Heiban

The Monarchical State of Heiban 帝國𠄩班 Đế quốc Hai Ban (Heibanese)
Flag Seal
Motto: 自𡗉, 阻城𪜀𠬠 Từ nhiều, trở thành là một "Formed from many, now as one"
Anthem: 遶𨀈蹎𧵑祖先眾些 Theo bước chân của tổ tiên chúng ta "In ancestral footsteps we tread." Royal anthem: 女皇𧵑眾碎向引眾碎 Nữ hoàng Của chúng tôi Hướng dẫn Chúng tôi "Our Queen Guides Us."
Location of  Heiban  (dark green) – in Anterra  (green & grey) – in Southern Kesh  (green)
Capital and largest city	Sa Hoa
Official languages	Heibanese
Religion	Mẹ giáo
Demonym	Heibanese
Government	Unitary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Queen Lý Chiêu
• Prime Minister	Hoàng Lành Mỹ
Legislature	H.M Parliament
Establishment
• First Divergence	~1100 BCE
• Unification under the Matriarchy of Cửa Hoà	9th century BCE
• Second Divergence	113 CE
• Unification of Heiban (First Empire of Heiban)	5 April 407 CE
• Vassalization of Heiban	15 September 1237
• Independence from Imperial Kodeshia	14 October 1531
• State of Zhōuguó	31 January 1531
• Sinh Revolution (Second Empire of Heiban)	8 March 1608
• Constitution of Heiban (Monarchical State of Heiban)	8 March 1812
Area
• Total	929,097 km2 (358,726 sq mi) (17th)
• Water (%)	0,11
Population
• 2021 estimate	62,694,769
• 2020 census	61,498,645
• Density	72.6/km2 (188.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$2.400 trillion
• Per capita	$39,025
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$2.200 trillion
• Per capita	$35,773
Gini	31.6 medium
HDI (2020)	0.88 very high
Currency	Heibanese Sen ($) (HBS)
Time zone	UTC+2 (West Kesh Time, WKT)
Date format	yyyy.mm.dd (CE)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+77
Internet TLD	.hb

Heiban (Heibanese: 𠄩班; Hai Ban), officially the Monarchical State of Heiban is a country located in southwestern Kesh bordered to the north by the Nzambeyan state of Verissi, to the south by Ramay across the Strait of Hải Ðăng, to the east by the South Kesh Bay, and to the west by the Iapetus Ocean. Heiban covers a total area of 929,097 square kilometres (358,726 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 62.1 million as of 2021. The capital and largest metropolis is the city of Sa Hoa. Heiban is a unitary constitutional monarchy.

The Heibanese peninsula has been inhabited since as early as the Paleolithic Age by Austroasiatic peoples. The oldest records of modern Heibanese civilization date back to the 2nd millennium BCE, centred around the peninsula's northeastern plains, in the present-day provinces of Lối Ði and Cầu Vồng. This initial matriarchal civilization, and the people that formed it, are known as the Sinh people, who existed in isolation as a single community well into the 1st millennium BCE. The Sinh began to expand across the peninsula sometime around the year 1500 BCE, and by 1100 BCE the territory that today encompasses Heiban had been settled in its entirety, and the newly formed communities began to deviate from one another in an event known as the First Divergence.

At the start of the 10th century BCE, the territory of present-day Heiban found itself divided into eleven early matriarchal chiefdoms. The largest of these were the Sinh and Nồm chiefdoms which encompassed the entire northern half of the territory and much of the eastern and western coasts respectively. Throughout the remainder of the century the Heibanese territory became a battle ground between the different communities until the start of the 9th century BCE with the unification of all communities under the Sài dynasty of the Sinh-ruled Matriarchy of Cửa Hoà. The Matriarchy existed until the end of the 1st century CE before the Second Divergence in the year 113.

During the Second Divergence, there was an attempt to overthrow the Mã dynasty from three different sides, resulting in a territorial partition between all three, each ruled by a different dynasty: the Mạnh, the Ông, and the Hác. Each territory existed as independent states until the start of the 4th century, when the Trịnh dynasty overthrew all three by the year 407 CE, and unified all territories under the First Empire of Heiban. The Empire was ruled under the Trịnh until the late 6th century, when it was overthrown by the Vương dynasty in 677 CE. It was under Vương rulership that the Empire first came in contact with Imperial Kodeshia in the 11th century.

In 1015, the Empire of Heiban, signed a mutual trade agreement with the Empire of Kodeshia known as the East-West Accord. As part of the Accord, Heiban agreed to help Kodeshia spread their influence within the South Kesh Bay by allowing Kodeshi ships to be stationed in and make free use of Heibanese ports on the peninsula's eastern side. Heibanese-Kodeshi relationships were considered peaceful and mutually benefitial for nearly two centuries, however, the increasing favorable Kodeshi presence weakened the influence of the ruling Vương until 1234 when it was challenged and overthrown by the Lý dynasty. Despite of this, Lý rule was short-lived, as the Chou dynasty fell in Imperial Kodeshia in favor of the Zhou dynasty in the year 1237. With a much more abrasive approach to the southern Kesh region than its predecessor, the Zhou-ruled Empire of Kodeshia began to take more liberties with the pre-established Heibanese permitions, eventually replacing all Sinh leaders in Heiban with Zhou vassals.

As a vassal state, the nation's name was changed to Gǎngyòu (港右), and the native Sinh language was replaced by Guoyu. Zhou rule in the peninsula stayed unfazed and unchallenged for three centuries before the fall of the Zhou dynasty in mainland Kodeshia in 1531. The vassal stationed in Gǎngyòu during this time, a loyal member of the Zhou family, refusing to hand over power to the new Lian dynasty, taking advantage of the weakened Kodeshi naval forces and the ongoing revolution in Qingcheng, declared the country independent on 31 October 1531 under the name of Zhōuguó. The state of Zhōuguó was dissolved in January of 1608 as consequence of the Sinh Revolution. In March of that same year, the position of head of state was given back to the descendants of the Lý dynasty, establishing the Second Empire of Heiban. The Lý dynasty willingly abolished the status of absolute monarchy on 8 March 1812, establishing the Constitution of Heiban, creating a separate position for a head of government, and officially renaming the country to the "Monarchical State of Heiban".

Today Heiban is a developed country and economy, with a GDP by Purchase Power Parity (PPP) of $2.400 trillion, making it the sixth largest economy in Kesh, and largest in southern Kesh. Over the last two centuries, the country has been recognized for its quick development on human rights, education, environmental initiatives, rapid infrastructural and technological advancement, and leading role in the infrastructure, engineering, and medical industries. Heiban has a very high Human Development Index of 0.88, and one of the largest GDP (PPP) per capita in the continent at around $39,000 as of 2020.

Etymology

See also: Sinh people

The name "Heiban" is a standardized version of the native Heibanese name Hai Ban (/hɛiːbɑːn/; hey-BAN; Heibanese: 𠄩班), meaning "bestowed by Heaven" or "mandate of Heaven". Origins of this name date back to the 4th century, with the Unification of Heiban under the Trịnh dynasty. This name was given to the newly formed state as part of the attempt from the Trịnh dynasty to spread the ideological belief that all Sinh people (umbrella term referring collectively to all the different people groups with origin in the Heibanese peninsula) were to exist together under a single entity led by the Trịnh rulers, as was commanded by the Mother Goddesses. Despite the overthrowing of the Trịnh dynasty in the year 677 BCE at the hands of the Vương dynasty, the later decided to keep the name as they wished to spread a similar message but applied to their own rulers.

The name Hai Ban eventually fell out of use during Kodeshi Zhou occupation of the territory and the state was renamed first to Gǎngyòu (港右; meaning "west harbor") between 1237 and 1531, and later to Zhōuguó (周国; meaning "Zhou country") between 1531 and 1608, both of which were of Guoyu origin. Hai Ban was readopted in 1608 with the overthrowing of the illegitimate ethnically Zhou government, and its replacement for a native Heibanese monarchy. The name was chosen as a nod to the original meaning, alluring to how the Sinh people were to exist under a single entity led by ethnically Sinh people, as commanded by the Mother Goddesses.

History

Main article: History of Heiban

Prehistory

See also: Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic

Appearance of Homo sapiens in the Heibanese peninsula dates as far back as the Middle Paleolithic, nearly 300,000 years ago. The earliest form of archeological evidence of these early modern humans was discovered in a site near the city of Sa Hoa, by the shores of the Lào Mau river. Though unclear as to their initial origin point within the peninsula, it is estimated that by 250,000 years ago, Homo sapiens had spread to virtually every part of the modern Heibanese territory, with remains dating to this time period found scattered across the country. Cultures first began during the Upper Paleolithic, with the oldest of these being the Ðường vàng cultures of northern Heiban, at the foot of the Vàng Ðỉnh Mountains, from c. 45,000-40,000 years ago. It was also around this time and location that the oldest rock paintings can be traced back to, found in the Bước Núi province. During the Last Glacial Maximum, around 27,000 years ago, the Heibanese shores became much more populated as the central plains turned drier and less convenient for habitation, in a similar fashion to Last Glacial Maximum refugia. The Ðảo Nam Bay in particular received an influx of people as the lowering in sea levels allowed for better vegetation. Toward the period of deglaciation of the planet, and the commence of rise in mean global temperature, humans started to move back further inland as sea levels began to rise once again displacing all of them from areas that are now under water.

Government and politics

Main articles: Government of Heiban and Constitution of Heiban

Heiban is a unitary constitutional monarchy comprising 51 provinces. The country's head of state is the monarch, who holds the title of either Queen or King of Heiban. The head of government is the prime minister, a 6-year elective position. The Constitution of Heiban (Heibanese: 生㭲; Sinh Gốc) is codified and it divides the government into three branches: an executive, a legislature and a judiciary.

