Alternative History
Manchuria
—  Kingdom in China  —
Native transcription(s)
 - Chinese 滿洲
 - Manchu ManchuriaMancuscriptgrey
Manchuria(WOIOCG)
Government
 - Type Local constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy
 - King Jianhong
 - Chancellor Li Lecheng
 - Grand Secretary' Hao Peng
Population 34.420,000

OTE: Northeast China, Primorsky Krai

The Kingdom of Manchuria (Chinese: 滿洲國, Mǎnzhōu Guó; Manchu: ManchuriaMancuscriptreg , Deri Ilan Golo) also known as the Royal Abode of the Eastern Qing (Chinese: 東清皇家住所, Dōng Qīng Huángjiā Zhùsuǒ) is one of the constituent kingdoms that comprise of the Empire of China.

Manchuria was the homeland of several ethnic groups, including the Koreans, Manchus (or Jurchens), Ulchs, Hezhen (also known as the Goldi and Nanai). Various ethnic groups and their respective kingdoms, including the Sushen, Xianbei, and Mohe have risen to power in Manchuria. The region came under the rule of various states throughout history, including Yan, Gija Joseon, Wiman Joseon, Buyeo, Western Han, Goguryeo, Xin dynasty, Eastern Han, Gongsun Yan, Cao Wei, Western Jin, Former Yan, Former Qin, Later Yan, Tang dynasty, Wu Zhou, Balhae, Liao dynasty, Jin dynasty, Eastern Liao, Later Liao, Eastern Xia, Mongol Empire, Yuan dynasty, Northern Yuan, Ming dynasty, Qing dynasty, and Republic of China.

During the late Qing dynasty, Manchuria came under influence of the Russian Empire with the building of the Chinese Eastern Railway through Harbin to Vladivostok. The Empire of Japan replaced Russian influence in the region as a result of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904–1905, and Japan laid the South Manchurian Railway in 1906 to Port Arthur. Zhang Zuolin established himself in Manchuria, but was murdered by the Japanese for being too independent. The last Qing emperor, Puyi, was then placed on the throne to lead a Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. After the atomic bombing of Japan in 1945, the Russian Empire invaded the region as part of its declaration of war against Japan. From 1945 to 1948, Manchuria was a base area for the Beifang Army in the Chinese Civil War. With the encouragement of the Russian Empire, the area was used as a staging ground during the Civil War for the Chinese monarchists, who were victorious in 1949 and have been controlling this region since.

History[]

State of Manchukuo[]

Manchukuo was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China that existed from 1932 until its dissolution in 1945. It was ostensibly founded as a republic, its territory consisting of the lands seized in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria; it was later declared to be a constitutional monarchy in 1934, though very little changed in the actual functioning of government. Manchukuo received limited diplomatic recognition, mostly from states aligned with the Axis powers, with its existence widely seen as illegitimate.

The region now known as Manchuria had historically been the homeland of the Manchu people, though by the 20th century they had long since become a minority in the region, with Han Chinese constituting by far the largest ethnic group. The Manchu-led Qing dynasty, which had governed China since 17th century, was overthrown with the permanent abolition of the dynastic system in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, with Puyi, the final emperor of China, forced to abdicate at the age of six. In 1931, Manchuria was invaded and occupied by the Empire of Japan following the Mukden incident. A puppet government was set up the following year, with Puyi brought in by the Japanese to serve as its nominal regent, though he himself had no actual political power. Japanese officials ultimately made all pertinent decisions, and exercised total control over Puyi's court and personal safety. Upon the nominal transition from republic to empire, Puyi was proclaimed as the emperor of Manchukuo.

The Japanese population of Manchuria increased dramatically during this period, largely due to Japan's efforts to resettle young, land-poor farmers from the inner islands. By 1945, more than a million Japanese people had settled within Manchukuo. The region's Korean population also increased during this period. Regions in the western part of the country with large Mongolian populations were ruled under a slightly different system, reflecting the distinct traditions extant there. The southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, now the city of Dalian, continued to be ruled directly by Japan as the Kwantung Leased Territory until the end of the war.

The state was ultimately toppled at the end of World War II with the Russian invasion of Manchuria in August 1945; its government was formally dissolved following the Japanese surrender in September. The territory was transferred to Chinese in limited quantities administration the following year, setting the seeds for the Sino-Russian conflict.

Manchu Culture Revival[]

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Empire of China and Russian Empire were at an uneasy alliance. Manchuria was a hotspot for contention between the Chinese and Russians. Unlike WOIRG, in this timeline the Russians are more aggressive, carrying about abuses against the native Buddhist and Asiatic population, and forced conversions to Orthodox Christianity, endangering and destroying the once-peaceful relations between Orthodox Christians and Buddhists.

Darkun Hala Fulušun, a Manchu warlord of obscure and rural origins, began the Manchu Nationalist Movement. He proclaimed himself part of the Bordered Yellow Banner, and led his own Eight Banner Army against both the forces of the Empire of China and the Russian Empire. Fulušun considered Puyi to be the ruler of Manchuria, and advocated for Puyi's immediate release.

