While Han Liner Song and the Pure Land sect of Buddhism he led may not have in reality have had anything to do with the Southern Song Dynasty that had been destroyed by the Yuan conquests over 100 years prior to their revolt, the state they founded has undoubtedly lived up to its namesake. Reasserting Chinese dominance from the capital at Hangzhou, the Later Song (as they have come to be known) underwent a meteoric rise as they conquered the Yuan dynasty and then the other contending warlord states by the early 15th century, then went into a long period of dormancy as they recreated the ancient bureaucratic institutions of the Empire and developed the infrastructure and land the Yuan had ravaged. After reinstituting Buddhism as the religion of government and bringing their technology and governmental methods up to western (European) standards, however, they are ready to begin a spree of conquest to cement their hegemony over East and Southeast Asia and its vast trade wealth (ie., I got the Imperialism casus belli).
Points of interest:
State religion: Theravada Buddhism
Has largely returned to Tang-era borders, aside from territory controlled by Chagatai
Wealthiest state in the world
by far--several thousand ducats per year higher income than next wealthiest (France). Huge production income (over 1000 ducats
per month) is key.
Also have a huge army (200,000 men), large navy (100 big ship main fleet, 30 light ships in 3 fleets, 40 transports in 2 fleets), and a big manpower pool (168k men).
Undergoing industrial revolution--many provinces around Beiping have been converted to hardware/armaments/steel production. Picking up where the Southern Song left off...(another factor in *huge* income--2+ units of hardware is worth over 500 ducats, easily, when bonuses are factored in)
Major producer of tea, silk, chinaware (duh)
As with Southern Song, significantly trade/crafts oriented, although more so on crafts/internal development--high "isolationist" slider hinders colonial development of Taiwan, Siberia (going to destroy SE Asian control of areas)
Fully westernized, including military and government (the last a special point I had to mod in for MEIOU). Average technology level is similar to Europe's in all areas.
Japan formed!
The Aztecs also formed, but got conquered and broke up later.
Russia and Great Britain didn't, though, as their main states got mired in revolution and war.
The Reformation died before it started--there are maybe 2-3 Luthern and Calvinist states in Europe.
Portugal and revolters ate Castille (but later it got spat back out)
Colonization started pretty late--up until about 1600, only Portugal (and a bit later England) were in on the game--but now it's picking up, with everyone and their sister (I mean serious, Lan Na? The Byzantines!?) getting in.
