Menchi

Menchi 门池市 Ménchí shì
City
Clockwise from top: Menchi skyline, University of Menchi, National History Museum
Flag
Menchi Map of Monsilva with Menchi highlighted
Country	Monsilva
State	Meixian
Settled	7th century BCE
Declared city	19 June 1412
Meixian state est.	3 June 1983
Government
• Body	Menchi City Council
• Mayor	Qiao Ya (FDP)
Population  (July 2022)
• Total	3,973,229
Time zone	AMT+13 (Monsilvan Eastern Time, MET)
ISO 3166 code	MS-MEI-M
Major airports	Menchi Qianzhen International Airport (MQI)
Transit System(s)	MRA Menchi Metro
Police	Menchi Metropolitan Police
Ambulance	Meixian State Ambulance
Fire	Meixian Fire Service

Menchi (Monsilvan: 门池市; pinyin: Ménchí shì), is a city in Monsilva and the capital of the state of Meixian. It is located on Monsilva's eastern coast along the Bay of Monsilva. The city lies upon the delta of the Yingchan River which originates in the mountains in northern Meixian. Menchi has hundreds of bridges which connect its 14 main islands which make up most of the river delta. Menchi is home to the seat of the Meixian State Government, the Meixian State Office. The city is located in the center-east of the state, lying almost directly south of Luhai City, but is located more eastwards than Donguan.

The city is home to an estimated population of 3,973,229 (July 2022). The city is the centre of what is commonly reffered to as "Greater Menchi", which often includes nearby towns such as Qianzhen and Taipa. Menchi is Monsilva's 4rd most-populous city, falling behind San Kong but just ahead of Maojie. The city holds around 71% of the state of Meixian's population, with the other 29% living either in the city of Taoyuan or in the many towns scattered across Meixian. In early Monsilvan history, Menchi was just a small town amongst the many towns that made what is now modern Menchi. This was due to the river delta being predominantly used as agricultural land, which prevented the towns from growing significantly in size. However, Menchi did develop a good name for itself, especially during the Qin dynasty which lasted from 792 BCE to 1201 CE.

Menchi is a hub for the banking and agricultural industry, with major companies such as the Monsilva Steel Corporation, the Bank of Monsilva, the SCTC, and the Leeting Corporation being headquartered within Menchi's city limits. As well as being a business center, Menchi is also home to famous landmarks such as the National Museum of History, Qingguo Temple and the many bridges that cross the many tributaries and rivers which flow through the city. Education is also very important in Menchi, being home to the University of Menchi a top univeristy for geography, geology and environmental sciences. Thanks to Menchi's importance, it is well connected. Railways, highways, airports and bus lines connect Menchi to the rest of the country, and internationally. The city is served by Menchi Qianzhen International Airport, which lies just outside the city limits, near the town of Qianzhen. The airport runs both international and domestic flights, some flights running to the ends of the continent or to other continents do run, but not without stopping along the way. The city is also served by the Monsilvan Railways Administration, which provides commuter and high-speed rail services across Monsilva. Serving Menchi only is the Menchi Metro, which is the deepest metropolitan railway in Monsilva.

Toponymy

The name, Menchi comes directly from the HY Pinyin of the Monsilvan "門池". The character "門" means "gate" in Monsilvan, while the character "池" means "pool". Menchi directly translates to "gate pool", which is speculated to originate from the entrance to the town during the Qin dynasty being marked by a large gate that overlooked a large, natural pool of water fed by the rivers of the delta. The travellers who came to Menchi were likely so impressed by the view, that they named the town after the gate.

History

Prehistory and early dynasties

A painting of people farming during the Qin dynasty.

The region where Menchi is currently situated has been inhabited for thousands of years. Due to its fertile land and warm climate, it was the perfect climate for agriculture. The first evidence of an actual settlement where Menchi is can be dated back to the 7th century BCE, not long after the establishment of the Qin dynasty.

