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The Earth Kingdom is the largest and most populous country in the known world, and encompasses the overwhelming majority of Earth Nation polities. Its inhabitants are primarily of Earth National elemental ethnicities and hence its culture and history have been heavily influenced by the development of Earthbending.

The Earth Kingdom is vast and diverse, with 60 constituent polities of various types. It controlled substantially all of its claimed territory at the start of the Fire Nation invasion, but now some provinces are controlled by the Fire Nation colonial government and others have attained de facto independence after neglect or perceived abuse from the Ba Sing Se government.

The Earth Kingdom is divided into nine regions, eight of which have regional capitals and the other of which is coterminous with the outer barrier wall of the royal capital, Ba Sing Se.

Many of the political subdivisions of the Earth Kingdom have histories as independent countries that were tributaries of the Central Earth Kingdom government in Ba Sing Se, and which were later incorporated as organic parts of the kingdom. Four of these subdivisions, originating as vassal kingdoms, are termed states rather than provinces, with leaders who are "prince" or "king / sovereign" (王), the latter term also being used for the Earth Monarch in Ba Sing Se. For historical reasons, many of the provinces are still called countries (國) even though their leaders are not allowed to call themselves kings/princes (or queens/princesses.) The Earth Monarch is usually an Earth King (土王), though sometimes there have been Earth Queens regnant who use the same title as when the Earth Monarch is male, and under the Great Ri the Earth Monarch was titled Emperor of the Great Ri in most contexts, being called "Earth King" only in the context of his rule in Ba Sing Se.

Geography

The Earth Kingdom is enormous and contains essentially every biome from frozen glaciers to torrid jungles.

Northern Region

Ethnic Groups

The Earth Kingdom has forty-one widely-recognized Ethnic Groups, many of which contain subdivisions. The term "Earth Peoples" (土民) is collectively used for everyone who isn't descended from the natives of Ba Sing Se. Ba Sing Se natives (the ancestral stock of both the Hao and the Ting) are not considered "ethnic" by the Hao Ting, though the Ri and Later Gong used the term Guchengminzu (固城民族) "Solid walls ethnic group" for them. The Guchengminzu may be considered the "zeroth" group on the list below, although they are not on the official lists.

