Shinlim

Shinlim (Zhenian: 신림, more formally referred to as the Republic of Shinlim (Zhenian: 신림공화국, pronounced 'Sinlim Gonghwaguk'), is a  located in Northwest Veharia. The modern nation of Shinlim has an area of around 2,800,000 km2 of territory in Northwest Veharia, and is subdivided into 18 provinces, 3 municipalities and 1 special city. Shinlim borders Maskinaw to its east and has a long west coast along the Hanmaric Ocean. The country is home to around 115 million citizens with the largest city being Shinman, with the central city being home to 9.1 million people, and including the metropolitan area surrounding it, this number climbs to around 20 million.

The indigenous people of Veharia first inhabited the lands of Shinlim from 10,000 years ago to as far back as 20,000 years ago depending on the archaeological evidence and parties that claim as such. From the late 10th century onwards, the first Shindan Colonial Companies started to organize expeditions to the western coast of Veharia following Shindanese Admiral, Chang Handeok's discovery of the western coasts of Veharia in 1028 and his establishment of a first colony on 15 April 1028 in Aman. These colonial companies would establish the Viceroyalties of Ganman, Aman, and Geumsan in 1077, 1083, and 1091 respectively. During the Wars of Zhenian Transition, and the discovery of gold in the colony, in 1365 AC, the colonies were consolidated by Shindan into Shinlim which would later gain Dominion Status and greater autonomy in 1442. Shinlim became an independent nation following a referendum in 1500 after the December Revolution with the first President, Kim Daeho laying the foundations for stability and growth of the Gyeongwon Decade. The country's economy grew rapidly in the 3rd phase of growth from the 1560s led by conglomerate groups called ‘Dongsa’.

Shinlim is considered a developed country. Since the 16th century, the Shinlim economy has been growing rapidly although growth has been slowing recently. Shinlim has a GDP of $3.669 trillion in nominal terms and a GDP per capita of $30,861. The largest sector of the economy is that of services, however, Shinlim as a developed nation continues to maintain a vibrant manufacturing sector in certain higher-technology areas such as semiconductors, petrochemicals, fiber-optic cables, and high precision machinery such as semiconductor lithography equipment. Shinlim is a member of the World Concordat and has ... Shinlim remains a popular destination for international tourists, especially due to her scenery and geography and since the 17th century, has increasingly become a cultural powerhouse, riding the wave of the popularity of Z-pop, due to the cultural similarities in some aspects with Zhenia, has been able to produce certain famous music groups and has nationals in Z-pop groups.

Name and Etymology
The name "Shinlim" (신림) has been used in Shinlim since the 1200s before the name was formalized upon the consolidation by Shindan of her colonies in Veharia in 1365. The running and accepted theory is the name was derived literally from the land as Shinlim was observed by early settlers to have newly discovered large pine and redwood forests. Hence, 신 'Shin" meant new, and 림 'lim' meant a forest, indicating the landscape of the new land. This is in a similar way to how the cities of Aman and Ganman got their names due to the physical features of the land. And thus by the 1360s, Shindian chose Shinlim to be the representative name of the colony and thus the modern name of the nation today.

Indigenous Peoples and Pre-Handeok History


These first people crossed via the landbridge which connected far east Tarsis and Veharia to one another in various migrations. Little is known about their history except through certain archaeological finds due to most of their history being communicated via oral means. It is known that several pre-colonial native Veharian civilizations did rise and fall in the fertile areas of northern Shinlim. Over time, these native societies would grow more complex, developing detailed tiered hierarchies and social structures. Most notable during the 10th century was that of the civilizations of the Sionne and Hirenaw which struggled against each other and owned large swathes of northwestern and central Veharia.

The now extinct tribe that inhabited the hospitable climate west of the Taegeun Mountains were the Nawkaw who were adept fishermen in the region, hunting salmon and other local fishes. It is said that along the northern coast, their population numbered in the tens of thousands. They started practicing agriculture of maize around the 9th century but continued to primarily rely on a seafood diet with their advancement in trapping techniques for fishing. Evidence suggests that the Nawkaw were even able to weave baskets out of hay which is plausible due to the dwellings they resided in, with small settlements consisting of several houses made of earth and hay. It is to be noted that the Nawkaw could have been different native people groups with differing languages, however, lack of oral accounts and archaeological finds due to their societal nature has left many researchers clueless as to their distinctions.