Executive

Main article: Executive of Heiban

Lý Chiêu
Queen of Heiban
Head of state

Hoàng Lành Mỹ
Prime minister of Heiban
Head of government

The executive power is vested in the Monarch of Heiban as head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Protector of the Faith, for life or until abdication. Since the country's transition into a constitutional monarchy in 1812, the Monarch's position has been hereditary under a system of succession by matrilineal primogeniture, meaning the priority of inheritance to the Heibanese Crown is taken by the Monarch's daughters over their sons. The country has had a single male sovereign, King Ngọc Hiển. If the Heir Apparent to the throne does not meet the minimum ruling-age requirement, the next person in-line over the age of 21 will be declared crown regent, and serve as substitute Monarch in the Heir's place, until the latter comes of age. Though mainly bound by the constitution, the monarch still holds reserve powers that may be exercised without government's consent.

The head of government is the prime minister, an elective position directly dependant, but not part of, the legislature. The prime minister is the head of Cabinet, and the person in charge of all national political affairs. They are the sole connection between the legislature and the head of state, and all matters discussed by the Cabinet are then presented before the monarch by the prime minister. Constitutionally, the prime minister has no fixed term, and elections must be called by the head of state. However, by convention, the monarch will always call for elections every 6 years, upon the recommendation of Parliament, and if elections are not called after the 6 year period, that power is then transferred to the legislature, who can remove the prime minister and call for elections following a vote by simple majority. Prime ministers can be elected for two consecutive terms, and elected four times in total across their political career.

The Garden, palace that acts as the residence for the Royal Family of Heiban, in Sa Hoa.

After elections, the prime minister will select members of his or her political party to appoint as ministers, all of whom will then form the Heibanese Cabinet. The ministers are the heads of the administrative government offices known as ministries, and each of them, upon appointment, has the responsibility of overseeing and handling specific areas of government and politics, while reporting back to the prime minister. Ministries are assigned a specific annual budget based on how important their contribution to the country, according to the government of turn, which is then administered and spent according to the ministers, who will then report all monthly financial movement to the Royal Treasury.

Aside from the country's prime minister and ministers, the Cabinet of Heiban is formed by the functionaries. These are special positions of government, created to administer all matters pertaining to specific areas of government that lie outside of the ministries' dominion, these are the general chief, the Matriarch of Heiban, the Chief of the Heibanese Royal Guard, the Royal Press Secretary, the Mẫu phụ, and the Director of Disaster Prevention and Relief. The Cabinet of Heiban is bound, in composition, to the head of government, with the exception of the functionaries, meaning that after a prime minister's 6-year term the ministers will be replaced in their entirety unless said prime minister is re-elected for a second term, or the newly elected prime minister chooses to maintain certain members to keep their position for an additional 6 years. Ministers can only be appointed two consecutive times and appointed a total of four times.

Legislature

Main article: Legislature of Heiban

The Cung Phép (宮法), in the city of Sa Hoa, is the meeting place for the Heibanese parliament.

The legislature of Heiban functions under a semi-parliamentary system comprising a unicameral legislative body, or Parliament. The Heibanese Parliament meets at the Palace of Laws (Heibanese: 宮法; Cung Phép), in the capital city of Sa Hoa, and it's formed by the members of parliament (MPs), whose responsibility is to present bills to their peers and create new laws in accordance to the Heibanese Constitution. The legislature shares with the head of state the power of constitutional reform and the dissolution of government, both of which haven't been exercised by the sovereign since the country's transition into a constitutional system. The MPs are the only government officials with the power to impeach the prime minister, as well as give permission to Cabinet to declare war on a foreign power.

The lawmaking process in Heiban is divided into two stages and it's run jointly with the executive power: first, a bill is proposed by any member of parliament, political coalition, or citizen, to the chamber, where it must then obtain a positive vote by simple majority, this means, half of all MPs present during the vote, plus one. Once approved, the bill is taken directly to the prime minister, who then has the power to veto or approve said bill. If a bill is approved it becomes a law, and if it's vetoed, the legislature must wait until the start of the next parliamentary session to present it again. Parliamentary sessions, the period during which Parliament will function, begin on March 3rd and end on December 12th, however, the prime minister and the monarch may call for emergency sessions during the legislature's resting period, between December 13th and March 2nd.

For general elections, the country is divided into 735 municipalities, each electing a single MP, by simple plurality, to represent them at government. Elections in Heiban take place during the month of August and, like the prime minister, MPs have a non-fixed term of 6 years. Although the monarch will, by convention, respect the 6-year period in-between elections, they still hold the constitutional power to call for general elections whenever, a power not granted to any other government institution or official. General elections, unlike elections for prime minister, are compulsory for every citizen over the age of 21, and optional for citizens between ages 18 and 20, as well as those under exceptional circumstances. Members of parliament can run for government a maximum of two consecutive times, and for an indefinite amount of total times. The head of Parliament is the speaker of parliament, who is elected shortly after general elections by the MPs every 3 years.

Judiciary

Main article: Judiciary of Heiban

Ladies of Justice of Heiban (front) with MPs Nguyễn Ðông Vy and Sái Ðức Cường (back).

The judicial branch of the Heibanese government is structured hierarchically. The head of the judiciary is the Supreme Court of Heiban, formed by a body of 6 judges, or Ladies of Justice (Heibanese: 貴婆功理; Quý bà công lý), which is the only position of government in Heiban inaccessible to men per constitutional law. Supreme Court judges are granted life tenure and are directly appointed by the Heibanese monarch. Per tradition, former Ladies of Justice will usually pass their recommendation of fellow colleagues to the monarch to be considerate as candidates. The Supreme Court is situated in the city of Sa Hoa in the Lotus Tribunal Building (Heibanese: 蓮座; Sen Toà), and it's the supreme interpreter and defender of the Heibanese Constitution. As such, the Supreme Court judges can perform constitutional review, either by request or by will of their own, on any and all laws passed at Parliament.

The rest of the judiciary is formed by the Tribunals of Heiban, which can be divided into two sub-groups, and three geographically-based categories (regional, provincial, and municipal). The first of the two sub-groups is formed by the inquiry courts, or courts of first instance, which hear cases in the first instance and comprise one judge per chamber. The second group are the entreaty courts, or appellate courts, which review specific cases' decisions, made by the inquiry courts, and contested by any party of a first trial, and comprise three judges per chamber. Inquiry courts' judges can summon a jury, formed by 17 randomly selected citizens over the age of 20, to act as a second opinion to that of the judge's. The Supreme Court is categorized as the court of last resort, and the Constitution only grants it jurisdiction for contested decisions made by the entreaty courts, or original jurisdiction in specific situations listed in Section 3, Article 101 of the constitution.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Heiban

See also: Leizhu Island

Biomes of Heiban

•       Tropical rainforest

•       Wetland

•       Montane forest

•       Xeric shrubland

•       Subtropical forest

•       Shrubland

•       Tree savanna

•       Grass savanna

Bordered to the southeast and east by the South Kesh Bay, to the west and southwest by the Iapetus Ocean, to the northwest by Verissi and to the northeast by Gxea, Heiban has an area of 929,097 square kilometres (358,726 sq mi) and lies between latitudes 7° and 20° South. It has a 3,935-kilometre (2,445-mile) coastline along the South Kesh Bay and the Iapetus Ocean, and it's home to more than a hundred islands and islets off its shore.

The country's landscape is characterised by a low-lying north-central plain that extends from east to west, home to many hills and valleys, and surrounded by uplands to the south and low mountains to the north. On the western end of this plain lies the largest body of water in the country, Lake Bao Giá, and the southern reaches of the West Kesh river basin, one of the largest on the planet. Extending from its central region are transitional plains to the south, thinly forested and rising to elevations of about 600 metres (1900 feet) above sea level. To the north the Gxean plain abuts a sandstone escarpment, which forms a southward facing cliff stretching for more than ??? kilometres (??? miles) from west to east, across almost the entire Heibanese-Gxean border, and rising abruptly above the plain to heights of 800 to 1,600 meters (2,800-5,200 feet). This cliff demarks most of Heiban's northeastern border and the southern limit of the Vàng Ðỉnh Mountain Range.

Flowing southward from the Vàng Ðỉnh Mountains, through Heiban's plains and southern hills is the Lào Mau River. East and west of the Lào Mau, the transitional plains gradually merge with the southern highlands, a region of forested hills and high plateaus that extend to the countries's southern coastlines, creating a massive valley around the river mouth and extending in a latitudinal fashion northeastward. This valley divides the southern Heibanese highlands into two blocks, the western side presents higher elevations and rougher terrain, giving way to a much more rugged coastline, and resulting in many peninsulas and islets off its shore. Part of the western highlands is Mount Buôn Pha, an eastward facing cliff, with a 770 meter (2,526 ft.) drop into the Iapetus Ocean at its peak. The southwestern highlands are the least populated region of Heiban due to its difficult access, and are home to three Nature Realm Protectorates.

The southeastern highlands are much smaller in comparison, and much easier to cross, with two large cities being located along the highlands' southern side. These have a much more gradual transition into both the central plains and the shores, with their highest peaks being located inland rather than close to the coast. The southeastern seaboard next to the highlands is smooth and devoted of islands. Unlike its western counterpart, this region is much more populated, with some of Heiban's biggest touristic hotspots being found here. Despite its smaller size, the southeastern highlands are the northern extension of the much larger Ramay Mountain Chain, that runs accross southeastern Heiban and the Ramayan islands.

Landscapes of Heiban

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  Tay Áo Peninsula Reserve, Bờ Biển province

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  Lake Bao Giá, Miền Bắc region

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  Bắc Nửa Valley, Yên Bái province

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  Empress Yến Mai National Park, Giọt Mưa province

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  Địa Báu Island, Ðảo Nam province

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  Farmlands outside Sa Hoa capital district, Hoi Ngãi province

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  Monsoon fields near Hà Kạn, Từ province

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  Vàng Ðỉnh Mountains National Park, Bước Núi province

Climate

Main article: Climate of Heiban

Wildlife and conservation

Main article: Flora and fauna of Heiban

See also: Yenbai Convention

The Heibanese gazelle is a common sight in Heiban, and has been the national symbol since the country's inception

The Sinh civilizations that have inhabited the Heibanese peninsula since before the Common Era have always held beliefs and practices regarding the protection of nature as a foremost priority. According to records found in western Heiban, sometime between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, the consumption of certain meats was not only frowned upon but also illegal and punishable with hanging. This is attributed to the region's native religions that, much like Buddhism, encouraged vegetarianism.

