Mandate of Heaven

English Etymology en lzh-lit 天命lzh check whether this should be lzh-lit ("Literary Chinese") or lzh ("Classical Chinese", < c. 200 AD). Proper noun Mandate of Heaven 1 The philosophical construct that is the basis of the authority of the Son of Heaven. Noun Mandates of Heaven Mandate of Heaven Any such mandate or blessing. The Chinese philosophical concept of the circumstances under which a ruler is allowed to rule. Good rulers would be allowed to rule with the Mandate of Heaven, and despotic, unjust rulers would have the Mandate revoked by disasters or revolution. en figurative often humorous The preeminence of an incumbent or institution other than that of the rulers of China. Translations any such mandate or blessing Chinese: Mandarin: cmn 天命 tiānmìng Japanese: ja 天命 てんめい, tenmei Khmer: km បញ្ជាទេព្ដា, km អាណត្តិទេព្ដា Korean: ko 천명(天命) Polish: pl Mandat Niebios m Tagalog: tl Mandato ng Langit Thai: th อาณัติแห่งสวรรค์ aa-nát-hɛ̀ɛng-sà-wǎn Vietnamese: vi thiên mệnh See also en Son of Heaven en Celestial Empire en divine right Further reading en China Chinese philosophy Chinese politics History of China Monarchism Monarchy