside evidence for the use of fire and cooking. It is believed that  arrived in Serica around 200,000 and 100,000 years ago from Rhodin, in accordance with the for the origins of  throughout Tellurus. The dominant theory posits that the Serican migration occurred as prehistoric humans in Avarda travelled into southern Serica, then spread northwards to populate the rest of the continent. The earliest modern human remains are dated to around 70,000 years ago in the Ksach Peninsula tucked away in the arid Honoe River basin, in what is now South Fengjiang. These are the Honoe mummies, believed to be the oldest artificially humans in the world. These mummies were elaborately prepared by an, who would remove all skin and organs from the body, to be replaced with clay and vegetable stuffing. The mummy is then baked in a, hardening the clay and allowing it to survive like similarly prepared earthenware until their discovery in the modern day. Fengese scholars describe the Honoe mummies to be the earliest evidence for the appearance of in Serican culture, a practice theorized to have been widespread across prehistoric Serica.

Proto-Serican culture
culture in Serica is believed to have started around 10,000 BCE, promulgated by the adoption of agriculture and sedentary lifestyles by prehistoric human communities in the region. Neolithic communities of the time subsisted off and, archaeological evidence suggesting an intensive practice of  as forested land was cleared using fire then settled temporarily, until the fertility of the local land was depleted and communities migrated elsewhere to allow the land to recover - the foundation of a semi-nomadic agricultural community. A primitive form of was practiced alongside these agricultural practices, as domesticated animals such as, , and  were raised for meat and produce, these animals moving alongside human communities as the latter migrated and settled around Serica. The remains of Neolithic villages have been discovered throughout modern Fengjiang, distinct in their use of and  for the construction of housing.

A cohesive Proto-Serican culture is believed to have formed around 2,000 BCE, the beginning of what is scholarly recognized to be the in Serica.

Government and politics
There exists no formal in Fengjiang, the fundamental rulings which are used to guide the political and legal direction set by the various Fengtianmen Congresses that have occurred decennially since the first in 1810. These congresses have traditionally been decennial congregations of the powerbrokers and kingmakers of the nation, originally the Five Great Houses which ruled regional cliques in Fengjiang, but since the congress of 1960, now the chairmen and directors of the Fengjiang's greatest coityuns (business conglomerates) - all congresses presided over by the Scion of the Divine Phoenix Ascendant, the deific monarch of Fengjiang since antiquity. The aggregate of all decisions and rulings made in these congresses (if not contradicted by later congresses of more authority) form the basis of an.

Although Fengjiang officially recognizes itself as a  headed by the Scion believed to be the descendant of the deific and mythological Mother Phoenix, who in turn belongs to the Imperial House of the Vermilion Crown, since 1960, the Corporate Forum has become the de facto executive, legislative, and judicial authority in Fengjiang - a model known as Fengese corporatocracy. The Forum, as of 2022, is comprised of 462 coityuns belonging to not just Fengjiang, but to nations across the GOCE - an international alliance headed by Fengjiang.

Imperial House
The Scion of the Divine Phoenix Ascendant is the of Fengjiang, and the de jure absolute ruler of the nation and  of its armed forces for life, yet holds little to no functional power in Fengese politics - leading to the general consideration that the Scion is a figurehead monarch. Despite this fact, the Fengese nonetheless pay respect and fealty to the Scion as if she were a divine monarch, most notable in interactions between coityuns and the Imperial House - all Fengtianmen Congresses and major summits of the Corporate Forum (the nation's informal legislature) are held in the royal capital of Fengtianmen, and must be presided over by the Scion by custom. All such congregations are commenced by blessings from the Scion, followed by a lengthy pledge of fealty and kowtowing from the attendants.

The royal residence of the Imperial House is the Yuedi Monastery located in Fengtianmen, and has been since the House's founding around the 1000s BCE. Since antiquity, the title of Scion of the Divine Phoenix Ascendant has been hereditary, passed down via a, meaning that the Vermilion Crown will always be passed down to legitimate daughters of the preceding Scion with no possibility of succession by male descendants, with. If the preceding Scion had no daughters, the Vermilion Crown will be passed up the family tree to that Scion's mother, and passing the crown onto a surviving daughter of that mother (typically a younger sister of the preceding Scion). This process is repeated up the family tree if no surviving daughters can still be found. The to the Vermilion Crown must be of age before ascending to the throne, which in Fengese terms is the age of 20. If upon the death of a Scion, the Heir Apparent is not of age, the next person in the line of succession will be declared Crown Regent, serving as the substitute monarch (though with limited religious authority) in a period of until the Heir Apparent comes of age.

The primary authority held by the Scion and his Imperial House is in religious and cultural affairs, as the Scion is the religious head of the Infernalism, the national religion of Fengjiang and a major influence on Phoenician culture. Customarily, all major Fengese ceremonies must include the blessings of the Scion, whereas more minor events are presided over by lesser members of the Imperial House. Despite this supposed authority, in consideration of the vastly superior political power of the Corporate Forum when compared to that of the Imperial House's, the latter serves a mostly ceremonial role in Fengese society.

Corporate Forum
The ruling body of Fengjiang is the Corporate Forum, an intercorporate assembly of major coityuns from around the GOCE. Representatives from its 462 members (as of 2022) congregate at the Fengtianmen Grove in annual summits, settle internal disputes, deliberate over policy, and decide the future course of Fengese geopolitics. While its decisions are only binding for its member conglomerates, practically through a hierarchy of associations and contracts, the Forum represents over 90% of corporations and 80% of citizens in Fengjiang - making it a quasi- entity. In Fengjiang, the decisions of the Corporate Forum are considered undebatable and final, violations against this risking the reprisal of the entire Forum.

Substituting the traditional role of a in government, the Corporate Forum passes laws in the form of "resolutions" proposed by a member corporation or a bloc of corporations, which must pass  in order to take effect. In the Forum, this is achieved through the affirmative opinion of over half (majority) of existing voteshares. For substantive resolutions which affect the foundational agreements and structure of the Forum, including adding or removing members, a two-thirds majority (supermajority) must be achieved. Voteshares are determined by multiple metrics, generally corresponding greater financial, political, and military power (in descending order) to greater shares of votes in the Corporate Forum for a given corporation. The Corporate Forum is led by the Speaker of the Corporate Forum, whose formal political power lies within the authority to lead Forum staff and thus, direct the foreign policy of Fengjiang through control of the Forum's diplomatic corps. Informally, the position of Speaker is one of prestige, as being able to seat oneself as a Speaker indicates that the incumbent and the corporation they represent holds the confidence of a significant majority of the Forum. Speakers are elected by majority vote, serving five-year terms with no set term limits. The Forum may a Speaker while their term is in progress by delivering a  to the incumbent Scion - if the motion is supported by a supermajority of the Forum, the Scion will wield her nominally absolutist power to remove the impeached Speaker from their office, though it is customary for Speakers to announce their resignation before the quota for impeachment is reached to preserve their reputation.