Chang Handeok's Discovery and East Tarsic Settlements


In 1028, Shindanese Admiral Chang Handeok discovered the western coast of Veharia by crossing the Hanmaric Ocean via modern-day Kapuku. This initial arrival proved devastating to the native Veharians. While not actually having the first contact with any natives, the introduction of old world diseases to the new world would cause a large reduction in the native population from the 1030s to the late 11th century, especially amongst the Nawkaw who had no immune defenses against such disease and little time to get used to it. By the time the settlers arrived in the mid-11th century, the population on the west coast was decimated but was recovering quickly. By 1091 AC, the founding of the Viceroyalty of Geumsan, the native Nawkaw populations were around half their original numbers, a huge drop but still significant group numbering around 30 thousand. That being said, the spreading of disease was the least the natives had to fear. On 15 April 1028, Chang Handeok established the first colony in Aman.

The discovery prompted many East Tarsic nations to form, outsourcing the states' work to explore and seek wealth and resources in these new lands. The Republic of Imhae, Balhae and many Zhenian states did so. However, Shindan was the most active. While many small settlements were formed on the modern-day Shinlim coast, many Tarsic settlers were vulnerable to severe food shortages, disease, and violence from Native Veharians, in particular, the Nawkaw who inhabited these fertile coastal lands. Native Veharians on this western coast were also said to often be at war with neighboring tribes, lending credence to the idea that the Nawkaw were not a unified tribe, but a generalized term for the first natives given by the Tarsic settlers out of ignorance. The Dan Zhenian Shindan settlers would form coastal towns in the north such as the Viceroyalties of Ganman, Aman, and Geumsan in 1077, 1083, and 1091 respectively. However, there were also other Tarsic nations participating such as the Kingdom of Balhae and the Republic of Imhae, both of which, however, focused on the Western Hanmaric Region and the south.

The Tarsic settlers, through their aggressive interactions against and in protection from the Nawkaw, were able to learn the ways the locals survived in this new land. Culturally, much had to change and the lifestyles of Shindan and Tarsis had to be abandoned such as substitutes for rice with. Having hailed from the Danguk Peninsula, the Dan Zhenian settlers were also used to fishing. The same could be said about the few Haedong settlers that arrived. Apart from the different types of fish they encountered, the lifestyles were similar in this regard and the early coastal colonial holdouts were heavily dependent on aquaculture. Moreover, many colonists remained faithful to Zhenian Wuism. However, more emphasis was placed on Dhemir, the goddess of the sun, fire, and life, and who oversaw the past and represented beginnings, in the hope that this land would provide a new beginning for many. Many settlers of different races came together to fend against the native threat and establish joint-communities and settlements.



Colonial Expansion
Following the degeneration of the Wei during the Taimir War in the early 1140s and the chaos on the Tarsis continent before reconsolidation by the Zhu dynasty, there was another large influx of immigrants into the Shindan settlements that dotted the coast of modern-day Shinlim. The population increase led to a greater demand for agricultural land up to the imposing Taegeun Mountains. Thus, from the start of the mid-12th century, the small Shindan settlements began to grow in size, with colonists venturing inland to expand into the hinterland from their original holdouts. During this time, the pressure against the native Nawkaw population, which was struggling to survive, only got worse. The Nawkaw had already been pushed away from their coastal areas and were pushed inland, west of the Taegeun Mountains in the modern-day provinces of Jangsan, east Geumcheon and Cheonhae. All along the way, there was little tolerance for the Nawkaw. The use of matchlock weaponry and cannons meant Nawkaw were unable to cope or match the firepower of the colonists. These killing were justified by the belief in Zhenian Wuism, and that killing the natives was a victory for the colonists in claiming new territory. An unregulated process of elimination continued as the colonists moved inland.