Number	Name	Translation and Alternate Names	Bending Group	Note
	固城民族	Gùchéng mínzú "Solid Walls Nationality"	Earth	Natives of the Ba Sing Se region, founded many dynasties including the incumbent Hao-Ting.
	賤民	Jiànmín "Mean People", "Undesirables"	Various	Catch-all classification used in government documents for certain groups of people denied other classification under the Hao-Ting.
1	中族	Zhōng zú "Central Tribe"	Earth	Earthbending people originating in the heartland of the Central Earth Kingdom.
2	南族	Nán zú "Southern Tribe", 南部人 "Southerners"	Earth	Ethnic group originating in the Greater Omashu region.
3	港族	Gǎng zú "Harbor Tribe", 固地民族 "Solid Earth Nationality"	Earth	Settled seafairing people originating Southeast of Ba Sing Se, founded the Di dynasty.
4	乾淨族	Gānjìng zú "Clean Tribe", "Ganjinese"	Earth	Originating on the Western Lake. Seafairing people who had a mercantile empire and a dynasty in Ba Sing Se.
5	髒族	Zāng zú "Filthy Tribe" (reclaimed exonym), "Zheing people", "Zhangs" (dialect pronunciations)	Earth	A settled arboreal hunting culture, widely disseminated as fighters.
6	嗄佧民族	Ákǎ mínzú "Abka Nationality" (endonym), 馬鳥民族 "Ostrich-Horse Nationality" (lit. "horsebird nationality")	Earth	Steppe nomads practicing mounted archery.
7	諾蓋民族	Nuògài mínzú "Nogai Nationality" (endonym)	Earth	Steppe nomads practicing mounted earthbending.
8	勇敢民族	Yǒnggǎn mínzú "Yonggan Nationality" (endonym, characters chosen to transcribe it literally mean "brave")	Earth	Montane semi-nomads and settled badgermole pastoralists. Founded a conquest dynasty.
9	沼澤村民	Zhǎozé cūnmín "Swamp villagers"	Water	Waterbending tribes living in the Southwestern Earth Kingdom (e.g. in the Foggy Swamp).
10	釣部族	Diào bùzú "Fishhook Tribes", Naksibujok (endonym)	Water	Coastal ethnic groups indigenous to the Eastern peninsula.
11	游溝雅島民	Yóugōuyǎ dǎomín "Yokoya Islanders", i.e. "Kyoshi Islanders"	Earth	A previously peninsular, now insular, settled people of the Southwest.
12	尖神村民	Jiānshén cūnmín "Spire-God Villagers"	Earth	Indigenous group of Yunxi with distinctive religious beliefs.
13	河客	Hékè "River Guests", "Western River People"	Water	Transient/nomadic riparian people of the West, Far West, and Western Lake.
14	北土著	Běitǔzhù "Northern Aboriginals", Khemchik (endonym)	Earth	Northern Aborigines inhabiting the northern coast of the Central Continent.
15	塵暴民族	Chénbào mínzú "Chenbao Nationality"	Earth	Primary inhabitants of Chenbao.
16	山氣村民	Shānqì cūnmín "Mountain-Air Villagers"	Earth	Living mainly in Lancang and Poshan, they were devastated by Fire Nation raids aimed at Air nationals living among them. Practiced a form of Angjiao.
17	苗薹族	Miáotái zú "Mau Dai Tribe" (endonym)	Earth	People living mostly in the highlands abutting the southeastern jungles of the Earth Kingdom.
18	野夷	Yěyí "Wild barbarians" (exonym), "Kisri" (endonym)	Earth	Upland people of the far West physically similar to the Honghu tribes but historically engaged in raiding lowland neighbors.
19	坡懷土著	Pōhuái tǔzhù "Pohuai Aboriginals"	Earth	Natives living in Pohuai Province, now largely driven into the interior. They have a gift economy.