Membership
Generally, corporations that are not members of the Forum form contracts with or purchase shares in conglomerates that are, granting them a voice in the decision-making process of the Forum, albeit an indirect one. For most, this is considered an acceptable alternative, as a complex bureaucratic process and entry requirements block most from pursuing direct membership. Applicants must meet all standards (both public and hidden) set by the Forum and be approved by a 2/3 vote from existing Forum members to join. Corporations that manage to join despite these draconian restrictions are considered to have succeeded in a rite of passage, Forum membership being a status symbol and mark of quality which practically guarantees greater popularity in the Fengese market.

While uncommon, it is possible for a corporation's membership in the Forum to be rescinded, done when the subject is considered to have fallen below the standards of the Forum typically through either financial or reputational inadequacy. It is possible, though considerably more difficult, for ex-members to rejoin the Forum. Corporations belonging to the Fengjiang Ten - the founding members of the Corporate Forum - are traditionally considered exempt from any possibility of rescindment.

Foreign relations
The official foreign policy of Fengjiang is decided by the consensus of the Corporate Forum, though official policy is generally only a guideline followed loosely by Forum members and Fengese corporations in their interactions with foreign nations. As a central government does not exist in Fengjiang, diplomacy is generally handled by Forum members, who may be appointed by consensus to be the sole liaisons between Fengjiang and a nation. This type of exclusive diplomacy is generally reserved for minor countries, and is an indication of Fengjiang's (or more specifically the Corporate Forum's) opinion of a given country. Diplomacy may also be carried out with unrecognized states or major organizations.

This decentralized method of diplomacy has granted Fengjiang the largest diplomatic network in the world, with corporate and thus diplomatic presence in practically every country on Tellurus. Despite the exceptionalist attitudes present in Fengese opinion of those outside its cultural sphere, Fengese foreign policy is informed by the concept of "harmony without uniformity", promoting diplomatic interactions with other entities despite cultural and ideological differences. This policy has led it to cooperate with countries which may traditionally be considered to be on the rival side of the Cold War, and those considered repressive and authoritarian by Eastern standards.

Officially, Fengese foreign policy is centered around the concept of Phoenicization, an attitude of Fengese national and Phoenician cultural exceptionalism declaring the necessity of transforming the world and its culture to one closer to the perceived superior baseline of Phoenician culture, until the world is completely assimilated into Phoenician culture. In practice, Fengese foreign policy is dictated by a approach to geopolitics, elevating the importance of pursuing Phoenician interests (particularly economic ones) above any ideological motive. While both policies may appear contradictory to one another, Fengese diplomacy is informed by the concept of the "inevitability of Phoenicization", wherein consistent economic and social interaction with a foreign polity, even if not directly motivated by the necessity of Phoenicization, will inevitably bring the given polity closer to and make them more amicable to Phoenician cultural standards - this cultural influence considered a central part of Fengese.

Fengjiang is the leader of the GOCE, an international political and economic alliance officially aimed towards pursuing the mutual interests of its member states, though unofficially serves as a vehicle with which Fengjiang extends its influence - on both political, economic, cultural, and military fronts.

Law and social control
Fengjiang makes use of a massive espionage network of cameras, facial recognition software, sensors, and surveillance of personal technology and records as a means of social control, officially to maintain the "social harmony" of Fengese society in accordance with Phoenician cultural standards. Fengjiang does not recognize any fundamental human rights, including but not limited to the, , , , the , and. Phoenician cultural standards are determined by sociocultural consensus and influenced by the corporate interests, and enforced in law.

There exists no singular provider of law in Fengjiang, due to the lack of a central government. The creation, adjudication, and enforcement of law is instead monopolized by major members of the Corporate Forum. Fengese law is opt-in based: Fengese citizens opt into a legal system enforced by a firm when they become employees of that firm, thus opting into a where they both receive the protection of law and abide by the same laws. Therefore, unemployed citizens do not receive any legal protection whatsoever. These "basic laws" provide citizens with fundamental protections, including and. Further protections are subscription based: for example, the protection of one's leased property depends on if the tenant is able to afford the fees of the leaser.

Most corporate legal systems in Fengjiang will offer the following three services:
 * Legislation: The firm guarantees the protection of the consumer against a list of offences.
 * Adjudication: The firm represents the consumer in the court of law during litigation.
 * Enforcement: The firm guarantees the enforcement of various penalties against those that commit certain offences against the consumer.

Reputation scoring system
Central to the Fengese system of social control are the various reputation scoring systems in Fengjiang, a credit system and blacklist used to determine the social reputation and reliability of both individuals and firms. The reputation scoring system in Fengjiang operates mainly through a vast and lucrative market of the surveillance industry (colloquially known as watchdogs, "狗仔" in the Phoenician language), wherein watchdog firms monitor and investigate the activities of both individuals and firms to ensure ethical social and business practices, determined by Phoenician cultural standards. Through the collection of such data, watchdog firms construct webs of associations and transactions, aggregated into simple and easily understood data for the over one billion consumers in Fengjiang and throughout its alliance, the GOCE.

The reputation scoring system inhibits behaviors and practices deemed to be unethical or dangerous according to Phoenician cultural standards. One’s association with unethical actors is reflected on their overall decreased reputation score, and those that directly participate in unethical activity are penalized severely - both directly on their reputation scores and indirectly through other means. Individuals and firms participating in unethical activity or business practices will quickly find their poor reputation scores impacting their associates - indirectly pressuring such actors to improve for the better or risk exclusion and ostracization, both social and economic. Perceived unethical individuals and firms commonly are subjects of.

Geography
Fengjiang is located in Southern Serica, bordering Arsytia through the Serican Demilitarized Zone in the north and possessing a maritime border with Buhan in the southwest. It lies roughly between the Lautian Ocean to its west and the Laharqan Ocean to its south, additionally between the latitudes of XX° & XX°N and the longitudes of XX° & XX°E.

Not including its offshore and insular territories, mainland Fengjiang has an approximate area of X,XXX,XXX square kilometers, making it the Xth largest country in the world and the second largest in Serica. Its landscape is vast and diverse, encompassing various s ranging from the Ksach Peninsula and surrounding deserts in the arid south to wetter and s in the north, split by the  regions which straddle the Fengese interior. The Longshan and Bautan plateaus dominates the center of the country, the latter of which being where Mount Fengwo, the tallest mountain in the country and the world at 11,479.88 meters tall is located. The Sorgan and Transerican mountain ranges separate Fengjiang from the rest of the of Serratar. The longest rivers in Fengjiang in descending order are the Alkiojoki (known locally as the Dichuan), Longmen, Silver, Honoe, Cimu, and Fengquan rivers - the Fengquan is the of the Phoenician civilization.

Climate
The Fengese climate is highly diverse, owing to the geographical and topographical diversity of the country. The northwest of the country is relatively, characterized by dry, weak winters accompanied by heavy. In contrast, the southern coasts and interior are largely arid, shielded from the moderating effects of s by the mountains straddling the country's center. The coasts surrounding the South Serica Sea are, its warm summers and relatively mild winters conducive to a stable marine environment unique to the region. Overall, seasonal variations in the country are mild, as monsoon currents in the Laharqan Ocean to the south are moderated by the highlands of the Longshan and Bautan mountains.