This process was especially harsh in the north where the land was fertile and more natives resided, and their disorganized nature due to the panicked fleeing and disruption to their settled way of life only made it easier, triggering a wave of Nawkaw peoples exodus westwards in the 13th Century. In some areas, Nawkaw reservations were set up for natives, usually in areas where they could be contained and controlled such as in the modern-day provinces of Jangsan and Hwasu as the colonists moved inland. The usage of forced labor and slavery out of natives was also notable, with little regard for their wellbeing. Often, these reservations were not set-up for the continued existence of the Nawkaw, but to give a false sense of comfort and to exploit their labor. While thousands of Nawkaw tried to flee westwards, many froze and starved to death in the cold Taegeun Mountain range, due to their inability to adapt the lifestyle to the area in a relatively short period of a hundred years till the late 13th century. To the southeast, the Indee natives of the Bujok Desert also had to fleet the encroachment of Shindan colonists in modern-day Myeongju North Province and Myeongju South Province, but were able to escape westwards to similar climates. What was left of the Nawkaw are said to have either died out by the mid-14th century or assimilated into the Sionne across the Taegeun Mountains.



Rising Prominance and Shindan Consolidation
Around the time in the mid-1200s that grapes were discovered at the higher elevations hugging the Taegeun Mountain Range which allowed the making of wine. During this 200 year period starting in the 11th century, land from the coast up to the mountains was claimed by the companies. By the 14th century, after around 200 years since the first arrival by Dan Zhenians, their population had grown to 7 million. The culture had developed and deviated from that in Zhenia, although similarities were maintained by constant new immigration from the mainland. Wine culture was starting to develop with family vineyards being the prime vector for such development and fishing became a major sector for the colonies. Wheat was proven a more suitable crop to grow in northern Veharia than Rice and was fast becoming a dominant crop to unappetizing wild rice. Moreover, wheat had versatility in making flour for bread and noodles.

While copper and stone was a known ore and material found in the mountains for a time respectively, things changed when in 1358 AC, gold was found in the Hwanggeum Mountains north of Shinman. When word got to Shindan, and even other parts of Shinlim, there was huge migration north to this region, before other gold deposits were also found following increased exploration. From 1358 to 1371 AC, for a period of 13 years, there was a huge gold rush known simply as the Shinman Gold Rush. It is estimated that over a quarter of a million came from Shindan to the northern areas of Shinlim during this period before things settled down. It was partly for this reason that Shindan also began to pay more attention to the colonies and the Geumcheon and Daeyang area started growing rapidly.

For a time now since the late 1200s, the collective Veharian colonial lands were referred to as Shinlim, due to the presence of luscious pine trees and redwoods. They were consolidated by Shindan into a single colony of Shinlim in 1365 AC, under a single Governor-General, with the provinces governed by Governors. Shindan did so to attain greater benefits out of the colony, which for a long period of time, was only self-sustaining and practically worthless except in soft-power terms. Up till this time, it was the Chartered Colonial Companies that earned much of the profit and sometimes neglected in paying taxes by concealing earnings. The gold rush drew attention to the economic affairs of Shinlim and caused many of the Colonial companies to disappear from significance around this time, the bureaucracy overtaken by Shindan.



The Dominion of Shinlim
During the Wars of Zhenian Transition undertaken by Shindan from around the late 13th century, Shinlim was an increasingly important source of material aid in gold and other resources for the war effort. Entrepreneurs and other individuals in Colonial Shinlim would follow the trends in Shindan closely and in 1361 when King Jeonjo came to power, Shinlim entrepreneurs began to mirror and industrialization and modernization that was happening in Shindan, albeit at a later time and led by individuals and families rather than the state due to Shindan primary focus on the homeland than colonies. In 1368, following the defeat of the Zhu Dynasty and the Treaty of Sanggyeong, Shindan started to become the region's center of power which benefitted Shinlim trade immensely and helped spurred family businesses to greater wealth and thus disposable income to move into modernized industries. This was the first period of rapid economic growth in Shinlim which would allow it to take defensive matters into her own hands as a Dominion.



It was during this time of modernization that many famous local universities were established which would later become hotbeds of the calls for democratic movements. Kim Daeho, a leading republican revolutionary in Shinlim supporting the December Revolution, would study in the Shinman University, funded and built by the Chang Daehyun who traveled around Azora. The distance of Shinlim from Shindan and Tarsis meant that there was less a sense of reliance of servitude to the Monarchy, but rather strong democratic sympathies that had room to grow. Despite growing sentiments for independence, Shinlim was still important in trade for Shindan to fund her conflicts in Tarsis and remained closely tied to Shindan's fortunes. In 1442, four years after the complete unification of Zhenia, Shinlim was granted Dominion status and greater autonomy, including in self-governance and the military. The Government of the Dominion of Shinlim was formed, headed by a Governor-General much like when under direct colonial rule with the exception being, from 1442 onwards, more of the Governors-General were local whereas, in the Shindan Colonial period, the Governor-General was born and raised in Shindan.