20	箭部族	Jiàn bùzú "Arrow Tribes", Hwasalbujok (endonym)	Earth	Inland indigenous ethnic groups of the Eastern peninsula
21	沙瓤土著	Shāráng tǔzhù "Sharang Aboriginals", (endonym)	Earth	Far Western indigenous ethnic group.
22	南方沙部族	Nánfāngshā bùzú "Southern Sand Tribes", "Siwang Sandbender Tribes"	Earth	Sandbending nomads native to the Si Wong Desert.
23	北方沙部族	Běifāngshā bùzú "Northern Sand Tribes", "Hanwang Sandbender Tribes"	Earth	Sandbending nomads native to the Hanwang Desert.
24	螬牧民	Cáo mùmín "Beetle Herders", "Beetle-helmet people," "Beetle-headed merchants"	Earth	Nomadic overland traders who are widely dispersed and known for skills in desert crossings.
25	皂山土著	Zàoshān tǔzhù "Black Mountain Aboriginals"	Earth	Indigenous group native to the Gaoling Region.
26	泊山民族	Pōshān mínzú, "Boshan Nationality"	Earth	Indigenous group of the Boshan Plateau.
27	叢林土著	Cónglín tǔzhù "Conglin Aboriginals"	Earth	Inland indigenous jungle people of the far South.
28	紅鬍部族	Hónghú bùzú "Redbeard Tribal Group"	Earth	Far Northwestern indigenous group. They herd eel-hounds and some are semi-nomadic.
29	高嶺民族	Gāolǐng mínzú "Gaoling Nationality"	Earth	Main settled ethnic group of Gaoling.
30	昒鑫民族	Hū xīn mínzú "Huxin Nationality"	Earth	Indigenous people of the former Huxin Kingdom, now a large minority there.
31	奏暹部族	Zòu-Xiān bùzú "Zou-Xian Tribal Groups"	Earth	Indigenous people of the Zou and Xian states.
32	中島民	Zhōngdǎo zú "Zhong Islanders", "Middle Islanders"	Earth	People of the islands of the Yang Province and coast of the Eastern sea.
33	南島民	Nán dǎomín "Southern Islanders"	Earth	People of Zeizhou, Agoh and the Seacoast State
34	鬘鄴民族	Mányè mínzú "Mãwue Nationality"	Earth	People of the Mãwue Sultanate.
35	樂地民族	Lède mínzú "Lede Nationality"	Earth	Native of the Lede State.
36	江客	Jiāngkè "River guests", "Southern River People"	Water or Earth	Nomadic people living on the rivers and canals of the Southern Continent, and in semi-permanent riparian camps, sometimes coming into conflict with settled people. They are of mixed water and earth elemental ethnicity.
37	昂牧民	Áng mùmín "Soaring Nomads", 气和族 "Air Tribe", "Air Nomads"	Air	Associated with the Northern Air Temple but some also lived in the South; believed eradicated in the genocide by the Fire Nation
38	進貢水族	Jìngòng shuǐzú "Tributary Water Tribes"	Water	Ethnic water nation people living in the Far North, recognizing the Earth Kingdom as suzerain. The Maozu and Banzu split from these groups to join the Northern Water Tribes' confederation.
39	火客	Huǒkè "Fire guests"	Fire	Ethnic Fire Nation People living in the far west (prior to the Invasion) - mostly in territories now occupied by the Fire Nation or expelled in ethnic violence.
40	榮島民	Róng dǎomín "Rong Islanders", 榮海盜 "Rong Pirates"	Water	Sometimes-Tributary water tribe, some of whom are involved in piratical activities.
41	龜楼族	Guīlóu zú "Turtle-house Tribe"	Earth	Formerly considered part of the Zhong ethnicity, they were recently recognized as a distinct ethnicity.

