TheMandateOfHeaven

The Mandate Of Heaven

Governance of China since early times was based on the concept of the Mandate of Heaven. This was a divine right granted by Heaven to the Earthy Emperor as long as the he ruled the land well. This divine right could be lost and hence granted to another to ruler instead. Many pretenders would assert that they had the Mandate of Heaven and hence start a civil war the victor oviously must have this inefrable quality.