Independence and The First Great War
In 1499, the December Revolution succeeded in Zhenia. Contributions were made by Shinlim democracy and independence activists like Ryu Sangju who wrote multiple books and published articles about the need for self-determination of Shinlim and democracy in Zhenia. Kim Daeho was also a strong advocate for democracy and would use the wealth of his family business in copper to fund publications by Sangju and movements in Zhenia. Due to the part played by Shinlim and the close ties between Zhenian and Shinlim democratic activists like Amasar Ren and Kim Daeho, Shinlim was presented with a referendum by the government of the Zhenian First Republic. The choices being independence, or entry into the Republic of Zhenia. The referendum would be organized and overseen by both Zhenian and Shinlim officials (the latter of which came from the Shinlim officials working in the government of the Dominion) and the date was set for the 1st of February, 1500. Leading up to the date, security was tightened as there were threats to the safe conduct of the plebiscite. Four days before the day, on the 28th of January, Kim Daeho was nearly assassinated by pro-union activists for being a leading independence advocate in an event known as the January 28th Attempt.

This caused distrust of the Zhenian Republic, for people feared it was orchestrated by Zhenia to keep Shinlim apart of Zhenia. However, owing to close ties between leadership and Kim Daeho's commitment to pushing forward and progressing, Kim Daeho rejected the proposals to delay the referendum to a later date due to the attempt on his life. The vote proceeded as planned and it is said that the assassination attempt spurred Shinlim to vote for independence. With a majority of 77.3% and a turnout of 87.7% of the population, Shinlim was to be granted independence. On the 1st of March, 1500, following the writing by Kim Daeho and Shinlim Republicans of the constitution of an independent Shinlim, in line with many of their colleagues in Zhenia, Shinlim was declared independent at the old city hall of Gyeongwon. Henceforth, the 1st of March is Shinlim's National Day. Designing a democratic system with checks and balances on the powers of any institution or individual was the goal of the constitution. At the same time, the practice of slavery (even to the natives) was finally prohibited in the same year, 120 years after it was in Zhenia, with the new constitution guaranteeing the rights of all humans.

- FIRST GREAT WAR (against Maskinaw) WIP/TBC -

The Gyeongwon Decade and the Second Great War Period
The government was at risk of corruption and was in a rocky position as any other newfound nation would be. However, Kim Daeho and the first generation of leaders around him capable and adopted zero-tolerance for corruption, idealistic from their education, and were determined for the newfound nation to progress. Under the first administration, their remarkable material and mineral wealth of the nation was directed to upgrade and extend the railway networks of the nation which were already sophisticated to a point as Shinlim was a key exporter for Zhenia. The infrastructure helped to increase exports to markets other than Zhenia and competitive prices. Shinlim upon her independence already had a significant in areas such as steel, coal refining into coke, potash into fertilizer, and wood into paper. This process would only be expedited by the stable political situation and developed infrastructure. Under Kim Daeho, the Shinlim National Railway Commission was formed in 1507, rebranded later to what is now known as Shinlim National Railways in 1550.

In 1530, Kim Daeho retired after being President for a generation. He would later pass away just 3 years after retirement. Despite his death, his colleagues, and the second generation of leaders under President Jin Namwon would continue to build upon Kim Daeho's legacy. From 1528 to late 1537, trade with Zhenia would increase massively, spurring a 2nd phase of massive growth from the capital city of Gyeongwon, known as the Gyeongwon Decade. Copper of high quality from Veharia was high in demand all over the world and exploited along with iron. This was especially the case with the Second Great War raging across the world. This rapid economic boom and growth would come to an end in 1538, with Zhenia's defeat in the Second Great War. The impact of the high volume of trade with Zhenia and the aftermath of Zhenia's devastated economy and debt reverberated to the Shinlim economy causing an economic from 1538 to 1540. Jin Namwon, despite all his good work, was blamed for the overreliance on exports to Zhenia and lost the 1540 presidential election.

- WIP -

- So far only up till 1540 - Missing 2nd Great War - Economic Growth of the 1570s to the modern day