Wildlife and biodiversity
Fengjiang is a, harboring many species to the country and its several distinct ecosystems. Many of Fengjiang's wildlife are intertwined with the long mythological and literary history of the country, making each uniquely linked and significant to national culture. The clearest example of this cultural importance would be the religious mythos of the Mother Phoenix, a legendary bird central to the widely believed Fengese national religion of the Infernalism - various birds with likenesses to the Phoenix, such as the (the national animal),, and , have historically been assigned with eminence and value, such that witnessing one in the wild would be considered auspicious and bringing harm to them would be likened to.

In terms of flora, Fengjiang is similarly diverse, and is home to a great variety of types as determined by its climate zones. In the north,  forests dominated by  like, , and. In the eastern coasts surrounding the South Serica Sea and facing the Lautian Ocean, the is most prevalent, the region's mixed forest and  historically being a major center of  in Fengjiang, producing, , and  which define regional cuisine. occupy the Longshan and Bautan highlands of the Fengese interior, the  above the  inhabited by various  and  species. and are interspersed in the transition zone between the cooler, humid north and the dry  conditions further south, characterized by low-lying  with sparse tree and prevalent  cover. All are host to various unique plant species that are ingredients used in.

Bearing a long coastline that stretches from temperate to tropical oceans alongside plentiful freshwater resources across its river valleys, Fengjiang hosts one of the world's largest and most diverse marine populations. The Fengquan River has the largest in the country, home to more than 300 freshwater fish species. Marine wildlife is also prevalent in the coasts, especially in the fertile of the South Serica Sea. Several marine mammal species like are endemic to Fengese waters.

Beyond protections arising from religious associations and sheer necessity however, the wildlife and biodiversity of Fengjiang is under considerable threat from human activity as it shares habitat and faces pressure from the largest human population in Tellurus, ranging from mass and  to historically lax regulations on  and. The intense industrialization characterizing the 20th century in Fengjiang has left significant and oftentimes irreparable scars on the Fengese environment, the resultant driving many native species of wildlife into  and even  in some high-profile cases - such as the extinction of the  river dolphin in 1988 and that of the Longshan dragon in 1997. Most wild animals have been driven away from the expansive agricultural and industrial cores of the nation, faring little better in the more sparsely populated interior as across all Fengjiang continues to threaten wildlife. In the 21st century, wildlife preservation has become a central topic and controversy in Fengese media and policy, concerns over a potential nationwide as has been observed in the heavily polluted Serican DMZ and various river valleys of Fengjiang fueling a new generation of regulations directed towards resource exploitation, pollution, and continued urban & industrial development. By 2003, all endangered wildlife is protected by law, and more than a thousand have been established nationwide - centers of an ongoing  and  effort as dictated by corporate consensus in the Twentieth Fengtianmen Congress in 2000.

Military
Nominally, the Fengese military is centralized under the institution of the Sanctuarial Custodian-Guard, with the Fengese Scion as its commander in chief via her status as primate of all Infernalism. However, the Banner Armies have traditionally been split into informal cliques belonging to the Five Great Houses which themselves ruled regional cliques since the de jure unification of Fengjiang in 1810. This status quo would shift during the events of the Great Serrataran War, as the increasingly escalating conflict necessitated further consolidation in the Fengese military - eventually resulting in the consolidation of a large part of the military establishment under the corporate Fengjiang Ten and its leaders.

Since the unification and corporatization of Fengjiang through the Sixteenth Fengtianmen Congress in 1960, the Sanctuarial Custodian-Guard have been practically abolished as a central command for the military, only existing as a nominal institution under which the private militaries of Fengese corporations in the Corporate Forum identify under.

All corporate members of the Custodian-Guard generally identify under one of five Banners, corresponding to regional commands and thus their regions of military responsibility. Major militarized companies in a given region traditionally vote on which company will serve as the military commander of a Banner during wartime. During peacetime, the Custodian-Guard is generally disbanded, leaving its member corporations to pursue its own military interests independently. War can be declared by either the approval of over half of the Eternal Phare or two-thirds of the Corporate Forum, at which point member corporations are contractually obligated to centralize their military assets under the command of their respective Banner Guard, whereas the Corporate Forum will serve as a that maximizes returns on investments for military action and regulates what military action has to be taken. Private militaries enter their own blocs and begin to jockey between one another, bidding for military contracts with consumers’ cooperatives that combine the buying power of multiple billion individuals and the corporations which represent them. At the end of the bidding process, one or more military blocs comprised of varying members of the Custodian-Guard (depending on the degree of military action required) emerges from the bidding process victorious, charged with carrying out the military wishes of the market, dissolving as these wishes are fulfilled.

A notable deviation of this tradition is in the management of the Serican Demilitarized Zone on the Fengese border with Arsytia in the north, formed in the aftermath of the Great Serrataran War and the Treaty of Gamtoi which ended it. It is internally agreed that all regional Banners provide military personnel and equipment to man the DMZ, in roughly equal proportions between all Banners, though the latter agreement is not always followed. Foreign military bases do not fall under the regional spheres of control dictated by the Banner system and is a common point of contention between Fengese militant powers.

Firekeeper-Guard
The Firekeeper-Guard is a organization loyal to the Infernalist clergy of Fengjiang, each of the five Sanctuaries of the country operating their own Firekeeper s. As an inherently clerical institution, the Firekeeper-Guard is charged with the express defense of Infernalism, from members of its laity and clergy to its property, and even to the enforcement of "public morality" in accordance with Infernalist canon. During wartime or if declared, the Firekeepers may be mobilized to serve as an  force.

The Firekeeper-Guard's membership is primarily composed of s, who are obligated to join the paramilitary for a period comparable to after they finish their education - the education industry is dominated by Infernalist clerical institutions. After finishing their obligated service, members may choose to continue and aim for higher service in the Firekeeper-Guard or pursue careers in corporate military service, if not returning to civilian life. Aside from its conscript base, the Firekeeper-Guard also operates professional military forces, which serve as the personal bodyguard of higher clergy and holy sites.

Economy
Fengjiang has the largest economy in the world by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity GDP. It is a with a  and, though while it has held and maintained its position as the most industrialized country in the world, it has since the 1980s underwent a gradual  wherein the national economy is shifting from heavy manufacturing to more specialized electronics manufacturing and the service sector, in part prompted by its space race with geopolitical rivals in the TTO.

In accordance with its relatively recent transition towards a "technologically sophisticated economy", massive investments into education have made much of its previously poorly educated population into a highly skilled workforce, boasting one of the highest percentages of a population with a tertiary degree despite its size. As of 2022, Fengjiang possesses one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world of around 0.72, though economists have argued that the predatory practices of the Fengese job market and corporate influences on the education system have skewed the metrics - many Fengese are contractually obligated to work in the parent conglomerate of their alma mater upon graduation.

