Mandate of Heaven

English

Etymology

Translation of the Literary Chinese 天命

Proper noun

Mandate of Heaven

1. The philosophical construct that is the basis of the authority of the Son of Heaven.

Noun

Mandate of Heaven (plural Mandates of Heaven)

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.

Translations

any such mandate or blessing

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 天命 (zh) (tiānmìng)

• Japanese: 天命 (ja) (てんめい, tenmei)
• Khmer: បញ្ជាទេព្ដា (bɑɑñciəteipdaa) (banhjie teip da), អាណត្តិទេព្ដា (ʼaantteteipdaa) (aanat teip da)
• Korean: 천명 (ko) (cheonmyeong)
• Thai: อาณัติแห่งสวรรค์
• Vietnamese: thiên mệnh (vi)

Related terms

• Son of Heaven
• Celestial Empire
• divine right of kings