- "The Mandate of Heaven is a Chinese political philosophy that was used in ancient and imperial China to legitimize the rule of the King or Emperor of China."
The Confucian concept of the 'heavenly mandate' or the will of the divine, which was believed to guide and bless rulers who behaved in accordance with moral principles.
Confucianism: This topic covers the history and philosophy of Confucianism, including its foundational principles, beliefs, and practices.
Tian: This topic specifically focuses on the concept of tian in Confucianism, which is often translated as "heaven" or "cosmos." It explores the various interpretations of tian, its role in personal and social ethics, and its relationship to human nature.
Analects: This topic covers the Analects, a collection of sayings and teachings attributed to Confucius. It explores the role of tian in Confucius' philosophy and the Analects' influence on Confucian thought.
Li: Li is a key Confucian concept that refers to ethical principles and social norms. This topic explores the relationship between tian and li, as well as the practical implications of li for personal and social conduct.
Ren: Ren is another key Confucian concept that refers to moral goodness or benevolence. This topic explores the relationship between tian and ren, as well as the practical implications of ren for personal and social conduct.
Confucian rituals: Rituals are an important aspect of Confucianism, and this topic explores the role of tian in various Confucian rituals, such as ancestor worship and the veneration of Confucius himself.
Neo-Confucianism: This topic covers the development of Confucian thought in the Song dynasty and beyond, focusing on the role of tian in Neo-Confucian philosophy.
Tiantai Buddhism: Tiantai Buddhism is a school of Buddhism that incorporates Confucian and Taoist principles into its philosophy. This topic explores the relationship between tian and Buddhism in Tiantai philosophy.
Comparative religion: This topic explores the similarities and differences between tian in Confucianism and similar concepts in other religions and philosophical systems.
Contemporary applications: Finally, this topic covers the various ways that Confucian scholars and practitioners apply the concept of tian to modern issues, including environmental ethics, global governance, and social justice.
- "According to this doctrine, heaven (天, Tian) bestows its mandate on a virtuous ruler."
- "This ruler, the Son of Heaven, was the supreme universal monarch, who ruled Tianxia (天下; 'all under heaven', the world)."
- "If a ruler was overthrown, this was interpreted as an indication that the ruler was unworthy and had lost the mandate."
- "It was also a common belief that natural disasters such as famine and flood were divine retributions bearing signs of Heaven's displeasure with the ruler."
- "The Mandate of Heaven does not require a legitimate ruler to be of noble birth, depending instead on how well that person can rule."
- "Chinese dynasties such as the Han and Ming were founded by men of common origins, but they were seen as having succeeded because they had gained the Mandate of Heaven."
- "Corollary to the concept of the Mandate of Heaven was the right of rebellion against an unjust ruler."
- "The Mandate of Heaven was often invoked by philosophers and scholars in China as a way to curtail the abuse of power by the ruler."
- "Chinese historians interpreted a successful revolt as evidence that Heaven had withdrawn its mandate from the ruler."
- "Throughout Chinese history, times of poverty and natural disasters were often taken as signs that heaven considered the incumbent ruler unjust and thus in need of replacement."
- "The concept of the Mandate of Heaven was first used to support the rule of the kings of the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE) to legitimize their overthrow of the earlier Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE)."
- "It was used throughout the history of China to legitimize the successful overthrow and installation of new emperors, including by non-Han Chinese dynasties such as the Qing (1636–1912)."
- "The Mandate of Heaven has been called the Zhou dynasty's most important contribution to Chinese political thought."
- "The Mandate of Heaven coexisted and interfaced with other theories of sovereign legitimacy, including abdication to the worthy and five phases theory." (Note: Due to space constraints, only 15 questions were answered with corresponding quotes. Additional questions can be derived from the remaining context of the paragraph.)