Notably, under the economic model laid out by Fengese corporatocracy, business regulation in Fengjiang is extremely lax, enabling a laissez-faire styled economy which theoretically allows for free competition between market actors. In practice, the highly insular culture of Fengjiang alongside the decades, in some cases centuries-long foothold of its corporations in the Fengese economy has largely inhibited the entry of foreign firms not belonging to a member of the GOCE or not otherwise culturally accepted by the Fengese market. Fengese culture - influenced by marketist thinking since the nation's corporatization in 1960 - perceives the national economy to be inseparable from national security, to the extent that unwelcome competition with foreign firms is commonly depicted as akin to an incursion on Fengese territory.

Central to the Fengese model is the coityun (Phoenician: 財團), referring to the various business conglomerates which operate throughout Fengjiang and wield massive power in its corporate political system. In lieu of a central government, essential services and utilities in the Fengese economy are maintained and managed by coityuns, giving rise to the "Fengese cyclical economy": a coityun with sufficient financial reach may practically control all facets of a Fengese citizen's life cycle, from their employment and housing to their nourishment and entertainment, to even healthcare and relevant services which allow influence over one's life and death. In addition, Fengese capitalism promotes the concepts of, seniority-based career advancement and corporate loyalty, perpetuating the aforementioned cyclical economy as workers are more unlikely to leave the employment of their conglomerate.

Currency
The currency and only legal tender of Fengjiang is the Fengese yuan (Phoenician: 鳳元; ¥). It is also in numerous countries (mostly obligated by GOCE membership) and the de facto currency of several others. Since the rapid expansion and internationalization of the Fengese economy following 1960, the yuan has emerged as the primary contender against the Barenian dollar's traditional position as the chief of the global economy, having become the world's most traded currency in the 1990s.

The monetary policy of Fengjiang is managed by the Liugam Banking Consensus, an alliance and forum of cooperation between the Big Three banks of Fengjiang: PKT Financial Services, Koutei-Sakaguczi Holdings, and the Royal Vermilion Investment Corporation. As the combined assets, equity positions, and currency reserves of these three banks dominate a sizable majority of yuan in circulation, the triumvirate has been recognized in confidence by the Corporate Forum to effectively serve the role of Fengjiang's, thus granting it the sole authority to issue Fengese yuan. The yuan is a, though its value has at times been influenced by the monetary policy of the Banking Consensus in order to ensure its stability and favorable position as a reserve currency in the global economy.

Exports
electronics, automotives, biotech & health, general hitech shit; decreasing heavy industries outsourced to GOCE

Imports
raw resources, OIL, fissile material running dry on the mainland, foodstuffs

Transportation
The Fengese transportation network is one of, if not the most, sophisticated of its kind, standing out for the remarkable efficiency of both transportation technology and its implementation, alongside the near universal interconnectedness of the network despite the nation's size. Acting as the primary mode of transportation between the urban centers of Fengjiang, the Xinzhulian, or "bullet train" as it is known abroad, is a network of  running alongside conventional  which connect the megacities of the Serican Peninsula along Fengjiang's coasts and heartland with one another. upgrades have already been carried out in several major cities as part of a nationwide implementation test. Road transportation serves as the secondary method of land transportation, connecting the more treacherous Fengese interior to regional hubs for finance and logistics. Since development of the aforementioned Xinzhulian rail network, maritime transportation has been disfavored as a means of passenger transportation, generally only used for riverine travel into the Fengese interior or between islands not connected by bridge. Maritime traffic is thus dominated by, carrying cargo to and from the extensive ports of the country - the Port of Yutseng is the busiest container port in the world. Most internal maritime traffic occurs between the two hubs of the South Serican Sea and Sea of Avarda, but the inclusion of Hyperaustrea into the Corporate Forum in 1969 has seen a boost in maritime activity between Fengese ports and Capricornia centered in the Sundic Sea. The Fengese enclaves of Nankaido and Ikała serve as the primary s between Fengjiang and the continent of Avarda.

is the most common way of commuting in Fengjiang. Combined survey and census data in 2022 indicates that nearly 80% of the population utilized public transport for daily transit, with more than half commuting on Fengjiang railway networks. Public transportation in Fengjiang is handled by contracted firms on smaller scales and by conglomerate subsidiaries when operating on greater scales, and it is common for the transit vehicles under a conglomerate to be prioritized or sometimes even reserved for the conglomerate's employees - many conglomerates opt to operate their own public transportation networks to facilitate travel between one's residence and workplace (both typically owned and operated by the same conglomerate) for their employees, an arrangement generally offered and accepted as employee incentives.

Similarly, in a given region of Fengjiang is operated by conglomerates dominant in that region. AirPhoenix, a consortium of Fengese conglomerates operating aviation subsidiaries serves as the of Fengjiang, managing and regulating aviation-related matters such as the licensing of aircraft and aviation infrastructure. The consortium also doubles as the representative of the GOCE. Aviation infrastructure in Fengjiang is developed - international airports operate in every regional capital and major city in the country, totaling at 167 as of 2022. Szuto International Airport is the busiest airport and most common layover destination in the country, as it serves as the primary southern access point of the Talthray-Yueguan Air Corridor, a relatively narrow corridor which bypasses the hazardous and thusly restricted airspace over the high-altitude Bautan Plateau. Most minor cities operate their own national airports or possess adequate transportation networks that can allow rapid transit to nearby international airports, facilitating convenient air travel for its citizenry.

Demographics
The national census in 2022 recorded Fengjiang's population to be approximately 1,791,383,002, projecting an annual growth rate of around 1.73% without factoring in extraordinary elements (see Breeding camps in Fengjiang). Nearly 99% of the population is recorded as part of the Phoenician ethnic group, all of which primarily speak the Phoenician language as their. The remaining percentage largely comprise foreign residents or rare pockets of minorities, who typically speak Phoenician as a second language alongside their native language.

Fengjiang has urbanized significantly in the past century, seeing historical spikes in development and urban populations following the 1960s and onwards as the country emerged as a global and the largest economy in 19XX. The percentage of the population living in urban areas rose from 30% in 1950 to over 80% in 1990 - the country's urban population surpassed 1 billion in 1993. There are over 300 cities in Fengjiang with populations that surpass 1 million; 11 of which are considered as they have more than 10 million in population. It is notable that due to the extensive urbanization of the country, the exact boundaries between urban areas are oftentimes blurred, leading to the designation of numerous contiguous urban areas as : primarily the South Serican Sea Rim (環南西洽海圈) centered on Yutseng, the Chain of Pearls Megalopolis (珠鏈城市群) centered on Chuto, and the Heartland Megalopolis (核心城市群) centered on Kaijing - each of which surpass 200 million in collective population.

Ethnic groups and languages
Based on the 2022 census, nearly 99% of Fengjiang's approximately 1.8 billion citizens have been legally identified as Phoenician, the small remainder being foreign residents or rare minority groups, making Fengjiang the most ethnically homogenous country in the world. The Phoenician ethnic group is defined by the adherence to Phoenician culture and its customs, including full comprehension and fluency in the Phoenician language - thus leaving room for significant racial and linguistic diversity despite the nominal homogeneity of the ethnic group. In Phoenician culture, one's is irrelevant: as long as a person follows Phoenician customs and speaks the Phoenician language, they are a Phoenician, and more than likely a Fengese citizen.