In the present day, Heiban's environmentally cautious and nature-friendly policies during the last few decades has been applauded by its citizens and activists alike. Almost every political party and coalition in the country has pushed for green policies at Parliament. Some of the environmental milestones of biggest renown in the country include the creation of the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity in 1903, considered a rare sight at the time, the approval of the Đất Mẹ Act in 1925 designed to put in place stricter environmental regulations on the many industries across the country to ensure good air, water, and soil quality, and the non-disturbance of the Heibanese flora and fauna, and the raise in the severity of punishments for environmental crimes, with poachers being charged with up to 50 years in prison, or the death penalty in some cases.

In 2021, Heiban became the first country in the world to address climate change and push for global green policies with the creation of the Yenbai Convention, named after the city of Yenbai, where the agreement was initially drafted and signed. The Convention put forward a goal to reduce carbon emissions by the half of the 21st century, and encourage its signatory countries to transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable ones, grant better legal protection to all flora and fauna through constitutional reform, and create more protected areas, among many other things, all of which have been part of Heiban's green agenda since 1970s. The Convention has been signed by 30 countries as of February of 2022.

There are 627 protected areas in Heiban that cover 23% of its territory, or nearly 213,692 km2 (82,506 sq mi). The state is also a self-proclaimed Ally for Nature, after having passed the Environmental Rights Act in 1991, declaring the protection of wildlife and biodiversity in the country an explicit national priority, and calling for constitutional reform. Today, the Constitution of Heiban recognizes the Rights of Nature, granting all flora and fauna within Heiban’s borders rights similar to fundamental human rights.

Heiban is a diverse nation, with countless species living in its territory. There are 312 mammal species, 547 bird species, 281 reptile species, 650 freshwater species, and 540 marine fish species according to scientists and zoologists, as well as approximately 5000 identified plant species. Much of the country’s biodiversity is contained near the southern and central regions, and around the many rivers feeding into the Iapetus Ocean and the South Kesh Bay.

Expeditions and tourism

Since the 1930s, the Ministry of Tourism along with the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Biodiversity of Heiban have funded guided expeditions, also known as thăm ngoài (探外), and promoted outdoor tourism in the country's savannas and wetlands. In 1945, the government decided to expand the territorial coverage of several protected areas in order to ensure more availability for expeditions and as a form of preventing environmental offenses, such as poaching or littering, punishable in Heiban with the death penalty or up to 30 years of imprisonment depending on the offense. In 1947, the Ministry of Defense created a new branch of the Army known as the Bureau of Environmental Security, tasked with the protection of protected areas, and patrolling all thăm ngoài expeditions. Since 1960, revenue from expeditions and outdoor tourism have contributed up to nearly 2% of the total GDP (PPP), and have become one of Heiban's largest marketing points for national tourism agencies, airlines, and the hospitality industry.

Overview of one of Hương Cai's waterfront districts

One of the main focus points for most of these expeditions are the western Heibanese wetlands, covering around 60,000 sq kilometres of land area, and expanding across eight provinces, with the city of Quốc Món, the third largest in the country, situated entirely within this region, being the second most visited city in the country after the capital city of Sa Hoa. Common to the western Heibanese wetlands are flamingos, hippopotami, crocodiles, elephants, and cranes, as well as countless types of flora, fish and bird species. At the center of the ecosystem sits Lake Bao Giá, the largest inland body of water in the country, at the shores of which is the city of Hương Cai, the sixth largest in the country, home to 1.3 million people. The city is famous for its intricate shape allowing for several waterfront properties in the residential neighborhoods.

The vast savannas expanding across Heiban's northern half are also attractive to tourists, as they host some of the country's most unique flora and fauna, some of which can only be found in Heiban. Characteristic of this region is the Heibanese gazelle.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Heiban

The Constitution of Heiban divides the Heibanese territory into subdivision levels, two administrative: provinces, prefectures, and municipalities, and one non-administrative: regions, or Hoàng (皇), historical subdivisions that only exist fo cultural purposes.

The first level of administrative divisions are the provinces of Heiban, of which there are 51. Each provinces is run by a Provincial Committee, a five-people body at the head of which sits the Governor. The Governors of Heiban are elected by the citizens of their respective province every 4 years, and upon election are tasked with forming the provincial government: the Provincial Committee. Despite not being a federation, the Heibanese government grants all of its provinces some form of autonomy, which gives the provincial governments the ability to administer policies in regards to taxes, education, health, transportation, and environment, as long as they don't contradict the federal law. All provinces carry cultural and social importance, as citizens tend to identify with their province of origin, all of which have their own traditions, foods, festivities, and customs.

Each province is subdivided into three prefectures, making up for a total of 153. The prefectures of Heiban serve electoral purposes, and are proportionally sized and located based on population. By law, all prefectures must have at least 50,000 permanent inhabitants within its borders to be considered as such. Like the provinces, prefectures fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government, however, not all prefectures within the same province have the same policies, as these are oftentimes shaped based on factors such as population, population density, and land area. For elections for Governor, each prefecture has what are known as Lại (吏), which are designated cities or towns where provincial elections take place. Almost every city in the country holds the status of Lại, however, in certain prefectures, there will only be no more than two Lại towns. This is the case of the Ðảo Nam province, entirely made up of islands, where nearly 35% of its population has to mail their voting ballots to their prefectural Lại due to distance.

As a third and last administrative level, each prefecture is divided into municipalities, for a total of 218. The municipalities of Heiban have purely electoral purposes as they are regarded as the national electoral districts. During parliamentary elections, each municipality will vote for a Member of Parliament to represent them in the Legislature. The number of municipalities is proportional to the population of each province, with one municipality for every 150,000 citizens, making for a total of 871 seats at Parliament as of 2022. Prior to 1962, there was only one municipality for every 50,000 citizens, this was changed after 48 of the 51 Provincial Committees filled a complaint to Parliament, claiming that the system was only beneficial to the province of Sa Hoa, which at the time had a total of 100 representatives in Parliament, while provinces such as Ðiện Bắc and Sự đi Vào had less than 3 each. It is estimated, according to population growth that the number of municipalities won't be in need for change until the year 2060.

The historical regions of Heiban, also known as Hoàng, were the primary national divisions between the 16th and 19th century. The region's boundaries were established by the Vũ dynasty, and majorly defined by the country's rivers, making up for a total of 10 Hoàng. Each one was ruled by members of the Royal Family known as Ladies or Vợ (𡞕). The regions were abolished and substituted with the current provinces in 1812, with the adoption of a constitutional monarchy system, however, the title of Vợ remains in use to this day, with each of them acting as ceremonial regional Heads of State, with no real political powers.

File:HEIBAN - Provinces.svg

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Verissi
(Nzambeya)

Cagayan

Iapetus Ocean

South Kesh Bay

Provinces

Identifier	Province	Region	Capital	Municipalities	Area (km²)	Population	Pop density (pop/km²)	Representatives
33	Bán Ðảo	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	4,577	1,863,543	407.15	TBD
13	Bằng Vàng	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	16,779	125,671	7.48	TBD
37	Bất Hạnh	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	13,705	442,401	32.2	TBD
47	Bị Mưa	Miền Lũng	TBD	TBD	19,314	495,908	25.67	TBD
22	Bờ Bắc	Miền Biển	TBD	TBD	13,324	501,032	37.60	TBD
20	Bờ Biển	Miền Biển	TBD	TBD	29,702	384,221	12.93	TBD
50	Bước Núi	Miền Gốc	TBD	TBD	38,716	98,542	2.54	TBD
41	Cái Mộc	Miền Sáng	TBD	TBD	18,774	230,054	12.25	TBD
36	Cấp Bậc	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	5,811	115,783	19.92	TBD
48	Cầu Vồng	Miền Gốc	TBD	TBD	15,602	392,976	25.18	TBD
25	Ðảo Nam	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	2,995	103,033	34.40	TBD
34	Ðặt Ðể	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	3,659	87,524	23.92	TBD
46	Dịch Vụ	Miền Lũng	TBD	TBD	11,947	454,612	38.05	TBD
11	Ðiện Bắc	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	29,927	21,348	0.71	TBD
28	Ðiện Nước	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	7,857	398,962	50.77	TBD
7	Ðồi Nhà	Miền Am	TBD	TBD	14,659	297,981	20.32	TBD
9	Dòng Sông	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	21,131	693,371	32.81	TBD
42	Ðông Tượng	Miền Sáng	TBD	TBD	16,812	1,987,429	118.21	TBD
16	Giọt Mưa	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	21,786	134,099	6.15	TBD
17	Giữa Nước	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	18,701	3,674,922	196.50	TBD
10	Góc Ðá	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	9,673	56,725	5.86	TBD
35	Hải Ðăng	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	5,752	192,337	33.43	TBD
26	Hành Lang	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	4,805	471,902	98.21	TBD
14	Hồ Gương	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	18,274	409,354	22.40	TBD
24	Hoa Nắng	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	16,056	304,527	18.96	TBD
44	Học Tập	Miền Lũng	TBD	TBD	11,710	129,843	11.08	TBD
8	Hoi Ngãi	Miền Am	TBD	TBD	33,545	553,226	16.49	TBD
38	Khá Liễu	Miền Vịnh	TBD	TBD	30,444	320,844	10.53	TBD
32	Khấu Ðuôi	Miền Cảng	TBD	TBD	3,466	906,861	261.64	TBD
15	Loài Linh	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	16,102	199,423	12.38	TBD
51	Lối Ði	Miền Gốc	TBD	TBD	16,300	678,932	41.65	TBD
31	Lồng Ngực	Miền Lũng	TBD	TBD	46,375	1,954,783	42.15	TBD
27	Lưỡi Trai	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	9,551	557,243	58.34	TBD
6	Mặt Ðất	Miền Am	TBD	TBD	22,889	998,356	43.61	TBD
39	Mở Lai	Miền Vịnh	TBD	TBD	32,625	893,324	27.38	TBD
21	Mũi Sóng	Miền Biển	TBD	TBD	11,090	582,347	52.51	TBD
5	Nghĩa Ðịa	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	10,404	2,693,485	258.88	TBD
30	Nửa Người	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	30,931	459,372	14.85	TBD
19	Quốc Món	Miền Biển	TBD	TBD	5,964	4,653,901	780.33	TBD
1	Sa Hoa	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	4,209	10,893,352	2,588.10	TBD
29	Sở Hữu	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	13,387	374,562	27.97	TBD
12	Sự đi Vào	Miền Bắc	TBD	TBD	11,833	21,984	1.85	TBD
18	Tây Cung	Miền Am	TBD	TBD	50,186	983,027	19.58	TBD
23	Thang Cỏ	Miền Ðảo	TBD	TBD	32,331	872,074	26.97	TBD
49	Thành Viên	Miền Gốc	TBD	TBD	16,550	542,954	32.80	TBD
3	Thiên Ðường	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	29,298	763,820	26.07	TBD
43	Từ	Miền Gốc	TBD	TBD	23,338	3,872,945	165.95	TBD
2	Vườn nữ Hoàng	Miền Vua	TBD	TBD	7,850	4,567,926	581.90	TBD
40	Xã Hội	Miền Sáng	TBD	TBD	19,847	782,935	39.44	TBD
45	Ý Tưởng	Miền Lũng	TBD	TBD	10,655	452,715	42.48	TBD
4	Yên Bái	Miền Vua	Yenbai	TBD	12,662	9,046,278	714.44	TBD

