Shindan

Shindan (Seomun: 新檀, Jinmun: 신단), formally the Grand State of Shindan (Seomun: 大新檀國, Jinmun: 대신단국) and alternately the Shindan dynasty, was a historical and  that existed in what is now Zhenia, particularly in the Danguk Peninsula and its northeastern seaboard. It existed from 888 to 1438, being reorganized into the Empire of Zhenia alongside other states and feudatories in mainland Zhenia.

Shindan was founded following a dynastic revolution by Li Juwon that overthrew Daehwa in 888, intentionally bearing the name 'Shindan' in reverence to the primordial Dan dynasty. Adopting Sambong thought as its core ruling principle under the leadership of political philosopher and statesman Kim Dojin early on, it encouraged the absorption of Sambong thought and ideals to promote political stability and justify royal rule in the Danguk Peninsula. Its rule over the region was further solidified under the rule of subsequent rulers, most notably kings Taejong, Saejo and Munjong. In the 11th and 12th centuries, Shindan became a major player in Veharian colonialism by East Tarsis, as it led a series of expeditions across the Hanmaric Ocean, both establishing several colonial assets throughout the Hanmaric islands and Western Veharia. and linking the dynasty into an extensive global trade network. With colonial expansionism and trade, it had entered what was later known as the Shindanese Golden Age, an era of political, economic and cultural prosperity that lasted well into the 13th century.

It, however, fell into decadence after its defeat in a series of military conflicts with the mainland Zhu dynasty, most notably the Golden Arch Wars in the 1260s, after which it became the Zhu's tributary state and fell into its sphere of influence. Its resurgence and independence came with the rise of Zhenian nationalism and interactions with the western world, followed by a series of reforms under King Jeongjo, which resulted in the transformation of Shindan from a decadent colonial empire into a modernized industrial power. While successfully waging a series of wars against the Zhu dynasty, King Jeongjo proclaimed the imperial title of Taehwang in 1377, an event seen by many as its conversion into an empire. It continued its war effort against the Zhu and ultimately unified modern-day Zhenia through a series of military conflicts in the mainland while leading the Geumho Confederation under Emperor Seongjo's rule. It merged with other states and feudatories in the mainland to form the Empire of Zhenia on June 4, 1438, although Shindan remained the dominant power.

Shindan is considered the direct of the Empire of Zhenia, and thus the direct ancestor to the modern-day Republic of Zhenia. While Shindan as a political entity was discontinued with the December Revolution, it nominally persisted within the Republic until the end of the Second Great War, when the Allied High Command, referring to it as "the symbol of Zhenian imperialism and militarism", abolished it entirely. Much of the legal and political systems were carried on into the unified Empire of Zhenia, forming the basis of the current setup of Zhenia's legal system. It also left a lasting cultural legacy, forming the basis of the cultural identity shared by the Dan people both within and outside Zhenia to this day.

Middle Shindan period
Historians demarcate the early and middle eras of Shindan with the beginning of the Eastern Expeditions, a series of state-funded expeditions and voyages across the Hanmaric Ocean to Western Veharia. The Middle Shindan period is characterized as a major turning point in Shindan's outlook, as it, for the first time in Zhenian history, expanded beyond East Tarsis and maintained a permanent presence throughout the Hanmaric Ocean and Western Veharia.

Eastern Expeditions
On May 19, 993, the Shindanese admiral Chang Handeok departed Gwangseongpo, leading a fleet of 17 ships under the Royal Shindanese Navy, with the primary objective of claiming new land in the far east, possibly across the then-uncharted Hanmaric Ocean. Chang Handeok's fleet differed from previous Shindanese trading voyages to modern-day Sakaro and islands in the West Hanmaric, in that it was directly state-sponsored with the ultimate objectives of finding a shorter voyage route to Azora and confirming the existence of the legendary Geumgangju. On October 27, 993, Chang's fleet landed on the island of Ulukau, the westernmost island in the Kapukuan archipelago, and established trade relations with the native Kapukuans. Interaction with the Kapukuans marked a significant turning point in the Eastern Expeditions, as it confirmed the existence of prospective trade east of Sakaro while also providing an interim point for future expeditions.

Following the success of Chang's first voyage, the Shindanese government dispatched several subsequent expeditions to the Hanmaric Ocean.

Late Shindan period
The Late Shindan period, demarcated from the Middle Shindan period with the end of the Shindanese Golden Age, normally begins with the Golden Arch Wars from 1260 to 1263.

Zhenian unification
Although nominally included in the Late Shindan period, the final 73 years of Shindanese history leading up to Zhenian unification - beginning from King Jeongjo's coronation in 1363 to the imperial proclamation of the Empire of Zhenia in 1438 - is separately categorized from the remainder of Shindanese history.

First Shindan-Zhu War
The precursors of the First Shindan-Zhu War were seen shortly after the coronation of King Jeongjo, who had decreed the restoration of Shindanese glory and the end of the regional hegemony centered around the then-decadent Zhu dynasty.

Reforms under King Jeongjo
Shortly after the brief victory in the First Shindan-Zhu War, King Jeongjo declared a series of reforms within Shindan. War reparations from the Zhu were initially used to build factories for small arms and ammunition, while the first Achysian military advisors arrived at Shindan in 1370 with Achysian rifles and artillery guns. The military training curriculum of the Royal Shindanese Army was drastically reformed under the oversight of Achysian military advisors, with everything from weapons to ranks and orders of battle modeled after the Achysian system. Volunteers from the First Shindan-Zhu War that wished to remain in the army were allowed to stay, providing the reorganized Royal Shindanese Army with a large number of combat-hardened veterans. When the order to cut all was met with great resistance among the Shindanese soldiers, King Jeongjo became an example by cutting his own topknot before the royal guard.