Tanjin
In all Cities and many Towns, there are established schools, called Tanjin, that grew out of an effort originally sponsored by the Emperor, but was strongly influenced by aspects of Qiviran society and the mysterious Colonies. These schools vary from informal ones that teach basic language and math skills to the general population.
Some Tanjin specialize in certain things, but the majority of them are there to teach language, math, history, customs, mores, norms, and typical socialization activities.
They are not required, but since they are free or sponsored, most do not charge and act as a kind of day care for the young between Childhood and youthhood, ending when they become an apprentice. Tanjin are not large places, usually having only three, perhaps four buildings in a square around a large open space that serves as a communal eating, play, and meeting area. A typical Tanjin can support up to around 80 students.
Tanjin are generally among the earliest things to be set up once a settlement reach the size of a hamlet or village, and all of them will have at least one, even if it is a small one of a single building. Specialty tanjin may locate in out of the way places that enable them to focus on their work without much challenge – this is especially true of those that are run by noted scholars, and these ore involved Tanjin are starting to form up in ways that act as a replacement for the Guild system of apprenticeship – someone seeking to study a particular area like antiquities, for example, might choose to move their apprenticeship to the Tanjin.
Lastly, there are the secret Tanjin, where esoterica and veiled knowledge are taught, rare and hard to find, with extremely few students and then only those found worthy.