Political Subdivisions

Click to enlarge maps showing regions and provinces of the Earth Kingdom.

Central Region (中區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
	永固城	Yǒng gù chéng "Everlasting City"	Borders are coterminous with the Outer Wall of the Agricultural Zone of Ba Sing Se. Not considered a province. Often just called "Ba Sing Se."
	牆外區	Qiáng wài qū "Zone Outside the Walls"	Part of the original territory of the Wen Kingdom that was not enclosed in the walls of Ba Sing Se when they were built.
1	長川省	Cháng chuān shěng "Longriver Province"	One of the oldest and most heavily populated provinces, mythic history claims its flood control projects were the first works of civil earthbending.
2	圍莊省	Wéi zhuāng shěng "Enclosed Village Province"	Named for the fortified "Turtle Villages" of its early inhabitants, fortified against hostile spirits and raiders from the South.
3	六畜省	Liùchù shěng "Six Animals Province"	An old agricultural province, colonized during the Wen. Its population is concentrated in the Southwest on the shore of the Eastern Lake
4	五穀省	Wǔgǔ shěng "Five Grains Province"	An old agricultural province, colonized during the Wen. The population density is fairly low.
5	新林省	Xīn lín shěng "New Forest Province"	Despite the name, it has barely more forests than other Central provinces, having exported wood to the rest of the region for centuries.
6	平原西省	Píngyuán xī shěng "Western Plains Province"	Historically the home of tributary pastoralists, location of most of the Abka Wall line of ancient fortifications.
7	湖北省	Húběi shěng "Northern Lake Province"	Relatively prosperous province that was a gateway to trade with the South pre-unification.
8	固地國	Gù dì guó "Solid Earth State"	A rival Earth Nation which provided the third dynasty of Earth Kings. It is rich and densely populated, with many ports serving the Eastern Sea trade.
Eastern Region (東區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
9	囸鮮省	Rì xiān shěng "Ilseon Province"	Part of the historic homeland of the Hwasalbujok and Naksibujok peoples, conquered in antiquity by the Elder Gong.
10	箭麗國	Jiàn lì guó "Jeonyeo State"	Historically a tributary kingdom of Ba Sing Se, it is forested and temperate in the north, subtropical in the south.
11	坱省	Yǎng shěng "Yang Province"	Ancient colony of the Di Dynasty, its tropical jungle interior is mostly unspoiled, with population concentrated on the western coast.
12	夏威島省	Xià wēi dǎo shěng "Hawi Island Province"	Large island that forms the easternmost point of the Earth Kingdom. Contains unusual fauna, volcanic activity.
Western Region (西區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
13	馬人國	Mǎ rén guó "Abka State"	Territory occupied by the nomadic Abka people, includes most of the Hanwang Desert and extensive steppe.
14	髒國	Zāng guó "Zheing State"	Tributary country that is the homeland of the Zheing people.
15	乾淨國	Gānjìng guó "Ganjin State"	Center of the mercantile empire (and sometimes actual empire, historically) of the Ganjinese people.
16	勇敢國	Yǒnggǎn guó "Yonggan State"	Homeland of the semi-nomadic badgermole-raising Yonggan people who provided the Ri Dynasty.
17	夷國	Yí guó "Yi State"	A mountainous province of nomads and miners, its settled population is concentrated in the Southwest.
18	諾蓋國	Nuò gài guó "Nogai State"	Tributary Earth Nation, mostly populated by nomads, with some Ganjinese colonies on the coasts.
19	塵暴國	Chénbào guó "State of Chenbao"	Extensive mountainous country, colonized by the Earth Kingdom but often separated from it by geography or hostile nomads. De facto highly independent.
Northern Region (北區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
20	新北省	Xīnběi shěng "New Northern Province"	Home of the culturally diverse city of Beigang, and of the Three Sisters rivers. Controls access to the Grand Canal system.
21	水族東國	Shuǐzú dōng guó "Eastern Shuizu State"	Originally a tributary Water Nation, settled by water tribes before their confederation.
22	山北省	Shān běi shěng "Northern Mountain Province"	An old province that changed hands between various Earth Nations many times. Contains the famous Ting Dynasty summer palace and its renowned gardens.
23	水族西國	Shuǐzú xī guó "Western Shuizu State"	Originally a tributary Water Nation, settled by water tribes before their confederation.
24	泥炭國	Nítàn guó "Nitan State"	The "Peatbog Country," named for its dominant boreal peatlands biome. Many aboriginal Earth tribes live here, even relative to the rest of the North.
25	䀚雪國	Ángxuě guó "The Soaring-Snow State"	Once the home of the Northern Air Temple and the sacred alpine valleys of Air Nomads, it was devastated by the Fire Nation. They left, and it has since been partly resettled by Chenbao.
Southern Region (南區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
26	大奥瑪舒王國	Dà Àomǎshū Wángguó "Kingdom of Great Omashu"	An independent Earth Nation and perennial rival to Ba Sing Se until the Ting Dynasty unification, with rich seacoasts and a rugged interior rich in mineral resources.
27	海西省	Hǎi xī shěng "Haixi Province"	Part of the Omashu heartland, and where terraced rice cultivation was invented if one believes Southern accounts.
28	死沙省	Sǐ shā shěng "Province of the Deadly Sands"	Location of the Siwang (i.e. Si Wong) desert.
29	琎東省	Jìn dōng shěng "Jindong Province"	Once an important fief of the Great Omashu, noted for its export of jade-like Jin stone and agreeable climate. Has several important trading ports.