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Heiban

Country	Status	Notes	Mutual Embassies	Visa Requirement
Aftarestan	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Agrana y Griegro	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Airgialla	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Akiteiwa	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Albel	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Alva	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Arbenz	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Argata	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Arroyo-Abeille	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Atargistan	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Austrasia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Badzevalari	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Baileneu Ma	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Bakfong	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Boaga	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Brigantica	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Cagayan	Friendly		Yes	Yes
Cervera	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Chezzetcook	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Cipertine	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Confederate States of Northern Avalonia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Encarnação	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Gardarike	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Goetia	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Helinika	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Jungastia	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Kaya	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Kironia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Kitoko	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Kodeshia	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Mero-Curgovina	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Mespalia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Modrovia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Mursland	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Nasiria	Neutral		Yes	Yes
New Valentina	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Ostboland	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Paseiwa	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Prabhat	Friendly		Yes	No
Propyrgia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Qingcheng	Friendly		Yes	Yes
Ramay	Hostile		Yes	Yes
Ringerike	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Samotkhe	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Santa Magdalena	Neutral		Yes	Yes
South Kesh	Cordial		Yes	Yes
Svenskt	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Tavaluda	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Terres Riveraines	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Theyka	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Thuyiquakliq	Neutral		No	Yes
Tilenno	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Tiperyn	Neutral		Yes	Yes
URSA	Restrained		Yes	Yes
Veikaia	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Vrtgora	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Yeosan Islands	Neutral		Yes	Yes
Zahava	Neutral		Yes	Yes

Military

Main article: Armed forces of Heiban

Soldiers of the Royal Defense System during warfare training.

The Heibanese Royal System of Defense (Heibanese: 𠄩班系統房首帝國; Hai Ban Hệ thống Phòng thủ Đế quốc) are the armed forces of Heiban, under the direction of the General Chief of Heiban as supreme commander. Though not exercised, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the Monarch of Heiban holds reserve military powers such as the declaration of war, mobilization of troops, and dismissal of the General Chief. The armed forces consist of the Royal Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Forces, the Cultural Army, and Her Majesty's Royal Service.

The Royal System of Defense has a combined manpower of 525,000 active duty personnel and another 828,000 active reserve personnel. The head of the armed forces, as commander-in-chief, is the Monarch of Heiban, however this title has been only nominal for several years. The armed forces are managed by the Ministry of Defense of Heiban, headed by the Minister of Defense, and commanded by the Military Assembly of Heiban, headed by the General Chief. The Heibanese defense budget has increased from $49 billion to $92 billion in 2018, accounting for approximately 3.83% of the country's total GDP as of 2021. The increase in military spending has been attributed, by the Ministry of Defense, to the growing presence of the Collective International Security Treaty Organization (CISTO) in neighboring Ramay and Cagayan, and of Duvalism as an ideology in the region. In 2004, the Military Assembly declared the Republic of South Kesh a volatile state and increased protection of Heiban's Exlusive Economic Zone (EEZ). As of 2022, Heiban has the largest maritime military presence in the South Kesh Bay.

The Royal Army of Heiban (軍隊皇家; Quân đội hoàng gia) is the land-based branch of the military, and has a total manpower of 235,000 active personnel (duty and reserve). As a subdivision of the Royal Army, the Frontier Forces of Heiban make up one third of the total manpower, and nearly 95% of its personnel is stationed across Heiban's northern border, with the remaining 5% being located along the provincial borders. A small portion of the Royal Army is scattered across all Heibanese islands, with each one having at least 150 personnel present at all times.

Heibanese patrol vessels in the South Kesh Bay

The Royal Navy of Heiban (海軍皇家; Hải quân hoàng gia) is the branch of the armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It has a total manpower of 502,400 active personnel (duty and reserve), and at more than half a million people, it's by far the largest branch of the Heibanese military. The Royal Navy has one subdivision in the form of the Coast Guard of Heiban, which makes up two thirds of the Navy's total manpower. As a state surrounded on three sides by water, the Coast Guard's duties are considered among the most important in Heiban, these being: enforcement of the Heibanese EEZ and territorial waters, protection of Heiban's offshore islands, patrolling of the South Kesh Bay and the Iapetus Ocean, and securing of all rivers flowing into Heiban from bordering nations. During peacetime, the remaining one third of the Navy is tasked with the protection of all Heibanese ships, entering and leaving the South Kesh Bay, from piracy, common in the waters surrounding the Ramayan islands.

The Royal Air Forces of Heiban (力量空軍皇家; Lực lượng Không quân Hoàng gia) is the branch of the military that primarily conducts aerial warfare. During wartime it's responsible for gaining control of the air, carrying out strategic and tactical bombing missions, and providing support to land and naval forces often in the form of aerial reconnaissance and close air support. It has a total manpower of 195,000 active personnel (duty and reserve). During peacetime, the Air Forces' tasks are reduced to air policing, ensuring that the air sovereignty of Heiban is enforced by all nations, and air-sea rescue.

The Cultural Army of Heiban (軍隊文化; Quân đội Văn hóa) is the special branch of the military, comprising two subdivisions, tasked with year-round responsibilities specific to Heiban. The Cultural Army has a total manpower of 100,000 active duty personnel. The first of its subdivisions is the Royal Guard of Traditions, whose main task is that of "cultural protectionism", a concept known in Heiban as Sự Chắn (事振). The practice of Sự Chắn isn't that of policing or prohibiting certain traditions, but to ensure that those that partake in them do so correctly and respectfully. For instance, the Royal Guard of Traditions will usually have personnel stationed outside museums, cemeteries, temples, and any other location of cultural significance to Heiban. The second subdivision is the Bureau of Environmental Security, tasked with the responsibility of protecting all natural reserves and large urban green spaces in the country. Originally, the Bureau was part of the Royal Army, and most of its responsibilities were handled by the police forces of Heiban. The Cultural Army was created in 1972, along with the Royal Guard of Traditions as its only subdivision, with the Bureau of Environmental Security being included as a second subdivision in 1975.

H.M Royal Service receiving a member of the Royal Family.

Her Majesty's Royal Service (役務皇家𧵑陛下; Dịch vụ Hoàng gia của Bệ hạ) is the oldest branch of the military, and its main and only objective is safeguarding the Queen of Heiban and all of the Royal Family. H.M Royal Service has a total manpower of 50,000 active duty personnel, and unlike the other branches, it's commanded not by the Military Assembly but by the Royal Director of Security. The Royal Service is stationed at all times outside The Garden, the residency of the Royal Family in Sa Hoa, the residencies of all Royal Family members outside The Garden, the residency of all Lords and Ladies across the country, as well as all of the Royal Family's private dwellings. It's also tasked with accompanying and protecting the Queen, and any member of the Royal Family, during national or international travel.

As part of its political agenda, the armed forces of Heiban have specific instructions not to intervene in any form of international conflict unless directly commanded by the Monarch, as opposed to the Military Assembly. A special military program in Heiban, known as the Heibanese Cooperative Defense Program, is, when requested, specifically tasked with humanitarian missions abroad, such as escorting war refugees and environmental migrants from certain countries, ensuring security and welfare for refugees fleeing to Heiban, and assisting foreign governments in civilian protection during wartime, and in fights against human rights violations.

Despite having been in peacetime for most of its history, conscription in Heiban has been compulsory since 1945 for all citizens, regardless of gender, between the ages of 18 and 28, for an 18-month period. According to the Ministry of Defense, this is done to ensure the readiness of all citizens in the event of catastrophe or necessary war.

Education

Main article: Education in Heiban

Main Auditorium at the University of Sa Hoa, the most important and largest in the country

The Heibanese education system is composed of both state-owned and private institutions. All academic establishments are overseen and directed by the Ministry of Education, with an annual budget of $110.400 billion, or 4.6% of the country's total GDP. The education system is divided into five academic levels:

• An initial or preschool level for children between 1 and 5 years old. As an optional level, most parents decide to homeschool their children during preschool. However, all children within this age gap are required by law to take secondary language classes of any of the four languages recognized as "necessity languages" in Heiban: Ramayan, Eastern Ramayan Standard, Prabhati, or Guoyu. In an institution, children are enrolled at age 1 or 2, and for a duration of 4 years.
• An elementary or primary school level lasting 7 years, with children starting at ages 6 or 7 years old. It is from this level onwards that education in Heiban becomes mandatory by law, and parents who don't enroll children in school can be charged with child neglect and fined accordingly. As of 2020, the literacy rate for children in primary school was 99.3%.
• A secondary or high school level lasting 6 years, with students starting at ages 13 or 14 years old. At this level religious classes become mandatory across all Heibanese institutions. Students must choose one of the following specialization when enrolling into high school: Literature and Languages, Science, Technology, or Arts. As of 2020, 91.4% of citizens between ages 13 and 19 were enrolled in secondary school.
• A tertiary level or preparatory school lasting 2 years, with students starting at ages 19 or 20. Students must select a career of their pleasing during which they will receive the appropriate education on that field of study. After graduation, students will receive a Basic Education Degree certifying that they have completed all mandatory academic levels, and are therefore elegible to work. As of 2015, 81.4% of all working adult citizens reported having a Basic Education Degree.
• A final level or university with an unfixed duration, for all citizens aged 21 and above. Although university isn't mandatory in Heiban, most students decide to enroll after preparatory school to gain access to better jobs, which tend to require a university degree. In order to enroll in university, one must be a Heibanese citizen or holder of a student visa, and pass an entrance exam in the event the person enrolling doesn't have a Basic Education Degree.

