HISTORY
ANCIENT CHINA
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Gods
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Heaven
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Kings
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Men
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Detailed explanation-1: -The “Mandate of Heaven” is an ancient Chinese philosophical concept, which originated during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE). The Mandate determines whether an emperor of China is sufficiently virtuous to rule; if he does not fulfil his obligations as emperor, then he loses the Mandate and thus the right to be emperor.
Detailed explanation-2: -Emperor Wu of the Zhou was the first ruler to legitimize his reign through the concept of the Mandate of Heaven.
Detailed explanation-3: -The Zhou used the concept of the Mandate of Heaven to justify their overthrow of the Shang Dynasty and to justify the rule of the Zhou Dynasty. Unlike the European concept of the “divine right” of kings, the Mandate of Heaven could be given to a person of common birth and could be lost.
Detailed explanation-4: -The Zhou kings believed that they were given a mandate from heaven to rule. The kings prayed and sacrificed to Shang Ti, the Lord on High, now called T’ien (Heaven), and to their ancestors.