The primary subgroups of the Phoenician ethnic group can be determined by their location of origin and their Phoenician dialect, primarily split along regional lines (see Phoenicia). The remaining 4% comprise minor Phoenician subgroups such as the North Phoenicians (北鳳人) and Highlander Phoenicians (山鳳人), who comprise regional minorities in the northern and mountainous regions (primarily the Bautan and Transerican mountains) of Fengjiang respectively.
 * Core Phoenicians (核鳳人) make up the majority at around 47%, located primarily in central and eastern Fengjiang and unified by a common fluency in the Standard Phoenician - the official language of the country.
 * Peninsular Phoenicians (半島鳳人) are the second largest subgroup at around 29%, located primarily in West Fengjiang around the eponymous Serican Peninsula and the South Serican Sea's coastal region, known for the regional Peninsular Phoenician dialect.
 * Pearl Phoenicians (珠鳳人) are the third major subgroup at around 20%, located primarily in South Fengjiang and unified by the Pearl Phoenician dialect.

The remaining approximate 1% of the country's population comprise foreign residents and rare non-Phoenician minority groups, the former of which takes up the vast majority. Foreign residents in Fengjiang typically originate from member states of the Fengjiang-aligned GOCE, as abiding by Phoenician customs and fluency in the Phoenician language (or regional dialects) are prerequisites to residency.

As a result of historical Phoenicization efforts lasting centuries, even millennia long, most non-Phoenician populations native to Fengjiang's portion of the Serican continent have either been assimilated as Phoenicians or eradicated entirely. The largest of such non-Phoenician minorities still surviving in Fengjiang are the Geku people (葛窟), centered in isolated pockets in the Transerican Mountains. Such minorities are classified as "barbarians" (夷狄), and are guaranteed no rights under the Fengese legal system unless they assimilate into Phoenician culture.

Religion


Infernalism, a Phoenician and Serican religion, is the of Fengjiang, having entrenched itself as an integral part of the Phoenician and thereby Fengese identity ever since its inception in the 1000s BCE and adoption by the predecessors of the modern Fengese nation. Officially, 99% of the Fengese population is an adherent of Infernalism, as adherence is mandatory for every Fengese citizen, whether born in the country or. Notably however, such figures are generally obtained through one's with a local temple or monastery, and does not cover true devotion in the faith. The ceremonial head of state of Fengjiang, the Scion of the Divine Phoenix Ascendant, is formally considered to be the reincarnation of Yanshizu, the prized daughter of the deific Mother Phoenix and a figure in the Infernalist faith.

As such, Infernalism has had a profound effect on Fengese culture and society as a whole. Among such influences would be the cultural practice of, which places a heavy emphasis on fire as a deific and sacred concept, shaping folk customs such as lit s being common in most households and s established across significant locations in the country. More significant and characteristic of Infernalist cultural influence would be the practice of Infernalist genealogy and by extension eugenics, where Infernalist monasteries and their clerical staff held the traditional responsibility of "maintaining the purity" of the people (cultural, religious, economic, genetic etc.) in their jurisdictions, generally manifesting through the monitoring and recording of family s and s, between families deemed to compatible and discouraging relationships with those deemed undesirable. Otherwise, while cultural participation in the religion, such as in festivals and traditional customs, remain high, actual participation in the institutional aspects of the religion is comparatively lower - leading to commentators to note Infernalism's status in Fengjiang to be more of a folk and cultural religion than any organized faith.

is not guaranteed by any foundational document in Fengese history, as it has been historically presumed that every inhabitant of the nation is an adherent of Infernalism. Despite this, it is an unspoken allowance that non-Fengese nationals are allowed to practice their faith, as long as it remains a private matter and does not overly conflict with the pronounced tenets of Infernalist doctrine. After Infernalism, Occidental Kaurissem is the second most popular religion at around 0.5% of the population (~8,500,000), though adherents mostly belong to foreign national and expat communities, particularly from Hyperaustrea.

With the emergence of Fengjiang as a world power and with pragmatic secular interests in mind, Infernalist for  between Infernalism and other world religions is a growing industry, particular with that of Kaurissem. Such syncretism seeks to explain and make sense of theological and doctrinal differences between such faiths, primarily to justify Infernalism to be when viewed from the perspective of other religions and vice versa.

Education
The Fengese education system is completely managed by private institutions, in accordance with the Fengese corporatocracy model of development. The school year is continuous - the year is generally equally split into four semesters of 3 months each, all four associated with their own assessment exams which occur at the end of the semester. The school week lasts six days. There is no set and -related vacations are sporadic, touted by Fengese education institutions as beneficial to acclimatizing students to work schedules in adulthood. For similar reasons, uniforms are generally mandated as part of the dress code for all tiers of the education system: Fengese uniforms are unisex, typically comprising trousers and white shirts. After-school is common and generally considered inseparable from conventional educational expenses.

The education system is split into six academic tiers according to age. Education is generally corporately subsidized until the end of lower secondary, further subsidization onwards done in the form of : While there is no state-mandated compulsory education owing to the lack of a central government in Fengjiang, most careers in Fengjiang will require at the very least a Basic Education Degree, while societal expectations demand university degrees in order for a person to be considered as "fully educated". Education in general is considered a high priority for any Fengese, as success in education is viewed as a source of pride and accomplishment in society at large, and thus is a. Higher education is perceived to be the main propeller of social mobility in Fengjiang, a practical necessity if one wanted to obtain a career beyond the poverty line - there is no in Fengjiang. Obtaining a degree from one of the top universities of the country - all run by conglomerates - is the ultimate symbol of prestige, high socioeconomic status, promising marriage prospects, and a respectable career path. Such degrees are oftentimes prerequisites to any prestigious, secure, and higher-paying career paths in Fengjiang, such as positions in a Fengese conglomerate's financial, IT, or overseas divisions. As the alternative is a already oversaturated by less skilled graduates, there exists incredible societal and financial pressure for a student to enroll in prestigious universities, which in turn possess incredibly stringent requirements and limited available slots to weed out "substandard" applicants. An average Fengese academic career lasts for the better part of three decades, during which a student's life revolves around education, the highly demanding requirements to socioeconomic success and enormous pool of competitors owing to Fengjiang's population meaning that intense academic competition is guaranteed. To achieve such success, it is expected that a student must excel at every assessment examination in their academic career, enter a prestigious university, and excel again at a prospective career entrance exam - this excellence is colloquially termed as the "big red book" (大紅書) due to the use of red as an indicator of academic excellence in a Fengese report book, which collages every in a Fengese's academic career. Additionally, the "model student" in Fengjiang is expected to be, being fluency in Phoenician and two other secondary languages.
 * (學前) begins between the ages of 1 or 2, lasting until the age of 6. While not mandatory, parents generally enroll their children at this stage to prepare children for further education and increase their chances for academic success, additionally because of a lack of time for - the alternative option. Either way, all children at this age are still required to take classes in the Phoenician language and receive religious education in the Infernalism, to ensure basic proficiency in knowledge for both. Both will remain mandatory up to lower secondary, but comprehension in both is culturally demanded by the end of such mandatory education.
 * (小學) begins at the age of 6, lasting approximately 7 years and ending right before reaching the age of 13. At this stage, students are expected to achieve complete fluency in Phoenician, and must then take up secondary languages: the most common by order of popularity are Melkian, Avalonian, Ponterosan, and Saessish.
 * (初中學) begins at the age of 13, lasting approximately 3 years and ending right before reaching the age of 16. Students must select between one of four specializations at this age, being and, , , and.
 * (高中學) begins at the age of 16, lasting approximately 3 more years and generally ending right before reaching the age of 19. Both levels of secondary education are generally carried out in the same school, and it is possible for (留級) to occur in cases of underperformance. Optional and separate vocational education (專科學) becomes formally available at this age, the most common being courses relevant to business and industry. Upon graduation, the student receives a  (基本教育學位).
 * (預科學) generally begins between the ages of 19 and 20, ending before reaching the age of 21, the age of adulthood in Fengjiang. At this tier, students must select a to "prepare" for, at which point they will receive appropriate education on relevant fields of studies, which combines academic and vocational education. Upon graduation, the student receives a  (預科學位).
 * (大學) begins from the age of 21 and onwards. Entrance exams are practically mandated for every university, with a Basic Education Degree as a prerequisite. While not mandatory, it is considered mandatory in Fengese society to pursue university education, as relevant university degrees are required for most careers in the country. To enroll in a university, a student must be a Fengese citizen or possess a.

