Mandate of heaven

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How does one get the Mandate of heaven? RB "...it was through the magic power of writing that the ancestral spirits could be raised....It was in the possession of these things[ritual bronze vessels], the performance of the correct rituals, the monopoly of bronze and writing that the rulers gained access to the wisdom of the ancestors. This was the basis of political power, and only with these could the ruler possess the mandate of heaven" (161).

The Mandate of Heaven is the determining factor on whether or not the emperor of China is fit to rule. Possessing the Mandate of Heaven grants the right to remain emperor. If the Mandate is lost, than the right to rule is lost. This occurs if the ruler is not just or there is not order. If it is lost, then the subjects have an obligation to revolt. As well, environmental events such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, and famine. The Mandate of Heaven is the "divine right" to rule.

Lena Musallam

Sources:

Manual http://asianhistory.about.com/od/ancientchina/f/What-Is-The-Mandate-Of-Heaven.htm