30	地疆省	Dìjiāng shěng "Dijiang Province"	Formerly the frontier of settlement of Omashu, it became a breadbasket of the South.
31	青川省	Qīngchuān shěng "Greenriver Province"	Settled by Omashu in high antiquity. Named for the green waters of a river that forms its Eastern border.
32	湖東省	Húdōng shěng "East Lake Province"	Formerly an independent Earth Nation, it became a tributary alternately of Ba Sing Se or Omashu for centuries. It is nowadays populous and stable inasmuch as any part of the Earth Kingdom is.
33	昒鑫東省	Hūxīn dōng shěng "East Huxin Province"	One of the three Huxin provinces, an important trading center between the Earth Kingdom the Fire Nation before the outbreak of war.
34	閾限省	Yù xiàn shěng "Province of the Threshold"	Lies at the crossroads between four major cultures and has a turbulent history of warfare. It has produced many famous sages and generals.
35	昒鑫南省	Hūxīn nán shěng "South Huxin Province"	One of three provinces that used to be an independent Earth Nation, until it was conquered and divided by the Ganjinese Younger Gong dynasty.
36	奏王國	Zòu wángguó "Kingdom of Zou"	A feudal tributary of the Earth Kingdom who fought wars with Omashu and the Maritimes, it only finally unified during the Ri conquests. Misty highland forests dominate the interior. Since the Hao Ting Renaissance, a cadet branch of the royal family has been on the throne.
37	蓝靛省	Lándiàn shěng "Indigo Province"	A tropical agricultural province of the Earth Kingdom, colonized by the State of Di in pre-dynastic times. Has extensive textile production.
38	暹王國	Xiān wángguó "The Sunrise Kingdom"	A feudal tributary of the Earth Kingdom, with a torrid jungle climate and extensive river system. Has a hereditary sovereign (王) not appointed by Ba Sing Se, but sends tribute missions.
Far Southern Region (遠南區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
39	高嶺國	Gāolǐng guó "State of Gaoling"	A large, diverse and prosperous state of the far South, former regional rival of Great Omashu before becoming a tributary to it in antiquity, and then part of the Earth Kingdom.
40	皂山省	Zàoshān shěng "Black Mountains Province"	A peripheral province of the Earth Kingdom, mostly with economic links to Gaoling.
41	勤嶽省	Qínyuè shěng "Mount Diligence Province"	A humid jungle region noted for its volcanic activity and secluded monasteries. Also the refuge of partisans (遺民) of Qin the Conqueror, and location of Kyoshi Island.
42	泊山國	Pōshān guó "State of Boshan"	Hot, arid plateaus in the Northwest give way to jungle in the East. Formerly the site of a settled tributary air nation.
43	澜沧國	Láncāng guó "Lancang State"	A mountainous state, home of the Mau Dai people. Noted for its forested highland and many beautiful waterfalls.
44	海湾省	Hǎiwān shěng "Gulf Province"	A large and prosperous territory largely untouched by the war. Trades with the Island South. Enjoys a moderate climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons.
45	海岸國	Hǎi'àn guó "Coastal State"	Originally a confederation of small sultanates on the southern coast, it was incorporated into the Earth Kingdom under the Ri Dynasty.
Far Western Region (遠西區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
46	雲西省	Yúnxī shěng "Yunxi Province"	The capital province of the Far West, straddles the Straits of Chenbao and the Straits of Huxin.
47	昒鑫北省	Hūxīnběi shěng "North Huxin Province"	One of the Huxin provinces that were once an independent Earth Nation, conquered and divided centuries ago.
48	弱水國	Ruò shuǐ guó "Weakwater State"	Notable for its hydrologically puzzling river. One of the more populous far Western states, exports food to Chenbao and Yi.
49	坡懷省	Pōhuái shěng "Pohuai Province"	An island province with a pleasant, "Mediterranean" climate, and an indigenous Earth Nation with a gift economy.
50	沙瓤國	Shāráng guó "Sharang State"	Settled by agriculturalist Zhongzu in ancient times, also with a large aboriginal population of standbenders, displaced to the interior.
51	五河省	Wǔ hé shěng "Five Rivers Province"	Homeland of Qin the Conqueror, its remoteness and relatively sparse inland population causes it to retain something of a frontier character.
52	紅鬍國	Hóng hú guó "Honghu State"	Home of the Red-Beard tribe. Largely autonomous confederation of small principalities that intermittently send tribute to Ba Sing Se and sometimes raid neighbors.
53	古林省	Gǔlín shěng "Gulin Province"	A forested and remote province whose capital was once the launching point for the colonization of the Celadon Archipelago and wars with the Fire Nation.
Outer Islands Region (外島區)
Number	Name	Translation	Note
54	鬘鄴蘇丹國	Mányè sūdānguó "Sultanate of Mãwue"	A maritime Earth Nation that pays tribute to the Earth King, mostly covered in temperate rainforest with high volcanic mountains in the interior.
55	榮島省	Róng dǎo shěng "Glory Island Province"	A peripheral province notorious for its hospitality to pirates in times of dynastic weakness. Has a temperate rainforest environment.
56	鰂酎省	Zéi zhòu shěng "Zeizhou Province"	Settled by colonists from Gaoling, who fought a war with the indigenous island Earth Nations. It is very fertile agriculturally.
57	阿構蘇丹國	Āgòu sūdānguó "Agoh Sultanate"	An island tributary to the Earth Kingdom, containing a mixed population of Earth and Water ethnicity.
58	樂地國	Lèdì guó "Lede"	A subtropical Earth Nation, its culture had heavy religious influence from the settled Air Nations historically. It had many small Air Nomad monasteries that were destroyed by Fire Nation raiders over the years.