In spite of proclaiming to be a Manchu nationalist, Darkun Hala Fulušun recieved little regard from the established Manchu nobles and royals, with a personality resembling the Mad Baron, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, Darkun Hala Fulušun's movement quickly failed. He attempted to get help from the United States, but the Americans had little interest in Manchuria.

Fulušun was therefore, forced to either side with the Empire of China or the Russian Empire, leading his own Council consisting solely of Manchus, Xibe, Mongols and Evenks. Fulušun eventually decided to go with the Empire of China, as he considered Christianity an enemy religion. Fulušun also feared that the Russians would force Cyrillic alphabet (as had happened in WOIRG).

Although he failed to procure independence from the Empire of China, the Chaoxiang Emperor did agree with him that the Manchu language needed serious revival. He was given the honorific Ping Zhan (普詹), an acronym of Píngmín zhànshì (平民戰士), meaning "fighter for the commoner", due to his rural background. He was also known by An Lin Ren (暗靈人), meaning "Dark Spirit Man", due to his religious background in Black Shamanism, with Christian Chinese community referring to him as a Satanist.

After completing the Civil Service Exam, under convincing of the Chaoxiang Emperor, he was allowed to administer his own Civil Service Exam, which dictated fluency in Manchu. It was run by the All-Manchu Council, under his leadership, where all were required to speak Manchu to attend functions under Imperial government stipends. This All-Manchu Council would form the founding backbone of the modern-day local Council of Commons in the Kingdom of Manchuria.

The All-Manchu Council grew into an actual local political party under the leadership of Fulušun. Thanks to the efforts of the All-Manchu Council, in the late 1960s through 1980s, as future generations were vigorously educated in Manchu first, Mandarin second, saw the Golden Age of Manchu Literature and Poetry.

Fluency, be it full or partial started to become a widespread requirement in many institutions in Manchuria, with the exception of the imperial-level.

Sino-Russian Conflict[]

Russian Generalissimo Vladimir Rennenkampf had full intentions to give Manchuria back to China, although under Russian economic influence, however the Chinese government would get the taxes and tarrifs. However, Rennenkampf was assassinated in 1953, leading to the ascention of neo-conservative Sergey Taboritsky and Generalissimo Alexander Rodzianko, as well as Konstantin Rodzeavsky as the Foreign Minister, known as the "Tyrannical Three" resembling a regime even worse than Ivan III, resembling a "Christian Orthodox Stalin". Taboritsky secretly annulled the Manchuria Agreement set forth by General Rennenkampf and the Zhanhou Emperor, and stating that "....Manchuria, all of it, was, and is meant to rightfully be part of the divine Russian dominion." This was revealed by Chinese spies in Moscow.

The Zhanhou Emperor, and his successor, the Chaoxiang Emperor, absolutely dismayed and disgusted, repeatedly sent letters to the Russian Stavka to withdraw forces from all of Manchuria, all to which, the Russians refused. As a matter of fact, the Chaoxiang Emperor recieved threats from Chancellor Sergey Taboritsky, a letter written in Chinese by a Chinese POW in Russia, advocating for the extermination of the Chinese people. Taboritsky annulled the treaties and agreements signed between Generalissimo Vladimir P. Rennenkampf and the Chaoxiang Emperor, triggering the Sino-Russian conflict. Additionally, the Manchuria massacre occurred, along with the mysterious death of Chinese diplomats in Russia. The United States and British Empire seized the opportunity to lend a limited supply of weapons to the Chinese forces, but kept their distance knowing that an alliance with China was fragile, this put China in danger of leaving the Russian sphere of influence, something which only triggered Taboritsky to send even more forces, and the majority of Russian citizens were extremely reluctant to get involved in another devastating war, even Generalissimo Rodzianko stated his objections.

The All-Manchu Council found themselves again, in the crossroads of two warring empires. The assassination of Fulušun, and the discovery of Russian military uniforms at the site immediately turned Manchu nationalists on the side of the Empire of China. Manchuria would experience the North China War against the Russian Empire, and in spite of being technologically underdogs, the Chinese and local Manchu forces led a victorious war against the Russians in Port Arthur, renamed to Lyushun. Chinese continued to drive the Russians up north, defeating them in Harbin (another major unexpected victory), up until they reached the banks of the Ussuri and Zeya River. In the process, the Chinese and Manchu Banner forces captured Vladivostok (today Yongmingcheng) and also defeated the Russians east of the Zeya River and north of the Amur River, closing on and nearing the city of Blagoveshchensk. In spite of Chinese forces shelling the city, the Battle of Blagoveshchensk and Ussuri ended up in Russian victories, fighting continued until the 1961 coup led by Alexander Solzhenytsin against Sergey Taboritsky and his entire political circle. In 1962, the Sino-Russian Treaty ended up expanding China's borders (OTE: Primorsky Krai and territories north and east of modern-day Blagoveshchensk) while in the south, the British ceded Hong Kong to China shortly after Solzhenytsin offered to help Chiang Kai-Shek.