Health
Fengese healthcare is among the world's most sophisticated, thanks to the country's combined extensive efforts in the industry of, especially in the areas of and. As educational standards in Fengjiang are substantially higher than would be expected in countries with similar and, the healthcare industry is high-paying and highly competitive, with degrees in medicine being one of the most sought-after degrees in the country, only behind business, law, and information technology in popularity. Fengjiang is one of the world's primary destinations for health tourism, attracting millions of such visitors annually from around the world, though with greater representation from the Western Hemisphere. Notably, the country has been criticized as a safe haven for corruption and tyrants, as it has a record of facilitating the treatment of world leaders in both politics, industry, and business - including those considered to be corrupt or authoritarian by Eastern liberal standards. Fengjiang is the primary destination for asylum seekers of that nature.

Despite the advanced nature of Fengese healthcare, it nonetheless remains that many of the higher-level treatments are prohibitively expensive for much of the country's population, a product of vast. All healthcare and insurance providers in Fengjiang are private in nature, and it is not uncommon for both to belong under the ownership of the same conglomerate. Basic healthcare services are provided as part of employment benefits in all Fengese conglomerates, though further coverage would require an employee to be higher in the company hierarchy or to pay higher subscription fees - both of which are options unavailable for much of the population.

The most common cause of death in Fengjiang is lung cancer and similar respiratory illnesses, caused primarily by widespread air pollution and poor regulatory standards when it comes to pollutant emissions. To combat this, it has become a cultural norm to wear face masks when travelling outside in Fengjiang, while indoor spaces are thoroughly ventilated and cleaned to serve as "safe spaces" in regard to air pollution. are a common product in the country, used to treat exposure-related irritation to the eyes. Most Fengese have access to clean drinking water in modern times, though it is customary to filter tap water before drinking or not drink it outright, due to several high-profile cases of water contamination in the past, especially in industry-adjacent housing areas.

is considered a hidden killer in Fengese society, its increasing frequency obscured as mortuary records traditionally hide suicide as a motive in records. Euthanasia and assisted suicide is legal in Fengjiang, providing an official avenue for ending one's life in a painless manner if so desired, though recipients are typically contractually obligated to provide their corpses as payment for the costs incurred by euthanasia services. The term "selling one's body" (賣身) has entered colloquial Fengese vocabulary as a euphemism for euthanasia, as recipients may designate beneficiaries to which the funds leftover after a corpse sale are transferred post-mortem. The line between suicide and euthanasia is blurred, such that Fengese refers to both as "unapproved" and "approved" suicide respectively.

There generally are no queues for in Fengjiang, due to their availability. It is expected that transplant recipients pay for their own transplants at prices determined by the unregulated free market of Fengjiang. Where such prices may be prohibitively expensive elsewhere due to high demand, the ample supply in Fengjiang has lowered the prices of most organs to an affordable degree for most - provided one has proper insurance coverage. Fengjiang is the central hub for and the largest exporter in the GOCE, though Fengese citizens are still prioritized for organ use.

Culture
Fengjiang, corresponding to its status as a, possesses one of the oldest cultures in the world, one that has left tangible influence across much of its , from antiquity till modernity. Its culture is considered the dominant in Serica, and its great age means that it has had ample time to both directly and indirectly influence the development of neighboring cultures and their philosophies, etiquette, virtues, and traditions. Central to Phoenician culture is the state religion of the Infernalism, a and  religion that has served as the vessel through which key tenets of Phoenician culture and the Fengese identity have been preserved and carried over the ages. As a direct result, the concept of is considered holy in Fengjiang, and by association that of the Sun and warmth itself. Many traditions and mores in Fengjiang are directly linked to these concepts as a result, one clear example being the cultural appreciation for daylight and in contrast, the associated with the night.

Phoenicization
Above anything, it is considered a sacred duty of all Phoenicians, no matter their national or ideological differences, to preserve and spread Phoenician culture through whatever means may be available to the person, whether that be the simple act of speaking the Phoenician language to even actively shaping global politics to fit the Phoenician vision. This practice of cultural preservation is known as Hànxí Wèisú (捍習衛俗), literally "protecting customs" or more commonly, "Phoenicization". Outside observers have noted Phoenician culture overall to be "monolithic" in nature, not the least because of a cultural insistence to conserve existing, "pure" versions of Phoenician customs and resist any change which may affect such customs' perceived purity. Reflecting this insistence for cultural homogeneity, Phoenician culture has been noted to be inherently intolerant of foreign and recognizably distinct cultures, manifesting in a sense of cultural exceptionalism wherein a Phoenician perceives their own culture as the baseline for all others to follow, and that the farther one strays from that cultural baseline, the more "barbaric" (野蠻, yěmán) they are. There is no direct translation for the word "integration" in the Phoenician language, only "assimilate" (同化, ‘’tónghuà‘’; lit. "make same"). As a Phoenician, not abiding by Phoenician customs is a sure way to lead to one's from society; as a foreigner, not following Phoenician norms while in Fengjiang is considered a major insult.

It is taught that the ultimate objective for all Phoenicians is to ensure the predominance of the "superior" Phoenician culture over all others. This is enshrined within the recognizably Phoenician religion of Infernalism which Fengjiang adheres to as its, whose doctrine calls for the universal adoption of values (also recognizably Phoenician) which it views to be necessary for upholding the "harmony" (和諧, héxié) of society and achieving religious.