Monarchy and Symbolism

See Dynastic History of the Earth Kingdom for the historical development and key points of the history of the monarchy.

The Earth Kingdom is ruled by the Earth Monarch (土王), who reigns from the Badgermole Throne (獾鼴寶座) in the Hall of Invincible Stability (永穩殿 lit. Ever-Stable [Palace] Hall), part of the innermost palace complex in Ba Sing Se. Earth Monarchs assume rulership by "ascending the throne" and issuing an edict stating this fact and proclaiming an Era Name to be used in the new year. (Thus, an Earth King first rules during the last year of the era of his predecessor; if the former Earth King has died close to the new year, the official ascension would be separated from the Era Name proclamation lest confusion about the current era name be created in the far-flung corners of the Kingdom where the edict might not be disseminated before the New Year.)

Iconography of the monarchy varied by dynasty. The current Hao Ting favors a circular symbol with a central square hole, somewhat resembling a cash coin. The preceding Ri dynasty used a stylized badgermole and a quadripartite symbol similar to the yin-yang (࿌) which signified the balance of the Four Elements. The Hao dynasty immediately preceding the Ri also used badgermole symbolism; the austere Ting used a circular symbol more similar to the current emblem until the recovery of the ancient badgermole throne.

Green is the national color of the Earth Kingdom. Traditionally, the color of the Earth Monarch's regalia was described as "celadon," though the current regalia no longer closely fit that color description precisely. The Royal regalia has been made in Gan Jin Country since the time of the Great Ri and the tradition continues to the present.

Military

The Royal Earth Army is the traditional army of the Earth Kingdom. It has a proud and storied history, but as of 95 AG the organization has fallen on hard times. Most of the best units have been decimated in battle with the Fire Nation; many of the remaining troops of the regular army are tied up in ensuring the flow of taxes to Ba Sing Se or protecting the outer wall. The defense of the West and South has largely been left to highly-autonomous provincial generals, warlords in all but name, who levy their own taxes and conscript local people on their own authority. They fight the Fire Nation invasion, bandits, rebels (such as those who refuse to give them money or soldiers), and occasionally, each other. These generals act in a poorly-coordinated fashion, often preferring to defend their local bases of support rather than pursue objectives in the interest of the Kingdom overall; they treat orders from Ba Sing Se as more of suggestions which they might implement or not. Lately, the Hao-Ting war council has come to accept that it has to bribe them to do anything against their self-interest. The warlord armies are usually controlled with brutal discipline, but that does not extend to their treatment of defeated enemies, as they often engage in war crimes. That being said, some of the warlord generals are comparatively chivalrous; the legendary scholar-general YANG Guofan and his Gaoling Army are both loyal to the state and well-disciplined.

The Earth Navy uses mainly sailing ships. It was decimated by the Fire Nation early in the course of the war, as they were no match for the metal-hulled and steam-propelled Fire Navy. The Earth Navy in the far East and Outward Lands has experimented with a few steam-powered ships of their own, based on captured Fire Nation technology, but without firebending, both the operation and building of such ships is limited. (Notably, they are still wooden steamships, except for a couple of Fire Nation ships that ran around and were captured.) Most of the Earth Navy's large sailing ships are in the sea between the mainland and the outlying Southern territories of the Earth Kingdom; the experimental steamships and captured Fire Nation ships are kept in the Eastern Sea to defend Ba Sing Se from an attack from the East. (The strategic merits of this decision are questionable.) With the assistance of Southern Water Tribe members who joined the war, the Earth Kingdom does conduct some commerce raiding with smaller vessels against Fire Nation shipping between the Fire Islands and their colonies in the Earth Kingdom. However, as the Fire Nation has started modernizing their merchant navy and started to use convoy escorts, these raids have become less effective.

