THE MYEONGHAN POLITY

The Myeonghan Realm is a constitutional monarchy (입헌군주제) with an emperor (The Seongchi Emperor, r. 2023-, pictured) whose role as head of state is largely ceremonial. Myeonghan parliamentary democracy is replete with checks and balances between executive, legislative, judicial, prosecutorial, and superintendent bodies and between federal authorities and the states, as well as free, fair, and regular elections.

The Myeonghan Central Assembly (중추회의), the sole federal organ of law-making, has two chambers: the House of Representatives (민의원) (the lower house), and the Federal Council (도지사) (the upper house). The popularly elected House of Representatives is the more powerful of the two, with the authority to elect and recall the Prime Minister, approve the Government's budget, and ratify treaties. The Federal Council, consisting of appointees of popularly elected state governments, plays a broadly consultative role concerning legislative proposals that seek to alter the pre-relationship between federal and state authorities, and between States.

The Prime Minister (영의정대신) is the head of Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Security Forces of the Realm, with powers to appoint and dismiss Secretaries of the Realm, to initiate legislation, to declare a state of public emergency, and even to dissolve the House of Representatives.

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The Constitutional Court (사헌재판소), the Supreme Court of Justice (평리대법원), the Office of Prosecutions (대검찰원), and the Commission of Vigilance (사간원) all operate independently as checks on executive and legislative conduct, and as custodians of the rule of law and constitutional rights and freedoms.

FLAG OF THE REALM

The flag of the Myeonghan Realm, called Hwanggeukgi (황극기), is full of Confucian symbolism and is based on the design of the Taegeukgi (태극기) from the Daehan Empire, albeit with some modifications. Hwanggeuk (황극) is a concept meaning 'the Kingly Way,' drawn from the Confucian text of Hongbeom ('Grand Plan') (홍범), attributed to Sage Gija (기자), the founder of the ancient Korean dynasty (1120-194 BC) that was named after him. The background of the Hwanggeukgi is white, representing the simplicity of the Myeonghan people. The Taegeuk symbol in the centre of the flag represents balance and harmony between the passive and active cosmic forces of eum (음) and yang (양), represented by the colors blue and red, respectively.

The four trigrams, geon (건), gon (곤), ri (리), gam (감) around the Taegeuk symbol represent the principal Confucian virtues of humaneness (인), justice (의), propriety (례), and wisdom (지), respectively. The three broken or unbroken lines in each trigram represent fundamental principles of reality. The circular shape of the four trigrams combined represents the Circular Mound Altar (환구단), which is a symbol of harmony between heaven and humanity. The Monarch regularly offers sacrifices of praise to God at that Altar.

COAT OF ARMS OF THE REALM

The Coat of Arms of the Myeonghan Realm, designed by The Rt Hon Lord Muk LC PC, HG The Duke of Yeongguk, consists of the following elements:

The Emperor’s Myeonlyugwan (면류관) and Imperial Robes: The Myeonlyugwan, or the Imperial Realm Crown, consists of 12 beads of gems (류), worn exclusively by emperors in the Hwaha Confucian tradition. The robes are in the scarlet colour on the exterior, and patterned in the blue and white on the interior, echoing the Myeong Empire's signature ‘blue-and-white porcelain’ (청화백자).

Golden Dragon Supporters and Flaming Pearl Crest: The supporters and the crest together form the depiction of the famous Hwaha totam of ‘Two Dragons Chasing a Flaming Pearl', an ancient symbol for blessedness and nobility, and a desire to reach the Divine Logos (천도).

River Compartment: The compartment consists of two major rivers of the Korean Peninsula. The yellow river represents the Han River (한강) which connects the Peninsula to the Yellow Sea; the blue river depicts the Imjin River (림진강) over which the joint forces of the Imperial Myeong Kingdom of Joseon and the Myeong Empire resisted Japanese invasion during the Imjin War (임진왜란).

Imperial Belt and Motto: The imperial belt in the scarlet and golden colours is marked by the words ‘Coelum Terramque Illuminare,' the motto of the realm 'Illuminate Heaven and Earth' in Latin, which signifies the catholic mission of the Realm. The motto ‘光明天地’ (광명천지) in ancient Chinese caligraphy is repeated below on a scroll.

Hwassibyeok Pendent: The royal belt bears the Hwassibyeok (화씨벽) as its pendent, is the material for the ‘Heirloom Seal of the Realm’ (전국옥새), and signifies the Realm’s legitimate inheritance of the orthodox Confucian imperial lineage. As Sage Confucius taught, 'jade is a symbol for the virtue of a person of exemplary character';  signifying the importance of the rule of virtue in the Realm.

Emblem of the Realm: The Emblem of the Realm consisting of the Eagle emblem of the Daehan Empire is imposed on a background in the golden colour located at the centre of the Coat of Arms.

EMBLEM OF THE REALM

The Myeonghan Eagle Emblem, which has its origin in the Daehan Empire, is the emblem of the Myeonghan Realm. The eagle, which holds the sword of justice and the orb of peace, represents longevity and victory. The cross on the orb commemorates the overwhelming population of Confucian-Christians at the time of the Realm's founding. The eight Taegeuk symbols on its two wings represent the eight States of the Realm. The central Taegeuk represents the Emperor-in-Central Assembly, the sovereign organ of the Realm.

MOTTO OF THE REALM

The Myeonghan Realm is dedicated to preserving the legacies of the Ha, Sang, and Ju eras, considered glorious periods in history. The Myeonghan monarchy is the continuation of the imperial lineage of the Myeong Empire, also known as the 'Empire of Great Illumination'. The motto of the Daehan Empire, 'Illuminate Heaven and Earth' (광명천지), has been directly adopted as the motto of the Myeonghan Realm.

The national flower of the Daehan Empire, Maehwa (매화) (plum blossom), has been re-adopted by the Myeonghan Realm as its own. It is very important to the Myeonghan people because it represents their ability to stay strong during hard times. Even though it blossoms in cold weather, it is very beautiful and reminds Myeonghans that there is always something good to find in difficult situations. The flower is also connected to important values like loyalty, purity, and humility, and is used in many Myeonghan traditions and celebrations. As the national flower, Maehwa represents the identity and history of the Myeonghan people and shows their resilience, beauty, and lasting spirit.

ANTHEM OF THE REALM

The patriotic anthem (애국가) of the Daehan Empire is a piece of music that represents the realm's national identity and pride. Today, the Anthem expresses the Myeonghan people's love for their micronation and their determination to defend it. The lyrics of the song talk about the beauty of the landscape of all that is under the cosmos, the bravery of its people, and their loyalty to their Realm. The anthem is today a symbol of the Realm's history and culture, and is an important part of the Myeonghan micronational identity and is a reminder of the strength and resilience of the Myeonghan people.