The entire region of Meixian was an important agricultural area for the Qin dynasty throughout its history from the 8th century BCE to 1201 CE. The Yingchan River delta became the dynasty's largest agricultural region and was vital to the dynasty's economy. The quick access to the ocean also allowed for early Menchi, which was a coastal town, to become an important port for merchant ships. This strategic location is what allowed Menchi to eventually grow into the city that it is today.

By the end of the Greater Qin dynasty in 1201 CE, Menchi had become the largest town in the Meixian region, and was considered the centre for agricultural business in northern Monsilva.

Zhou dynasty and the Empire of Baltanla

Menchi retained its economic importance after the unification of the Monsilvan Kingdoms in 1201. In fact, the connection of the many dynasties of Monsilva is what allowed Menchi to finally grow as an urban center, and not just a region of fields. As the Zhou dynasty was much larger, it had much more agricultural land which took the pressure of Menchi and allowed many of its farms to be replaced with homes for the growing population. By the mid 13th century, hundreds of people would come from southern Monsilva to Menchi in search of a more relaxed life away from the south which was much more densely populated and at the time, much poorer.

Although the influx of southern Monsilvans brought many benefits, it had many challenges. Especially linguistically, as most of Menchi spoke an early version of the Luhainese dialect. In writing, the southern Monsilvans, who spoke Mid-Standard Monsilvan, could perfectly read the Luhainese speakers' writing, they could not understand each other vocally. Although at first this likely caused many issues, linguistic historians believe it did not take long for the two sides to understand each other due to the similarities between the two languages and the benefit of writing the same way.

By the late 14th century, Menchi had become one of Monsilva's richest regions along with most of the northern Zhou dynasty. However, it even surpassed the government region of Sanzhong and the dynasty's largest city, Amking. Of course, having a thriving agricultural and business region in the dynasty was an economic miracle and brought many benefits for the dynasty. However, having the economic hub of the nation several hundred kilometres away from the capital, which was poorer, was a political disaster.

This economic divide between north and south formed an economic barrier, whereby any domestic merchants or traders wanting to enter the new Beining Heavenly Kingdom, founded by the corrupt merchants in Luhai, would be turned away or forced into the merchant company of the unrecognized government. The republic managed to form its own military in the 1420s, and was run as an authoritarian, plutocratic government, lead by a ruling merchant family. Although in name it was a republic, it was lead more like a small empire. By the mid 1560s, despite efforts to eliminate the government of Beining, the Zhou dynasty decided to accept integration into the Empire of Baltanla, which promised to dissolve the Beining Heavenly Kingdom by force.

With support from many people within the Beining Heavenly Kingdom, the merchants were expelled from Monsilva and the entirety of the Zhou dynasty was integrated into the Empire.

Kingdom of Great Shan and the Civil War

Main article: Monsilvan Civil War

When Monsilva left the Empire of Baltanla in 1730, Menchi had become a massive business centre. The city was several times larger than it was when it entered the empire. It had also become much more highly populated and the economic equality had completely changed, from fairly stable, to a large divide between rich businessmen and poorer laborers and workers. Menchi, along with Luhai and Amking, was suggested to be the capital of the new Kingdom of Great Shan, however this was rejected, as Amking was determined to be closer to the rest of the country, and was the largest city in the country.

Menchi grew steadily throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. However, when the Monsilvan Civil War arrived in 1824, Menchi was suddenly faced by a huge requirement for weapon and resource production in order for the Liberate Monsilva Movement, which had mananaged to occupy the city before the war fully kicked off, to put up a strong enough fight against the Imperial Shan Army. During the war, Menchi, as a coastal city, was faced with lots of naval bomardment by the imperial navy. However, thanks to the small width of the rivers, many of them were able to be blocked off by the Liberate Monsilva Movement preventing inland parts of the city from facing too much damage.

Kingdom of Monsilva and the Republic

Rubble of the collapsed Shuangzi Plaza Tower.

During the Kingdom of Monsilva, Menchi remained one of Monsilva's business hubs. However, the economic inequality between the north and the south of the country was beginning to fade, and Menchi begun ranking lower economically than major cities in southern Monsilva such as Amking and Shangrao. However, this did not mean Menchi was getting poorer, it was in fact richer than ever at this point, especially during the early 20th century.