Primary school students in Tải Dông

A completed academic cycle in Heiban will last an average of 23.5 years.

Due to Heiban's compulsory military service for all able citizens, both female and male, most students will choose to enroll in the military instead of moving over to preparatory school, in which case they'll receive basic courses at the military academy they've enrolled, and be granted a National Service Degree, which is as valid as a Basic Education Degree when enrolling in university.

Education is considered of the upmost importance in Heiban, and much of the country's culture has shaped the way the education system operates. Students are expected to maintain their schools clean, and faculty must offer green and religious spaces on campus. The profession of teacher is considered sacred in the country, and every citizen is expected to pay their respects to teachers and professors alike. University professors hold one of the highest wages in the country, comparable to doctors and certain positions of government.

Because of its compulsory nature, the Heibanese government has made education public, free, and accessible for all first four levels in every prefecture in the country, while also offering public education at the university level in all major cities, with the University of Sa Hoa being the largest in the country, and one of the oldest in the region, receiving international students from countries across Kesh. Today, 97.3% of all citizens are or have been enrolled in some form of academic institution, with 81.4% of those being holders of a Basic Education Degree, and 70.2% of a university degree.

Science and technology

Economy

Main article: Economy of Heiban

Since the start of the 21st century, Heiban is considered the most advanced country in Southern Kesh in economic and industrial development. The national quality university education and the establishment of a highly motivated and educated populace is largely responsible for spurring Heiban's high technology boom and rapid economic development. As of 2022, Heiban has a GDP by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) of $2.400 trillion, the largest in Southern Kesh, and 6th largest in the continent, with a GDP (PPP) per capita of $39,025.

Heiban is a developed country with a free-market and high-income economy. From the mid 1920s to the late 1970s, along with South Kesh, the country's economy was one of continent's fastest-growing economies. During the Lost Decade in the 1980s, the country, along with the entire Southern Kesh region, saw a massive economic recession. Heiban suffered significant setbacks during the Lost Decade. Growth fell by 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 1981 from the previous quarter, the first negative quarterly growth in 15 years, with year on year quarterly growth continuing to be negative into 1983. Most sectors of the economy reported declines, with manufacturing dropping 27.2% as of January 1984, and consumer goods sales dropping 4.6%. Exports in medical and research technology, heavy industry, two critical pillars of the economy, shrank 53.9% and 49.1% respectively, while exports overall fell by a record 38.3% in January, and 19.3% in February 1984 year on year.

Despite the recession caused by the Lost Decade, the Heibanese economy, helped by timely stimulus measures and strong domestic consumption of products that compensated for a drop in exports, was able to avoid a recession unlike the rest of the Southern Kesh economies, posting for a positive economic growth for two consecutive years of the crisis. In 1985, Heiban made a strong economic rebound with a growth rate of 7.3%, signaling a return of the economy to pre-crisis levels. Heiban's exports has recorded $531 billion in the first eleven months of the year 1985, already higher than its export in the whole year of 1983. The Heibanese economy witnessed a growth in the remainder of the 20th century from 4.1% to 4.9% annually between 1986 and 2000.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Heiban

Nón Thông station, part of the Line E underground metro system in Sa Hoa.

The transport network in Heiban is one of the most developed in the region, with virtually every single corner of the country being interconnected by some form of transportation accessible to all citizens, the most popular of these being the railway system. Set to finish in 2027, the network of railways that runs across Heiban is one of the largest in southern Kesh, connecting every provincial capital and large city with one another, as well as minor cities and towns. Apart from acting as transport methods between cities, a single railway line called The Ring, colloquially called Ổ, runs along Heiban's coasts and northern international border, creating a circular railway that connects with international train lines driving into bordering countries, as well as national lines leading to the major urban centres. Although most of Heibanese railway lines remain unaltered from when they were originally built, the undergoing project seeking to modernize the country's transport system will have replaced all long distance carriers for bullet trains by April of 2022.

Maritime transportation has grown increasingly common in the past decades, as the population in Heiban's offshore islands grows, and so does the need to move between them and the mainland's financial centers, where most people are employed. Ferries are largely the most common method of transport between the islands and the mainland, however, the use of larger ships has become more frequent with the increase in population and the demand for maritime travel, this last one being particularly true as new maritime routes have been created between mainland cities, as is the case with the Nằn Lương-Ngốc Lạt ship route, the most used in the country, carrying nearly 300,000 passengers per day in either direction. Commercial maritime routes have also gained traction, as tourism in the South Kesh Bay increases in popularity. The most common international maritime routes departing from Heiban include those connecting it to the countries with shores in the east of the South Kesh Bay.

Hai Phà ship, en route from Địa Báu Island to Ngốc Lạt.

Public transportation is the most common way of commuting in the country. According to the 2020 census, 89% of the population used methods of public transportation (bus, subway, ferry, or train) as their main way of travel. All public transport is overseen and run by the Ministry of Transport, subsidized by the government, and owned by private transport companies, such as Interra (Subways), Tàubờ and Hai Phà (Ferries and ships), or Đi Xa (Highways). The capital city of Sa Hoa is come to one of the largest underground networks in the continent, with 30 lines and 405 stations, with the current subway line expansion having an estimated finish date set for 2023, which will add 4 new lines and 43 stations.

Air travel, though not as common as every day transportation, is highly available across most cities in the country. Every provincial capital and urban prefecture is home to an international airport, making for a total of 16, with the largest and most frequented of them being Sa Hoa International Airport in the country's capital. All international airports offer layover and non-stop long distance flights to Avalonia, Artemia and Kesh, however, Heiban isn't a common layover stop itself due to its location in the southern hemisphere; only a few flights will have layovers in Sa Hoa or Thầy Đây, with the most common route for layovers in Heiban being those between western Artemia and southern Kesh. National flights are available for nearly all citizens as most minor cities host national airports, with the busiest national air route being that of Sa Hoa-Thầy Đây, the two largest cities in the country.

Despite its extensive transport infrastructure, the government of Heiban has managed to balance this with the green policies that have been a national staple for nearly a century. No transport line goes through or near protected areas or national parks, and all city parks and urban green spaces are as far away from the local highways as possible. In 2002, Queen Lý Chiêu put forward a campaign encouraging citizens to use public transport instead of purchasing new cars, this was backed up by the elected government a year later when new driving laws were put in place in 2003, allowing car owners the usage of their vehicles only a set amount of days per week. Initially, this law would only affect cars, but in 2005 a reform expanded the law's reach to apply to motorcycles, trucks, and tractors.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Heiban

As of 1 January 2020, Heiban had a population of 61.4 million, according to its last census, with an estimated population for 2021 of 62.6 million, projecting for an annual population growth rate of 1.94%. According to the Constitution of Heiban the only official and national language is Heibanese, spoken by virtually every citizen in the country as either a first or second language, with the official percentage of fluent speakers being 99.6% as of 2020. The country also recognizes four languages academically as "Necessity Languages" (㗂必要; Tiếng Tất Yếu), these being Ramayan, Eastern Ramayan Standard, Prabhati, and Guoyu. More languages are spoken across the country in concentrated areas however, these are only categorized as "Minority languages" and carry no official government recognition.

Population

Main article: Population of Heiban

As of 2022, there are six cities in Heiban with a population of over one million people, with the largest of these being the capital city of Sa Hoa, one of the largest capital cities in the world by both land area and population. All large cities in the country have access to the sea, whether direct by being coastal cities, or indirect by being located on a river. As of 2021, 46.1% of the population lived in the twenty largest cities, and 39.7% lived in the smaller cities and towns, making for a total of 85.8% of the population living in urban areas, while the remaining 14.1% lives in rural areas.

Ethnicity

Main article: Sinh people, Zhou people, Ramayan people

Rice farmer in Tứ Mẫu Ngáy.

Based on the 2020 census, the Secretary of Population and Census of Heiban issued a statistical report that stated that around 93.2% of the population identified as ethnic and linguistically Sinh, making Heiban one of the most ethnically homogenous countries in southern Kesh. The Sinh people are the native population of Heiban, with records of their presence in the peninsula dating as far back as 2,000 BCE. Linguistically, every Sinh person in Heiban declared a full comprehension and usage of the Heibanese language in every day life, with the cities reporting the largest number of Sinh citizens being the capital city of Sa Hoa (9.8 million), Thầy Đây (7.4 million), and Quốc Món (6.5 million).

Zhou people make up the largest ethnic minority in the country, with the latest census reporting only 2.1% of the population to claim ancestral ties to the former Kodeshi Empire (present-day Kodeshia and Qingcheng). During the country's time as a vassal, Zhou people used to make up the largest ethnic group at an estimated 52%, however, this number has been decreasing with time as Heiban entered a period known as "Kodeshi Cleansing", during which those of ethnic Zhou background would be excluded from "Sinh spaces", this was the closest Heiban has gotten to practice segregation, however, these practices always remained purely of social and cultural nature and were never promoted by the government. Zhou population only increased in the 20th and 21st century with Heiban's rebuilding its ties with Kodeshia. Today, there are 1.2 million Zhou people in Heiban, and the cities with the largest Zhou populations are Giáp Đạt (800 thousand), Sa Hoa (300 thousand), and Giả Phố (100 thousand), with an approximate remaining 91,400 Zhou people scattered across the country.

