English Explanatory Dictionary

Mandate of Heaven

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. The philosophical construct that is the basis of the authority of the Son of Heaven.
noun
  1. Any such mandate or blessing.
  2. 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.
  3. The preeminence of an incumbent or institution other than that of the rulers of China.

Word forms

Mandate of Heaven the Mandate of Heaven Mandates of Heaven

Etymology

Calque of Literary Chinese 天命 (tiānmìng).

Related words

Son of Heaven Celestial Empire divine right
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