During the martial law period in Monsilva, Menchi was one of the most surveilled cities. This was mainly due to the many important state-run companies that were headquartered in the city and were often susceptible to attacks from protesting people. These protests often ended with violent responses that could result in property damage, which the government would end up paying for. However, during the 1978 Monsilvan protests, the damage was completely unavoidable. Along with almost every other city in the country, Menchi was absolutely filled with protestors and rioters supported by the Monsilvan Revolutionary Army.

In November of 1978, after the prime minister and emperor were arrested, Menchi was in serious damage, with the most major incident being the collapse of the Shuangzi Plaza Tower in August 1978 which resulted in 140 deaths and around 1,600 non-fatal injuries. After Monsilvan Republic was established in December that year, the rebuilding process began. It was supported by the volunteer movement created out of the dissolution of the Monsilvan Revolutionary Army. Most of the damage was repaired after only 2 and a half years. The city was made the capital of the state of Meixian in 1978, and was made the seat of government for the Meixian State Government in June 1983.

Government

Local government

Menchi has its own city council, the head of which is the Mayor of Menchi. The council serves as a de-facto upper house to the 11 county councils within the city council's juristiction. The council is currently lead by the Freedom and Democracy Party.

State government

Menchi, as the capital of Meixian, is home to the Meixian State Government in the State Office. The state government is a 122-seat unicameral legislature which serves the entire state of Meixian, which includes the city. The seats correspond to each municipality of the state, 50 of which are Menchi's urban municipalities.

Geography

One of the Yingchan River tributaries near the outskirts of the Menchi Metropolitan Region.

Menchi is situated on the Yingchan River delta, where it empties into the Bay of Monsilva. The land just around Menchi is flat, with the city itself built on the islands formed by the delta as well as some reclaimed land towards the edges of the city that were reclaimed during the early 20th century in order to adjust to the expanding population of the city. The river has provided the water for irrigation, transportation and industry for Menchi for hundreds of years, and remains the one of the most important characteristics for the city today.

The rivers are often heavily trafficked by boats and small ships, with the busy Menchi Port being located not far from the city center. As well as the Yingchan River and its tributaries, Menchi is also filled with many smaller waterways, such as canals and streams. Although in the past these waterways would be prone to flooding, the city is now protected from flooding by a system of levees and flood walls that have been built up over the past century. The city's residents are also well-prepared against the annual typhoon season, with the Earthquake Early Warning System being used for typhoons as well as earthquakes.

Climate

Menchi has a warm, humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The city is situated in a region that is somewhat prone to typhoons and tropical storms, which can cause flooding and other types of damage. However, due to advances in disaster-prevention technology, damage to the city during the typhoon season and during earthquakes is minimal. Despite the challenges presented by its low-lying location and subtropical climate, the city has thrived due to its water access, fertile land, and the advances in technology making disasters less damaging on the city.

Cityscape

View of central Menchi and surrounding areas.

Demography

Qingguo Temple, Menchi

As of 2022, there are just under 4 million people living within Menchi's metropolitan area, which is more than the entire population of Monsilva's fifth most populous state, Wuzhong. Menchi is Monsilva's second-largest city by area, but the third-largest by population, being beaten by Luhai and Amking. The commercial and business districts of Menchi are concentrated in highrises in the center of the city, while the outskirts stretch outwards for almost three times the diameter of the city's center.

Menchi is a diverse city, while most residents are Monsilvan, there are also many diasporas of other nationalities from across Ostlandet and Terraconserva. The largest of these diasporas include Baltanians, Akvarelians, Kivuians and Karimunese.

Religion

Menchi is prodominantly secular, however there is still a large population who follow the traditional Monsilvan folk religion, as well as a noticeable following of Buddhism. Other religions, such as Christianity and Islam are also followed by small numbers of the population, particularly non-Monsilvans.

The city is home to many traditional Monsilvan folk and Buddhist temples and shrines. The most famous of these is the Qingguo Temple located towards the edges of the city.