Bureaucracy

The Earth Kingdom is administrated through an extensive bureaucracy, the power of which in relation to other institutions (the Earth Sages, the Military, large commercial interests and feudal nobility) waxes and wanes with the passing of reigns and dynasties. Under the Hao Ting, the bureaucracy waxed strong before a long decline. Even it its dotage, suborned to warlords and power-hungry governors and administrators that have emerged from within it, the system of officials appointed and advanced on merit remains a substantial influence on the culture of the country.

Would-be bureaucrats qualify to enter the system by passing the Civil Service Exam, held once a year in every state and province of the Earth Kingdom. If they pass, they can submit themselves for official service, agreeing to be sent wherever there is a need for them, generally not in their home province. Officials are divided into eight ranks; newly accepted officials are eighth rank and about 60% never rise above that rank; of those how do, most remain in rank seven or six. Of the total officials, less than 3% are rank five or above. There are less than 100 rank one officials in the entire Kingdom, most of them in Ba Sing Se or Omashu, and report directly to the Grand Secretary or the other Supernal Ministers of the Earth King; some are the Prime Ministers of the King of Omashu and other constituent states of the Earth Kingdom who have feudal vassal rulers instead of appointed governors.

The Eight Supernal Ministers (ostensibly at least) report to the Earth King, and together with the Grand Secretary and the Grand Preceptor, help him rule the country. The ministries are: The Ministry of Armaments, The Foreign Ministry, Ministry of State Rituals, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Cultural Preservation (i.e. the Dai Li), Ministry of Civil Appointments, and the Ministry of State Revenue.

Official rank allows the holder to use various prestige symbols under sumptuary laws, which originally protected the prestige of feudal nobility from upwardly mobile merchant classes. An official of the sixth rank is entitled to keep one eunuch, and have a servant run in front of them banging a gong, for example:

Official Sumptuary Privileges
Exam Passed, no appointment	Not to rise and bow to a passing official; wear a tassel on their hats
Rank 8	Garments with state insignia.
Rank 7	Runner with a bell and/or white lantern going before them.
Rank 6	Runner with a gong or green lantern going before them. May keep a eunuch.
Rank 5	One gong runner, two green lantern runners. Two eunuchs. State carriage.
Rank 4	Four lantern runners, gong and a trumpeter.
Rank 3	Six lantern runners, gong and two trumpeters, may keep up to ten eunuchs, up to 12 personal guards.
Rank 2	Eight lantern runners, up to 24 personal guards. Semi-Precious stone hat ornaments.
Rank 1	Ten lantern runners, precious stone hat ornaments, carriage drawn by ostrich horses of the royal flock, may keep any number of household eunuchs.
Supernal Ministers	Very fancy hat, twelve lantern runners going before them.

Higher ranks have all the privileges of the ranks below them. Each rank has distinctive insignia for their official garments. Note that most members of the given official rank, except near the very top, are unlikely to actually be able to afford to exercise all of these privileges. In particular, since penal law reforms during the Renxian reign (745-712 BG) the supply of eunuchs has become greatly restricted in most areas; further, getting together twelve extra guys to go with your palanquin bearers or carriage servants is a bit inconvenient for heading to the office for a meeting, so this sort of thing is mainly seen during state occasions.

There are also "unranked officials," who are subordinate to the 8th rank in precedence and have not passed the civil service exam, but a literacy test instead. They are appointed mostly in distant regions as village headmen and "frontier bailiffs" who must correspond with a relatively distant yamen in writing rather than being able to conveniently speak in person with their superior. They have a distinctive insignia but no tassel for their hats.