Ethnically mixed people make up the second largest percent of the population at 4%, however, these are not categorized by the government as a distinct ethnic group, and as such, many mixed people tend to either identify was Sinh or 'Other'. Because of this, as well as historical reasons, that occurred during the era of the Three Monarchs, such as illicit marriages, kidnapping of infants, or the destruction of birth certificates, the estimated real percentage of mixed people on Heiban, according to most scientists and anthropologists alike, is somewhere near 40%. Out of the 2.4 million people that identify as 'mixed', about 80% are categorized as Sinh-Zhou, 18% as Sinh and other southern Kesh ethnicity (mostly Ramayan or Prabhati), with the remaining 2% being those of mixed foreign ancestry, such as Zhou-Ramayan or Prabhati-Ramayan. The cities reporting the largest percentage of Mixed people in Heiban are Sa Hoa (1 million), Thầy Đây (800 thousand), and Tải Dông (600,000), with an approximate remaining 59,900 mixed people living in other parts of Heiban.

A remaining 0.7%, or 430,490 people, were categorized under 'Other' during the 2020 census. Most people under this category are those of Ramayan, Prabhati or Cagayano heritage, with Ramayan representing the largest number at 290,500 people. The cities with the biggest cities of citizens ethnically categorized as 'Other' are those in the southeastern region of the country, with the city of Sứ Bất being home to the largest Ramayan community in Heiban.

Language

First-language distribution of Heiban

•       Heibanese

•       Guoyu

•       Ramayan

The Consitution of Heiban recognizes the Heibanese language as the only official national language, spoken by around 99.6% of the population. Heibanese is the native language to the region, and as the only language in the world of Austroasiatic descendance it has been categorized as a language isolate by certain linguists in the country. As a result from lasting Kodeshi occupation during the region's early development as a state, the introduced Guoyu script and linguistic influence from the Guoyu language have become integral parts of the Heibanese language that have been carried into the present day. The Heibanese script, or Chữ Sinh (𡨸生) is a logographic writing system, that shares many characters with the Traditional Guoyu used in the 13th century, with certain characters however, being unique to the Heibanese language and developed to better fit Old Heibanese vocabulary. Due to these similarities, the Guoyu and Heibanese languages are somewhat mutually intelligible in their written form, however this does not apply to spoken language, especially as both languages have grown apart over the years due to geographical distance. In the 20th century, due to the script's increasing presence in the region as a result of colonial settlements, the country officially adopted the Latin script, known in Heiban as Chữ Mới (𡨸㵋), as a national and signage script. Despite rising popularity in the usage of Chữ Mới, which is considered easier to read by a majority of the population, the government insists in keeping Chữ Sinh as the primary national script, considered an integral aspect of Heibanese culture.

The second most common language spoken in the country is Guoyu, with nearly 14 million people speaking it as a first or second language. Most of the Guoyu-speaking population is comprised of bilingual citizens whose first language is Heibanese, whereas the number of people that have Guoyu as a first language in Heiban is around 2 million. The reason for almost 20% of the population to pick up Guoyu as a second language is due to Heiban's education system, which requires al citizens to learn one of the country's four "Necessity languages" (㗂必要; Tiếng Tất Yếu). The most popular of these languages is Guoyu, mostly due to shared similarities with Heibanese, such as script and vocabulary. Citizens whose first language is Guoyu are mainly concentrated in the country's northwest, in line with the cities with the largest population of ethnically Zhou people. Many mixed Sinh-Zhou people identify as bilingual and are usually raised speaking both languages simultaneously.

At 5 million speakers, Ramayan makes up the third largest language in Heiban. Much like Guoyu, the largest percentage of Ramayan speakers at 4 million, comes from those who've learned it as a second language. The Ramayan language is a much more common Necessity Language in southern Heiban, as opposed to Guoyu, which has more popularity in the north. The biggest concentration of Ramayan speakers is in the city of Sứ Bất, locally known as the "Ramayan capital of Heiban". Consequently, a majority of the Heibanese-speaking population in this region are more frequent users of the Chữ Mới script compared to the north where Chữ Sinh has a wider use. The Ramayan languages (Ramayan and Eastern Ramayan Standard) have historically carried a big significance for Heiban, and were considered the most important languages to learn for business and economic reasons, and Ramay and South Kesh were some of the country's biggest trading partners. However, this has changed in recent times as Ramay has leaned more with ideologies opposing those of Heiban, and South Kesh begins to resurface from a human rights violation crisis in the late 20th century.

Other common communities of linguistic minorities exist along the country's northern borders, and certain neighborhoods in some of the country's largest cities have entire populations of speakers of minority languages, like it's the case of the cities of Mã Lôi Cao and Bắc Điền. The most common minority languages found in Heiban are Tiberico and Prabhati.

Religion

Main article: Mẹ giáo, Religion in Heiban

Heibanese Tỉ-khâu-ni.

The Constitution of Heiban recognizes only one religion as official on a national level: Mẹ giáo. Although freedom of religion is observed and legal in Heiban, it is socially perceived as wrong or immoral not to adhere to any religion, with the atheist Heibanese population making up less than 1% of the total. When entering Heiban, it is required by law to state one's religious status, and in similar fashion, all Heibanese passports and IDs must have a 'religion' line, where citizens must declare an official faith or self-identify as irreligious. As of January 2022, about 89.4% of the population identifies as Mẹ giáo, 5.2% identifies as Taoist, 3.9% identifies as Uyghandist, and the remaining 1.5% identifies as 'Irreligious' or 'Other'. Mẹ giáo is passed down from mother to their child, meaning that until said child comes of age (18), they must adhere to the same religion as their mother.

Prior to the integration of Heiban into the Zhou Empire as a vassal state, the territory was home to several small local religions, traditional to Sinh culture. It is believed that many of these religions merged into one at a point in time between the 3rd and 4th centuries, as anthropological evidence of many of the same traditions and customs dating back to these years appear across the peninsula, and in places where, prior to the 3rd century, its inhabitants would follow different religions practices. These first pre-colonial faith was given the name of Tin Nhất (信一), and it is the staple for much of the foundation of not only Mẹ giáo as the national faith, but of many Heibanese practices and ideologies (preservation of wildlife, matriarchal society, etc.).

Taoism was first introduced in the 12th century, as a result of growing trading relations between Heiban and Kodeshia. In the mid 13th century, the religion gained more traction as it became the official religion of Heiban as a vassal state. This was done in an attempt to fully integrate the Heibanese territory into Zhou values and lifestyle. Taoist temples were constructed all over the country, and in the larger cities, with a more prominent Zhou presence, the practice of Tin Nhất came close to forbidden. Despite the efforts, much of the native population refused to practice Taoism as an act of resistance, and which persisted for much of the territory's occupation. This resistance came later into play in the mid 16th century, when Samot Uyghandist missonaries arrived to the shores of the peninsula looking to spread their religious believes across the region. Much of the native Heibanese population found refuge in the newly introduced religion, which was not prohibited by the Zhou authorities, and by 1515, an estimated 85% of the native Heibanese population was fully adherent to Uyghandism.

Mẹ giáo (媄教) didn't exist formerly as a religion until the mid 17th century. The religion is a result of the native Sinh religious beliefs that managed to be preserved during Kodeshi occupation a century prior, and the Uyghandist beliefs and practices introduced by Samot missionaries. Mẹ giáo belief system consists of the Four Palaces, or Tứ Phủ (四府), each representing a different realm: Heaven, Mountains, Water and Earth, and each ruled by a different Mother Goddess. These Mothers, or Mẫu (母), have been part of Sinh folklore for centuries, and of origin unknown. It wasn't until the arrival of Uyghandism, that the Mẫu began to be considered native Sinh women who had reached enlightenment, and lived in Heiban around the 6th century BCE, based on the first appearance of their artistic depictions. With this, developed the idea of the Four Noble Truths, or Tứ Diệu Đế (四妙諦), and as a way to observe Tứ Diệu Đế, religious practices came into play, such as meditation, monasticism, praying to the Mẫu, the cultivation of Đức hạnh (德行), and the observance of Ngũ giới (五戒).

The observance of Ngũ giới has become particularly important in Heiban as a state, and to ensure the complete integration of Mẹ giáo in all aspects of society, in 1910 the government and the Monarchy put forward a set of five sacred laws known as Ngũ phép (五法), modeled after the Ngũ giới. The Heibanese Ngũ phép are as follows:

Grand Temple of Tiền Lúc, Hướng Bắc province. The oldest Mẹ giáo temple in the country.

1. To abstain from onslaught on breathing beings: This includes the acts of murder or homicide, ordering or causing someone else to kill another human being, kidnapping, torture, arson, and in recent times it’s been used to promote the practice of vegetarianism and veganism nationwide. Loopholes have been built around this belief in order to justify the death penalty, which can be dictated by the Monarch of Heiban or the Ladies of Justice. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with the death penalty.
2. To abstain from taking what is not given: This includes all forms of theft, tax evasion and tax fraud, forgery, blackmail, burglary, extortion, pickpocketing, smuggling and vandalism. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment.
3. To abstain from misconduct concerning sense-pleasures: This includes adultery, rape, bestiality, incest, prostitution and pedophilia, with the legal age of consent being 21 years old. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment or the death penalty.
4. To abstain from false speech: This includes the criminal offense of lèse-majesté, terrorism, as well as any form of defamation of the government and its ideology through written or spoken speech. All published material that doesn’t align with this precept is banned or censored, and punishable with imprisonment or the death penalty.
5. To abstain from alcoholic drink or drugs that are an opportunity for heedlessness: This includes the consumption and distribution, whether through selling or buying, of illegal substances. Medicinal drugs and alcoholic beverages have been excluded from this belief for several decades. Crimes performed against this belief are punishable with imprisonment.

The Protector of the Faith of Heiban is the person in charge of interpreting and protecting the national religion, as well as deeming which practices are to be considered moral or immoral. Traditionally, this title is held by the Monarch of Heiban and is passed down in hereditary fashion, however, this title is not exercised, and its responsibilities are given instead to the Mẫu phụ, also known as the Religious Guardian. The Mẫu phụ of Heiban is always a woman, and is re-selected by the Head Monks of the Four Palaces every 20 years. The Head Monks are the heads of the Four Palaces, and are the people in charge of spreading the religious teaching to the rest of the nation.