Transport

Port of Menchi

Although it is overshadowed by the massive Port of Luhai, the Port of Menchi is still a very important shipping port. The port is situated near the center of the city, and is mainly used for commercial and private boats as opposed to large freight or military ships. Many ferrys running across the Bay of Monsilva to other coastal towns and cities around Monsilva such as Waiping and Amking run out of the port everyday. Whale-watching and other tourism related boat trips and tours are also frequently departing from the port.

Menchi Qianzhen International Airport

Menchi Qianzhen International Airport

Menchi is home to one of Monsilva's largest international airports, Menchi Qianzhen International Airport. The airport is located at the very edge of the city's limits near the town of Qianzhen. It has one passenger terminal, with a second under construction. The airport was built near the outskirts in order to allow for expansions.

The airport runs both domestic and international flights. Most international flights are within Ostlandet, however occasional flights to western Ecros do run, especially during the holiday months in the summer and winter.

Rail

Menchi is served by multiple extensive railway services. In the city, rail transport and private vehicle transport compete for top spot, however, with the recently upgraded Menchi Metro becoming more popular recently, rail transport is currently the most common form of transport in Menchi. Not only is Menchi served by the metro, but it is also served by the national railway services of the Monsilvan Railways Administration.

Menchi Metro

The Menchi Metro serves most of the Menchi Metropolitan area, with some lines branching into towns laying just outside the city limits. It is Monsilva's deepest metropolitan railway network, thanks to the many canals and rivers needing the tunnels to be deep enough to prevent flooding.

National and international railway

Menchi is served by the Monsilvan Railways Administration, which runs services from Menchi to towns and cities across Monsilva including Luhai, Taoyuan, Maojie, Zhangye and Amking.

Bus and riverboats

The Menchi Bus and Riverboat Network is an extensive bus and riverboat network used within the city, providing more specific and frequently stopping alternative to the Menchi Metro. For this reason, it still has a very high popularity despite the massive growth in usage of the metro. The riverboats, although very different from the buses, are run by the same company which is owned by the Menchi City Council.

Education

University of Menchi

Menchi has many educational institutions across the city, from elementary schools to universities. The city is home to the University of Menchi and the University of Law, Zhukeng, the former being renowned for its courses in geography, geology and other earth sciences, while the latter is Monsilva's top law university, rivalled only with top Monsilvan universities such as the University of Luhai. Unlike most states where it is up to 16, education in the state of Meixian is mandatory up to the age of 18. This has contributed to Menchi having more apprenticeship offers and 16-18 educational job opportunities than any other city in the country.

Although historically, Luhainese was the predominent language in Meixian and Menchi, it has since retreated to the north and inland regions of the state. Nowadays, most Monsilvans living along the central coast and in the south of the state, including Menchi, either no longer speak Luhainese, or only speak it as a secondary language/dialect. Some schools in Menchi have attempted to revive it as a secondary language, but due to federal laws prohibiting Luhainese being used as the primary language in education, the adoption of the language in the city has been relatively low.

Culture

Sport

Sport has had little effect on Menchi's culture as of recent years. Respondents to surveys carried out in 2015 suggested the Meixian was the least sport-oriented state in the country, with only 30% of respondents saying sport is a moderately big part of their lives, as opposed to Luhai, just north of Meixian, having 65% of respondents saying sport was a big part of their lives. The biggest football team in Menchi is Menchi Heliu F.C., which is currently in the Challenge League 1.

Tourism

Main landmarks of Menchi include the National Museum of History, the Qingguo, Jenn Lann, and Zhenwu temples, Taichung Park and Menchi Zoo. As well as these man-made landmarks, natural landmarks such as the Yingchan River and the islands of Menchi are popular sites to see.

Other

Business is a large part of Menchi culture, with many streets being covered with neon lighting pointing to many different small and big businesses. It is home to Haulian Supermarkets, which was once a small fish market which has now become the third-largest supermarket chain in Monsilva. The city is often referred to as the "Start-up's dream" due to its high rate of business growth.

Many companies, such as Hualian Supermarkets and even state-owned companies like the Bank of Monsilva have been founded in Menchi.

See also

• Outline of Monsilva