Gender and family
Fundamentally, Phoenician culture and thus, Fengjiang can be characterized to be in nature, heavily influencing Fengese laws and norms surrounding, , , , , as well as Fengese , , and  in broader terms. Many of these laws are derived from the dogma of the Infernalism which serves as the unifying faith of the Phoenician cultural sphere, which holds the deific Mother Phoenix as the Allmother responsible for the creation and birth of both the universe and all life within it, doctrinally enshrining the role of motherhood as sacred and thus imparting religious and cultural significance to females in Phoenician culture. Infernalist teaching posits the to be a dualistic communion between the feminine  responsible for imparting consciousness and spiritual awareness onto the masculine mortal husk representing the base and animalistic universe - exemplifying the female role as a dominant one responsible for "tempering" the perceived crass nature of males in Phoenician society.

In effect, this strong emphasis on the significance and vitality of the female sex in Phoenician culture has elevated women to authority across all levels of Fengese society, from national governance to family dynamics. Matters of inheritance and succession are always, prioritizing female heirs over male ones in when passing down titles, properties, entitlements, and obligations - the position of monarch of Fengjiang can only be passed down from mother to daughter, with sons left entirely out of the line of succession. In accordance with this, while both parties to a marriage keep their surnames, their offspring will take their surnames from their mother's family. Even when not directly encoded in either canonical or civil law, it is considered normal that females take an authoritative role in relationships and families due to cultural perceptions of their role as providers and nurturers, deviations from this model historically viewed as eccentric by Fengese norms. This has extended to leadership positions in, , , and , additionally bolstered by the Infernalist position of inherent feminine brilliance. Traditionally, were that of leader, thinker, and custodian while the male's were aligned more towards menial and "active“ roles, though the perhaps contradictory view of both women and men as warriors has historically led to a muddling of gender roles in combat scenarios. While legally stratified gender roles have largely been abolished by practical concerns around the times of the Great Fragmentation, relevant societal expectations and norms have persisted even in the modern day, best encapsulated by the ancient Fengese idiom Mǔlìng Fùgàn (母令父干, lit. "the mother directs, the father does", usually paraphrased as "the mother has her wisdom, the father has his hands and feet").

Women are considered as the head of the household in Fengjiang, manifesting in classical Fengese law in the concept of hùmǔ (戶母, lit. "mother of the household"), where the oldest female of the household is viewed as the "matron", traditionally holding legal privilege over the property of the household (including slaves) and exercising authority over her dependents, from autocratic privileges over her husband and children, lessening to positions of mentorship and esteemed status when reaching one's extended family. is viewed not as a union between two people but an alliance between families through blood ties, the matrons of both families traditionally holding the duty of in a manner akin to Hatarian s - this would form the basis of the various Fengese s and  which emerge throughout history. Customarily, the local Infernalist temple would provide advice in that has been described as a form of, wherein temples held records of  for families in their jurisdictions and sought to promote perceived "beneficial" traits and eliminate "undesirable" traits through recommending marriages between "prospective" bloodlines: indirectly leading to  as informal castes were established from the basis of a regional Infernalist jurisdiction's perceptions and preferences, which oftentimes see sectarian differences. In most cases, the "three purities" were sought after: that of culture (Phoenician cultural homogeneity), religion (Infernalist religious piety), and genetics (desirable genetic traits). Prompted by political and economic concerns, Infernalist matchmaking would traditionally match families of similar socioeconomic statuses together, thereby perpetuating the aforementioned informal caste system and restricting social mobility in Fengese culture.

Similarly to gender roles, legal basis for matronage has been mostly eroded in modern times as both pragmatic and concerns have influenced Fengese thought in its gradual opening-up to global culture around the 20th century. Ever since corporate rule in Fengjiang began, the structure of the traditional Fengese family clan is mostly constrained to and their quasi-aristocratic leanings, with the average family in Fengjiang shrinking to those akin to a : grandparents, parents, children. Substituting it, Fengese megacorporations have taken the cultural role of matronage in Fengese society, presenting the concept of a corporation-employee relationship in similar terms as that of a matron and her clan, known in Fengese media as the Dà Jiātíng (大家庭, lit. "one big family"). The originally religious institutions responsible for matchmaking and genealogy in Fengjiang have been co-opted by corporate interests. Placing themselves in the traditional positions of an employee's family, it is not uncommon for corporations to matchmake employees viewed to be "prospective", oftentimes with incentives such as wage increases, social mobility, and improved reputations attached.

Intercourse and sexuality
Fengese cultural perceptions of is defined primarily by the doctrinal concerns of the Infernalist religion. As opposed to spiritual concerns that may be expected in Eastern faiths like Kaurissem, Infernalism and its clerical hierarchy concerns itself with more temporal matters, in this case the "health" of societies which it presides over. Practices such as Infernalist genealogy and eugenics, wherein Infernalist temples keep track of and cultivate family lineages, connections, and interactions are done to bolster this "societal health". It is for this reason that (fornication) is shunned by Infernalism and thus by traditional Fengese society, as it is perceived that such activities make it unnecessarily harder for Infernalist institutions to monitor  and may promote  between population groups that are viewed to be incompatible with one another - tainting the. Traditionally, sex is viewed as a purely procreative act, a duty to society and humanity as it ensures their continued survival and prosperity - a worldview which has been increasingly espoused as the threat of has entered mainstream discourse. Canonically, the pleasure derived from sex is considered to be a gift from the Mother Phoenix, a reward for one's service to society.

Extending from this line of logic, Infernalist doctrine correlates the health of a society with sustainable, activities which are perceived to negatively impact this fecundity are resultantly shunned as unproductive and thereby sinful. Based on this, in of itself is considered to be sinful, as purely same-sex relations are unable to produce offspring and thereby run the risk of terminating prospective lineages. is condemned along similar lines. and in contrast hold little stigma in Fengese society, similar to  relationships in that it is considered a societal responsibility for one to procreate. is considered normal and even a status symbol in Fengjiang, as the dominant partner in the relationship (generally female due to ideals of matronage) would need to be more socioeconomically well-off to provide for and support their lesser partners - is a luxury only afforded by wealthy aristocrats. Despite the matriarchal nature of Phoenician culture, polygamous relationships generally trend towards (higher female ratios) due to their idealization, with Infernalist reasoning that such relationships present a "perfect balance" between the feminine virtues of  and procreation, and the masculine virtue of menial servitude and childrearing - a family of the sort could procreate and provide for itself while simultaneously taking good care of the household.