Sexuality and gender

Main article: Women's rights in Heiban, LGBTQ+ rights in Heiban

Vương Nguyên Hồng, current Matriarch of Heiban.

Since its inception as a constitutional monarchy, the state of Heiban has been a self-declared matriarchy, a tradition that dates back to the times of the Sinh states of the peninsula, prior to contact with Kodeshia was established. As such, much of the country's fundamental laws around inheritance, marriage, religion, politics, and personal freedoms, have always included, and in certain instances favored, women. Virtually all forms of inheritance, including that of succession in Heiban's own Royal Family, are matrilineal in nature, meaning that are passed down from mother to daughter (or son in some instances), but never from the father. In a similar fashion, all citizens are receptors upon birth of their maternal surname and maternal religion. The country has a ceremonial head of state, without any government functions, known as the Matriarch of Heiban, a hereditary position that serves an entirely symbolical function, reintroduced to the country as a nod to the ancient Matriarchs of Heiban. Women's rights in the country have not been contested for nearly five centuries, and women are often more encouraged than men to apply for positions in government, finances, and science. Because women in Heiban are, culturally, expected to act as both providers and nurturers, new mothers are constitutionally entitled to 52 weeks of paid maternity leave, which can sometimes be contested for more. A gender pay gap does exist in the country, where men earn on average 76% of what women are paid for the same work, because of this, it is not uncommon for single mothers to move and raise their children together, as their salary combined is oftentimes larger than that of a mother and a father. This has increased with the years, leading to a new family composition by the name of Mẹ đôi (媄堆).

Mẹ đôi saw its first and biggest boom in the early 90s, when about 60% of single mothers across the country reported to be living in a shared house with another single mother. Eventually, this resulted in many of these women living together forging marriage certificates to acquire the benefits that came with legal unions in areas such as hospital, rent, ownership, taxes, and social security. During the time however, though not illegal, there was no part of the Constitution that mentioned same-sex unions and relationships, resulting in an increasing demand, in 1994, for same-sex marriage to be added to the Constitution. A bill was presented to Parliament in August of 1995 that would allow for same-sex marriage nationwide. The bill was passed on 6 September 1995, however, it was only made to include legal unions between two women, as men were still expected to procreate and take part in heterosexual marriages. This was contested when in 2001, Prince Bảo Sơn, the oldest child of Princess Tố Nhi, current Heir Aparent to the Heibanese Crown, was confirmed to be in a relationship with another man. In support to his grandson, Queen Lý Chiêu presented a bill to Parliament to extend the legal status of same-sex marriage to be applied to men. This bill was passed on 16 October 2003, and was revised to also include the recognition of same-sex unions that had taken place in other countries.

LGBTQ+ pride celebration in Sa Hoa, October 2019.

LGBTQ+ rights have never been debated in Heiban, as the state religion and native traditional beliefs show no indicators of intolerance toward same-sex relations. Based on ancient records, it is estimated that in early Sinh civilizations, men and women alike would marry people of the same gender to raise children together in the absence of one of the biological parents, however, this has yet to be confirmed, due to major linguist differences that arise during translation. Queer people in Heiban are often respected and not discriminated against, particularly those of older generations. Nevertheless, exceptions exist, particularly in the northeast of the province, where Zhou presence is more prominent. In 2017, the LGBTQ+ organization "Heibanese Queer Front" conducted an online survey about queer people in Heiban that managed to gather nearly 100,000 responses across the country, and out of these responses, 89% of queer surveyors affirmed to feeling safe in non-queer spaces, 87% of non-queer surveyors claimed to not be bothered by LGBTQ+ presence in Heiban, and 94% of all surveyors agreed when asked "is Heiban LGBTQ+ friendly?". Since 2003, laws have been created to protect queer youth, and in 2009 the Ministry of Education called for a zero-tolerance policy to be put in place in all academic institutions. Pride parades are held every year in the month of October in the country's largest cities, with the one held in the capital city of Sa Hoa being one of the largest in the continent.

There are records of transgender people existing and being openly present in Heibanese society that go as far back as the 3rd century. It was not uncommon for men to wear women's clothes, as these were oftentimes produced in larger quantity, and in more recent times have been considered more comfortable to wear during the summer months. Men were encouraged to wear make up and keep their hair long, as it was associated with femininity, and in turn considered positive. During the 13th century, certain men would want accessibility to women's jobs, and for this they would begin to live as women. These practices were severely pushed back with the introduction of Zhou values, and made illegal during most of the 15th century. However, as with many other early Heibanese traditions, transgenderism became reintegrated in the country during the 19th century, and today, Heiban is one of the countries to perform the largest amount of sex reassignment surgeries (SRS), receiving patients from all over the world.

Health

Main article: Health in Heiban

Bùi Phương Quyên Hospital in Sa Hoa, the largest in the country.

Health and medical care in Heiban is overseen by the Ministry of Health, along with the many non-ministerial government agencies, with total national expenditures on health amounting to 25.9% of the total GDP in 2018. Heiban's healthcare system employs nearly 13.4 million people across the entire country, in all areas of medicine (nursery, surgery, military, pediatrics, etc.). Since the 1990s, the Heibanese government has put extensive focus on the healthcare system, increasing the budget of the Ministry of Health from 5.3% of the GDP in 2001, to 12% in 2004. This, in turn, has resulted in many medical breakthroughs taking place throughout the years in many of Heiban's laboratories, and the development and high end technology to be used for both medical treatment and research. As of 2020, one of Heiban's main exports are pharmaceutical products, such as aspirin, vaccines, and diabetes medication, as well as medical equipment, such as microscopes, ambulances, and hospital beds.

Since 2006, Heiban has had public and universal healthcare, which all citizens and foreigners have constitutional right to access. It's estimated that around 63% of the population are reliant on the public healthcare system, while the remaining 37% are possessors of a medical insurance, oftentimes provided by the private companies to their employees and their immediate family. There are nearly 2,000 public hospitals across Heiban, most of them located in the provinces of Miền Vua, Ðông Sự, and Ngoài Vực. Something that has been criticized several times by the general public, is the religious detachment from medicine in the country, as almost no hospital or clinic in Heiban has a praying space, and virtually all medical research is conducted without regard to religious morality.

Medical education in Heiban has grown in importance, particularly during the 21st century, as classes such as First Aid, Nutrition, and Anatomy, go from optional to compulsory status in most high schools across the country. As of 2022, university medical students amount to nearly 22 million.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Heiban

Heibanese man (left) practicing Sử Chắn with a foreigner by teaching him to play the Heibanese board game cờ tướng.

Heiban's culture is unique to the region, drawing aspects of ancient traditions and customs from the native Sinh population, as well as introduced elements from the Kodeshi Empire around the 11th century and onwards. Heibanese culture itself is regarded as a hybrid mixture of these regional customs merging together, and influenced by the national religion, Mẹ giáo, which in itself draws aspects from Uyghandism, a Samot religion, and native Sinh religions. In 2018 the Ministry of Culture issued a report proclaiming the 'cultural unity' of Heiban, stating that nearly 98% of the population adhered, followed, and respected national cultural traditions and integrity, with only a minority, usually members of immigrant families, not partaking in Heiban's customs. This is attributed to the work of the Royal Guard of Traditions (Heibanese: 保衛傳統𧵑皇家; Bảo vệ truyền thống của Hoàng gia), a branch of the military tasked with enforcing the Heibanese concept of Sử Chắn (事振).

Sử Chắn

Sử Chắn (事振), literally translated as "shielding history", is a Heibanese cultural concept, that consists in ensuring that those who follow Heibanese traditions do so respectfully, correctly and with the right intention. This is usually done through teaching, lawmaking, guiding, and exposure. The practice was first developed around the 18th and 19th centuries as a way to teach Heibanese children how to properly follow traditions, however, it was during the 20th century that Sử Chắn gained traction and recognition as a common practice with the increase in globalization, migratory waves, and tourism. Today, it is very common for Sử Chắn to be practiced with foreigners and tourists visiting the country, to ensure that they are properly partaking in Heibanese tradition without being disrespectful. Although Sử Chắn is generally viewed as a positive thing, it is inherently a neutral concept, and people are free to choose their approach to the practice. For instance, while some shops will teach tourists how to wear traditional Heibanese attire, others might prohibit the selling of traditional clothing to non-Heibanese people, and both instances are considered to be Sử Chắn in practice. In essence, the main goal of Sử Chắn is to avoid cultural disrespect, which can be done by enlightening foreigners or sheltering the tradition from them. Sử Chắn can never be practiced by non-Heibanese people, as it's viewed as an extreme act of disrespect to the country.

Common practices

Many of Heiban's common practices date back to before the 10th century, and though many have been adapted with time, they are still important to Heibanese culture, and considered a core aspect for national identity. Some of the most common practices done to this day are:

Woman selling lotus flowers during Khóc Sen.

• Nhất nhìn Nhất chào (一𥆾一嘲): Literally translated as "first seen, first greet". A common practice in Heiban for non-family settings, consists in greeting people in a group starting with those known the longest to those yet to meet. This practice has existed in Heiban since the 7th century, but has gotten less strict with time. Today, it's not really important for people to greet a group in the exact order of acquaintance, as long as those that they don't know yet are greeted last. This is because a proper formal introduction in Heiban is considerably longer than a greeting, and is therefore considered rude to leave those people who only require a greeting waiting for the formal introduction to be over.

• Khóc Sen (哭蓮): Literally translated as "to mourn the lotus flower". A practice observed at the end of every lunar month, consists in laying a lotus flower on the nearest river for every lost loved one recently. As part of Khóc Sen it is also common to recite the Từ Tang (自桑), a spiritual prayer to honor a person's death. Those who have not lost loved ones they can remember will usually not take part in the practice, or will instead lay a flower for a loved one of a friend. The biggest instance of Khóc Sen in recorded Heibanese history took place in 2001 after the death of the Queen Mother Hải Vân at the age of 85, for whom it is estimated that nearly 40 million people laid a lotus flower.

