THE MYEONG POLITY: A CONFEDERAL PARLIAMENTARY 

CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY

​

The Myeong Commonwealth (명연방) is a constitutional monarchy (입헌군주제) with an emperor (The Seongchi Emperor, r. 2023-, pictured) whose role as head of the confederation is largely ceremonial. Myeongean parliamentary democracy is replete with checks and balances between executive, legislative, judicial, prosecutorial, and superintendent bodies, Commonwealth authorities and confederal subjects, and free, fair, and regular elections.

​

The Commonwealth Assembly (연방의회), the supreme organ of law-making, has two chambers: the House of the Peoples (민민원) (the lower house), and the Confederal Council (만방원) (the upper house). The popularly elected House of the Peoples 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 Confederal Council, consisting of appointees of democratically elected governments, plays a broadly consultative role concerning legislative proposals that seek to alter the pre-relationship between Commonwealth authorities and confederal subjects, as well as between confederal subjects.

​

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

​

The Supreme Court of Justice (대리재판소), the Commonwealth Procuratorate (도찰원), and the Commonwealth Inspectorate (통정원) 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 COMMONWEALTH

The flag of the Myeong Commonwealth, known as Il-wol Habmyeonggi (일월합명기), is replete with Confucian symbolism. Il-wol Habmyeong (일월합명) is a concept drawn from the esteemed Confucian tome, Yeokgyeong (I Ching or Book of Change) (역경), signifying 'the luminous celestial bodies, the sun and the moon, radiating their brilliance in harmony, illuminating the world in unison.' The profound essence of this phrase is that an individual of virtuous character displays an unreserved visibility akin to the synchronised motion of the sun and moon. As the sun rises and the moon sets, and vice versa, their presence is not confined to a select few. This emblematises the genuineness and resplendent conscience of a sage, devoid of any pretence, insincerity, deceit, or secrecy.

At the heart of the flag lies a depiction of a white crescent moon melded with a golden sun to create a larger circle, symbolising equilibrium and concord between the passive and active cosmic forces of eum (음) and yang (양) respectively. This configuration mirrors the Hanja character for the term 'Myeong' (명), the appellation of the Commonwealth and the word denoting 'brightness' in its literal sense. Together, they emit twelve distinct rays, representing the East Asian division of a day into twelve two-hour segments, emblematic of ceaseless advancement. Moreover, the four longer rays symbolise the four cardinal virtues of Confucianism: humanity, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom (인, 의, 예, 지). The colour blue signifies peace; red symbolises joy; white embodies purity; and yellow denotes prosperity.

COAT OF ARMS OF THE COMMONWEALTH

The Coat of Arms of the Myeong Commonwealth, 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 Commonwealth 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 Daemyeong Empire and the Daemyeong Kingdom of Joseon 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 Commonwealth 'Illuminate Heaven and Earth' in Latin, which signifies the catholic mission of the Commonwealth. The motto ‘光明天地’ (광명천지) in ancient Hanja 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 Commonwealth’ (전국옥새), and signifies the Commonwealth’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 Commonwealth.

Emblem of the Commonwealth: The Eagle Emblem, which originates in the Daehan Empire, is the emblem of the Myeong Commonwealth. 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 nine Taegeuk symbols on the Eagle represent the ancient nine provinces of Hwaha, which in turn metaphorically symbolise All-under-Heaven. The eight Trigrams surrounding the central Taegeuk represent eight promordial features of the cosmos.

MOTTO OF THE COMMONWEALTH

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

The unofficial national flower of the Daemyeong Empire, Molan (모란) (Paeonia suffruticosa), has been re-adopted by the Myeong Commonwealth as its official micronational flower. It is also the symbol of the Imperial House, as evidenced by a stylised Molan in the Emblem of the House of Ju. Molan symbolises love, beauty, power, wealth, resilience, a strong will, the family, the glorious past, and the cultural influence of the Commonwealth. As the Flower of the Commonwealth, Molan represents the identity and history of the Myeongean people and shows their resilience, beauty, and lasting spirit. 

ANTHEM OF THE COMMONWEALTH

The Hwanggeukga (황극가), which has its origins in the Patriotic Anthem (애국가) of the Daehan Empire, is a piece of music that represents the Commonwealth's identity and pride. Today, the Anthem expresses the Myeong people's love for their micronation and determination to defend it. The song's lyrics talk about the sovereignty of God and the desire of the people (represented by their Emperor) for divine guidance and protection, and the beauty of all that is within the cosmos. It is an integral part of the Myeong micronational identity and is a reminder of the strength and resilience of the Myeongean people.