There exists no distinction between gender and sex in Fengese society, exploration of the topic considered taboo except in Orientologist academic circles studying foreign societies and cultures. Infernalist doctrine enshrines the concept of the binary gender, especially as it espouses gender roles in favor of its matriarchal worldview, roles which are deemed to be naturally occurring even in more secular circles. is also taboo in Fengese society for similar reasons, interpreted to be an "act against nature" and a disservice to society as it jeopardizes traditional gender roles assigned in Phoenician culture, with male-to-female transitioning especially condemned as it is viewed as an attempt to bypass the traditional system of inheritance - a sign of impious greed. There exists no recognition of transgenderism in official documents, and transgender foreign nationals are required to register with their biological sex, if not simply barred in the first place. Practice of is illegal in Fengese healthcare,  similarly so if not done for expressly health-related reasons - the concepts of  and  are not recognized. The concept of is similarly unrecognized, and infants who display intersex characteristics at birth are legally required to be surgically altered to be either female or male, not requiring the consent of parents.

is mostly illegal in Fengjiang, considered to be a form of and thus a disservice to society. While abortion for reasons of the mother's physical health is legal and widely accepted on account of Fengjiang's matriarchal leanings, abortion for most other reasons is illegal. Notably, while previously legal (even if at times condemned), abortion on the basis of or  has been criminalized since 1997 in accordance with the Demographic Health Edict passed in the same year. There exists an alternative avenue for mothers who may not seek children either for aforementioned reasons or otherwise, that being the sale of one's babies to an affiliated corporate, whereupon they can be raised by or by corporate. Abortions on request are illegal, and unsupervised abortions are punishable along the same lines as infanticide - up to or. The distribution of such as  and  is highly restricted, though mostly overlooked when applied for the  of undesirable populations. (even ) is legal and accepted for use in the population control of undesirable populations, as are abortions with the goal of curbing such populations (see Infernalist eugenics).

On account of Infernalist condemnations of, (or any other unprocreative ) is considered irresponsible culturally, though prosecutions outside of the clergy are practically non-existent nowadays. and are framed along similar lines, their consumption in Fengjiang being relatively commonplace, as long as it remains a private matter. The for commercial purposes is generally targeted towards international audiences and tourists, viewed apathetically to be another avenue for Phoenician  and Phoenicization, even if canonically questionable.

The and  in Fengjiang is set at the 21 years old. This is in accordance with Infernalist views on maturity, the canonical view being that people under that age are immature, both physically and mentally. , legally considered to be with everyone under the age of 21, is socially unacceptable. This is applied to fictional depictions of such people as well, even if to a lesser extent. is a capital offense in Fengjiang, with the mandatory punishment being, in accordance with Infernalist doctrine. Punitive may be considered depending on any additional offenses.

and, particularly when committed against women, is a serious offense in Fengjiang. This is due to the traditional dominant role of women as community leaders in the country, especially when contrasted with the perceived crass and animalistic nature of men in Infernalism. Rape is a capital offense in Fengjiang, punishable by, in accordance with Infernalist doctrine. Punitive may be considered depending on any additional offenses.

Cuisine
Drawing on millennia of culinary traditions and cultural influences, Fengese cuisine is highly diverse, split between numerous regional cuisines each reflecting their own unique historical and cultural experiences. Generally, rice has been the staple food of central Fengjiang, whereas breads and noodles are the staple food of the surrounding regions, primarily in the culturally distinct east and south. Between all regional traditions however, there are multiple aspects to Fengese cuisine that have been retained throughout the ages, owing to commonalities in the ethnic culture of Fengjiang - especially the unifying influence of the Infernalism. have historically been highly prized in Fengese cuisine and culture at large, owing to its religious importance to Infernalist theology - the heat of spice is considered to be reminiscent of the holy fire of the deified Mother Phoenix. Spiciness is viewed as a central component of any Fengese dish, such that any lacking spice would be considered "incomplete" by Fengese standards. is the signature spice of Fengjiang, the most famed variety being the Phoenix’s Pepper (鳳椒) - prized for its extreme pungency and heat. Most consume it impure, eating it while fresh and mixed in with sweet and sour vegetables to dull its extreme heat. In its purest and holiest form, the Phoenix’s Pepper is consumed after it is dried, the resultant heat ordinarily causing heavy breathing, sweating, and crying alongside more uncommon symptoms of tunnel vision and hallucinations - traditionally used by Infernalist oracles to interpret the future from pepper-induced visions. Even if rare, consuming the entire pepper in this form at once has reportedly led to deaths from the sheer distress, especially for those unaccustomed to its heat. In Fengese cuisine, the Phoenix’s Pepper is used as an appetizer or palate cleanser, to “open” one’s taste buds and stomach for a full meal.

Another Infernalist influence in Fengese cuisine is the application of a significant amount of dry heat as a part of food preparation, developed into the "Four Fires" customary in Fengese cooking: (炸),  (煎),  (烤), and  (炒). The deliberate use of oil in Fengese cooking is dated back to royal cuisine in the early 900s, the increased productivity of later eras and resultant availability of cooking oil allowing for the popularization of as an integral part of traditional cuisine.

Literature and philosophy
A central component of Fengese social philosophy is that of, embodied by the Fengese phrase "random fortunes and disasters" (幸災順變, Xìngzāi Shùnbiàn). Occurrences that might be considered bizarre or appalling in outside cultures are viewed with uncaring apathy by the Fengese in most cases, notably apparent when observing the poor living standards and rampant inequality in the country, alongside the numerous scandals related to the country's corporate leadership.

While there is no exact cause for this widespread apathy in Fengese society, Eastern sociologists have identified contributing factors which date all the way back to the Great Fragmentation (1303-1810), a Fengese lasting five centuries which dominates the Phoenician cultural consciousness. Literature of the time had normalized the multigenerational conflict to be an inherent part of the, framing it as a religious trial by fire which tested the worthiness of humanity, or more specifically the Phoenician people. The Arsytian sociologist Heikki Pentti notes the conflict to have established a "culture of indifference", as the Fengese view the conflict and more importantly, the intense suffering it brought to be inevitable, akin to a. In response, Fengese of the time stockpiled nonperishables and gas masks with spares, drilled civilian society in disaster and war drills - practices which have survived despite generations having passed since any significant armed conflict involving Fengjiang. "The Phoenician, in the face of the great misfortunes of the world, will 'go with the flow' instead of resisting their fate. Their apathy is trained, such that they have trivialized tragedy and accepted even the greatest of atrocities as part of the inevitable human experience, such that they view our dismay at the convictions propagated by their culture and overlords to be an overreaction birthed of ignorance. When facing suffering, they prepare for the worst, and celebrate anything better."

"In truth, our stay in this world is impermanent It is more transient than dewdrops on the leaf of grass, or the moon reflected in water A century in the mortal world is but a fleeting moment in the Heavens As the radiance of life is bestowed from the stars, it cannot shine forever All those born in this world must necessarily perish someday Unless we consider this our wakeup call, it is a grievous truth indeed Understanding this is the road to salvation, but also the path to regret." From this long history of warfare, a longstanding genre in Fengese literature has emerged, being "war poetry" (戰詩, Zhànshī). Originally developed in the early decades of the Great Fragmentation as a tool of which glorified conflict and promoted contemporary military interests, as the war progressed, the genre gradually turned into an avenue of, humorizing the brutality of conflict through use of  - theorized to be a  to downplay the countless tragedies and atrocities of the era in the contemporary Fengese social consciousness. This genre has survived to this day, its modern pioneers satirizing recent events like the Great Serrataran War and ongoing Cold War to great popularity in the country and controversy abroad.