• Tặng Mình (贈𠇮): Literally translated as "to gift oneself". This practice dates back to the 16th century, not long after Heibanese independence from Imperial Kodeshia, and it consists in bringing a gift whenever entering someone's house for the first time. The act of giving someone a gift in Heiban is considered a very respectful act, and it hails from the importance given to the concept of individual ownership. Making gifts symbolizes trust, respect, and appreciation in Heibanese culture.

Art

Main article: Heibanese art

Con Rối Bóng, a traditional form of puppet-shadow play originally found in Heibanese culture.

Heibanese art includes both age-old art forms developed through centuries and recently developed contemporary art. Its origins have been heavily influenced by Sinh art, and by scenes from Kodeshi epics, with the most recent addition of Uyghandism and Mẹ giáo influence in the more contemporary art forms. Traditional Sinh art started as a style of visual narrative through paintings in stone, that depicted subjects in two dimensions without perspective, with the size of each element in the picture reflecting its degree of importance. In this technique the main elements are isolated from each other by space, eliminating the intermediate ground that would otherwise imply perspective. This art form was later influenced by Kodeshi presence in Heiban, resulting in the development of shadow puppetry (Heibanese: 𡥵𤞖䏾; Con Rối Bóng), that consisted in creating an artistic narrative of tales and key elements of Kodeshi influence wile using Sinh art techniques. Today, the most frequent narrative subjects from paintings include Kodeshi and Sinh folklore, Uyghandist and Mẹ giáo tales, as well as fictional Sinh about the earth, its formation and events, that have been accustomed to the modern age form of storytelling.

Much of modern Heibanese sculpture almost exclusively depicts images of the Mother Goddesses, part of the Mẹ giáo pantheon, and of Uyghandist figures, differentiating itself from the Samot style by using techniques of a much more traditional and antique Taoist form of art brought in from Imperial Kodeshia in the 15th century. Wood and stone are the most common materials used for traditional Heibanese sculpting, especially among the Sinh people whose ancestors would almost exclusively make sculptures out of carved wood. Between the 12th and 19th century, the people of Heiban developed a refined stone sculpting art and architectural influence by immigrant Kodeshi civilization. The Temple of Tiền Lúc is among the most famous examples of this practice.

Architecture

Literature

Entertainment

Main article: Cinema in Heiban, Heibanese music

Film

Heibanese film Luôn Luôn (2004). One of the most popular in the country

The film industry in Heiban is one of the largest in southern Kesh, with the five largest film studios in the country spending an average of $15.4 billion annually. Most of the movies produced in Heiban specialize in the drama and horror and psychological thriller genres, historical and nonfiction films not being as well received by the general audience. Though foreign film industries are usually well-received by the public and government alike, particularly those of east Kesh and north Avalonia, movies from certain countries must be put under review to ensure and censored accordingly to ensure that they don't act propaganda against the government's ideologies.

Films were first introduced in the country in the early 20th century, after its popularization in Artemia and east Kesh. The production of film didn't take place in Heiban until a few years later, with the first Heibanese film Im Lặng Là Vàng, directed by Lạc Trọng Chính, and released 18 March 1914. The mute, black and white, 85-minutes feature film took 7 months to film and it costed almost $3.2 million, or $40.6 million when adjusted for inflation. It was acclaimed by the critiques and the public alike. As the first domestic film, it was the one to set the standard for the Heibanese film industry during most of the 20th century in terms of production, script, and themes. Heibanese cinema is characterized by its use of unsettling plot devices and dialogue, as well as big expressions from its actors. The most popular genre in the country is horror or thriller, which has become a staple of modern Heibanese culture.

Heibanese TV shows and silver screen films are usually much lighter than movies in themes and production, with the most popular being comedies and musicals. Animation is fairly common in the country, especially in films, with animation studios spending an average of $12.4 billion annually. The first animated Heibanese film was Truyện Ngắn, released in 1995 and making nearly $200 million at the box office. Heiban also imports animated movies and TV shows produced abroad, which are then dubbed to Heibanese or subtitled. Aside from scripted shows and domestic films, the silver screen is also characterized by variety shows, usually hosted by or hosting Heibanese celebrities, and comprising different segments like sketches, games, and interviews within a same episode. Variety shows have received overwhelmingly good critiques and receptions since they first aired in 1990, and are usually considered as the main way to keep up with mainstream media in the country. The most well-known of these shows is Thật là vui thú!, which in 2016 hosted an episode with Queen Lý Chiêu as guest.

Music

Man playing the Đàn nguyệt at the Lotus Festival

Traditional Heibanese music takes considerable influence from Kodeshi musical elements and mixes them with aspects of the native Sinh population. String instruments, introduced and adopted in the 6th century, are at the core of what could be considered the national music, found in nearly all pieces of folk and classical music. The national instrument, the Đàn nguyệt, is a two-stringed instrument, whose strings were formerly made of silk and are today frequently made of nylon or fishing line, and though it's much commonly found in traditional Heibanese music, it's made its way into modern songs fairly often. Historically, music in Heiban has been a form of storytelling of the many different folk tales native to Sinh people, only later introducing stories of Kodeshi origin. However, and particularly during the Vassalization of Heiban, people would use song lyrics as means of communication, especially when it came to heeding warnings or spreading news without the authorities founding out. One of the most popular of these is the song Kẻ Thù Bí Mật, translating to "the snake in the grass", famously used by Sinh people in the 14th century to warn about Kodeshi soldiers approaching.

Uất Hồng Nhật, one of the most popular Heibanese pop singers in the country.

With the so called "Heibanese Liberation" in the 1900s, the national music scene was subjected to a major lyrical shift, as songs with more uplifting messages, such as ballads and love songs, gained popularity across the country. This is oftentimes referred to as historians as "the Rebirth", attributed to the improvement of the country's political and social climate by the government's reform a few decades prior. In the 1930s, with the popularization of film and television, the country had began to see its first broadcasts containing music videos, usually aired in between shows or movies. Originally, music videos would just display the singer, and sometimes a small band behind them, throughout the duration of the song, but as time went on, and particularly during the 1950s, music videos started to incorporate stories and plots that were usually being narrated by the singer through lyrics. The 1960s and 1970s in Heiban saw the rise of international songs making their way to the homes of the general population, and especially those sung in Guoyu and Akitei became particularly well-received.

The standard for the modern Heibanese music was set in the 1980s and 1990s, with quick outspread of pop and rock music, both of which have become some of the most popular music genres in the present day. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the country became witness to its large wave of fanaticism for music artists among the younger population, product of the newly introduced concept of pop groups, boy bans, and girl groups, that would usually market to a specific demographic. Today, these artists are largely among the most famous in Heiban and internationally, particularly in the Southern Kesh region, having developed the concept of "Heibanese pop", and those who fall under this musical term and genre make up by far the largest revenue out of any other, contributing up to $8 billion to the country's GDP each year. Music festivals in Heiban are frequent and many have been adopted as national traditions, with the largest of them being the Lotus Festival, taking place in the city of Giả Phố, in the Biên Giới province, every May 14th during Heiban Day, meant to celebrate national pride.

Cuisine

Main article: Heibanese cuisine

Mushroom filled with creamed spinach. The Ngoài Vực province's version of Nấm Tiệc.

Heibanese cuisine is one of the few cultural elements in the country to openly integrate aspects of many different civilizations and cultures throughout the continent, as opposed to just Kodeshia. Much of what is considered traditional Heibanese cuisine can find its roots in the culmination of Kodeshi, Sinh, Ramayan, Prabhati and Cagayano foods and cooking styles. Throughout the years, Heiban has developed what's known domestically as Ăn Sự Dạy (咹事𠰺), roughly translated as "eating instructions". Ăn Sự Dạy consists of many different practices and traditions carried over before, during, and after any meal, with different variations depending on the type of meal, its location, the number of people, and the time of year. Some of the more common practices of Ăn Sự Dạy include: only eating once the oldest person in the table has taken the first bite, blessing the food, lighting a specific amount of candles, using floor-level tables for certain occasions, etc. Fast food chains were the main introduction of foreign meals to Heiban, with the Kodeshi restaurant chain Zhenkekou being one of the most well-known and popular in the country.

Nấm Ngọt. Considered the unofficial national dessert

Traditional pre-colonial Sinh cuisine finds its way into modern Heibanese cuisine through the integration of ingredients such as oranges, bread, coconuts, herbs, and particularly mushrooms. Mushrooms are the most prominent food in Heibanese cuisine, and can find themselves as the main ingredient in almost all of the country's most popular foods, snacks or desserts, including the national dish Nấm Tiệc (埝席), which consists of mushroom heads stuffed with chopped mushroom, peppers, cheese, and onions. For decades now, each province in Heiban has had their own regional approach to Nấm Tiệc, each stuffed with different ingredients, and today, eleven versions of the national dish exist, one for each province. Aside from mushrooms, the usage of fruits, particularly in desserts, is considered a Sinh culinary tradition, with fruits such as mango, orange, coconut, bananas, guava, and pineapple being among the most commonly used for both savory and sweet dishes. Apart from mushroom-based dishes, various soups are considered among the oldest culinary traditions in Heiban. As one of its tourism slogans, the Ministry of Culture claims that Heiban has "a soup for everything", with there being soups for breakfast, dessert soups, cold soups, soups for specific holidays, remedy soups, and many more. Popular Heibanese dishes include mushroom pastries (埝𠮾; Nấm Ngọt), mango ice cream, fried rice noodles (炒米粉; Sao Mai Phấn), coconut and orange coffee, and chocolate-covered crickets (巧克力𡥵啼; Sôcôla Con Dế).

A peculiarity of Heibanese cuisine is the almost complete avoidance of meat, a direct result of the adoption of Mẹ giáo as the state religion. Since the 14th century, many Heibanese people follow a strictly vegetarian or vegan diet, which reflects in the population's consumption of meat. Heiban is among the smallest producers and importers of meat in the world, and many non-vegetarian mainstream foods are usually made with a vegetarian alternative. Fish has been an exception for the most part, particularly in the south of the country, where most agricultural workers rely on fishing for a living, as the land is not as arable as the rest of the provinces.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Heiban

Holidays and festivals

Main article: Heibanese holidays