Additionally, Harbin and Port Arthur were ceded to China by the Russian Empire, leading to the execution of Sergey Taboritsky for having caused the loss of Russian territory, and the possibly loss of a valuable ally in China in combating Western influence.

Both the North China War and South China War ended in military stalemates, but did prove that the Chinese were capable of defeating both the United States and Russian Empire, seemingly avenging their loss during the Boxer Rebellion. Both superpowers argued against one another for having instigated the war, accusing one another of planting false flags using stolen military uniforms.

What builds Chinese wealth at this point, was the Russians and Western powers enriching trade with China, and allowing the taxes to all go to the Chinese imperial government in Beijing.

Post Sino-Russian conflict[]

Manchuria, along with Mongolia, became the doorway of Sino-Russian trade with the large-scale increase of railroad networks through Manchuria. The city of Harbin in particular, although no longer Russian territory, was still in many essences, an "economic province" of the Russian Empire, it was often regarded as the "Chinese oblast" (Китайская область), in that while wealthy Russians owned businesses, almost all employees were Chinese, under a new trade law approved by the Chaoxiang Emperor. This was common in most northern Chinese cities. The taxes were also sent to the local Manchurian government, and city of Harbin.

The former Russian city of Port Arthur, now Lushin, was turned into a port city, perhaps one of China's most important port cities. However, Lyushun became majority Han Chinese, along with Harbin.

The Cold War saw the industrialization of Manchuria, as both being a distinct autonomous ethnic Kingdom, but also one of the most economically important and modernized of the Empire of China. The city of Lyushun was used as a base of the Imperial Chinese Navy. The number of railways and international airports increased.

Demographics and culture[]

At the current figures, the largest ethnic groups are the Manchus and Han Chinese. The Manchus comprise 60% of the total population, and are the natives and namesake of the Kingdom. Han Chinese comprise another 25%, while Evenkis, Mongols, Overseas Japanese, Overseas Koreans and people from Siberian and Central Asian ethnic groups make up the rest.

The Manchu language has recieved one of the most successful revivals of the modern day, and Manchu, alongside Standard Chinese is official in Manchuria, and is the native language of the majority of people.

Indigenous sports[]

Manchu wrestling[]

Manchu wrestling is also an important martial art of the Manchu people. Buku, meaning "wrestling" or "man of unusual strength" in Manchu, was originally from a Mongolian word, "bökh". The history of Manchu wrestling can be traced back to Jurchen wrestling in the Jin dynasty which was originally from Khitan wrestling; it was very similar to Mongolian wrestling. In the Yuan dynasty, the Jurchens who lived in northeast China adopted Mongol culture including wrestling, bökh. In the latter Jin and early Qing period, rulers encouraged the populace, including aristocrats, to practise buku as a feature of military training. At the time, Mongol wrestlers were the most famous and powerful. By the Chongde period, Manchus had developed their own well-trained wrestlers and, a century later, in the Qianlong period, they surpassed Mongol wrestlers. The Qing court established the "Shan Pu Battalion" and chose 200 fine wrestlers divided into three levels. Manchu wrestling moves can be found in today's Chinese wrestling, shuai jiao, which is its most important part. Among many branches, Beijing wrestling adopted most Manchu wrestling moves.

This has influenced the creation of Manchuria Wrestling Championship Inc., a professional wrestling company dominated mostly by Manchus and Mongols, one of the competing professional wrestling companies in China.

Falconry[]

As a result of their hunting ancestry, Manchus are traditionally interested in falconry. Gyrfalcon is the most highly valued discipline in the Manchu falconry social circle. In the Qing period, giving a gyrfalcon to the royal court in tribute could be met with a considerable reward. There were professional falconers in Ningguta area (today's Heilongjiang province and the northern part of Jilin province). It was a big base of falconry. Beijing's Manchus also like falconry. Compared to the falconry of Manchuria, it is more like an entertainment. Imperial Household Department of Beijing had professional falconers, too. They provided outstanding falcons to the emperor when he went to hunt every fall. Even today, Manchu traditional falconry is well practised in some regions.

Ice skating[]

Ice skating is another Manchu pastime, and Manchuria - also given its location in cold wintry weather is considered one of the "Ice Skating Capitals of China". The Qianlong Emperor called it a "national custom". It was one of the most important winter events of the Qing royal household, performed by the "Eight Banner Ice Skating Battalion" (八旗冰鞋营) which was a special force trained to do battle on icy terrain. The battalion consisted of 1600 soldiers. In the Jiaqing period, it was reduced to 500 soldiers and transferred to the Jing Jie Battalion (精捷营) originally, literally meaning "chosen agile battalion".

In the 1930s–1940s, there was a famous Manchu skater in Beijing whose name was Wu Tongxuan, from the Uya clan and one of the royal household skaters in Empress Dowager Cixi's regency. He frequently appeared in many of Beijing's skating rinks. Nowadays, there are still Manchu figure skaters; world champions Zhao Hongbo and Tong Jian are the pre-eminent examples.

The Annual National Ice-Skating Competition in China is held in either Harbin, Mukden or Yǒngmíngchéng.