Chinese sovereign

The king or wang (王 wang2) was the Chinese head of state from the Zhou to Qin dynasties. After that, Wang (sometimes translated "prince") became merely the head of the hierarchy of noble ranks. The title was commonly given to members of the Emperor's family and could be inherited.

Related Topics:
Head of state - Zhou - Qin dynasties

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The characters huang (皇 huang "godking") and di (帝 "sage king") were used separately and never consecutively (see Three Huang and five Di) and reserved for mythological rulers until the first emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang). The Emperor or huangdi (皇帝 in pinyin: huang2 di4) of China then became the title of head of state of China from the Qin dynasty (221) to the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911.

Related Topics:
Three Huang and five Di - Mythological rulers - Qin Shi Huang - Emperor - Pinyin - China - Head of state - Qin dynasty - 221 - Qing dynasty - 1911

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From the Han dynasty, huangdi was abbreviated to huang or di. Qing (卿);, Daifu (大夫) and Shi (仕) became synonyms for court officials.

Related Topics:
Han dynasty - Abbreviate - Synonym

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Although formally the "son of heaven(the celestial heavens or the universe)," the power of the emperor varied between emperors and dynasties, with some emperors being absolute rulers and others being figureheads with actual power lying in the hands of court factions, eunuchs, the bureaucracy or noble families.

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The title of emperor was transmitted from father to son. Usually the first born of the queen inherited the office, but this rule was not universal and disputes over succession were the cause of a number of civil wars. Unlike the Emperor of Japan, Chinese political theory allowed for a change in dynasty and an emperor could be replaced by a rebel leader. It was generally not possible for a female to succeed to the throne and in the history of China there has only been one reigning Empress, Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty.

Related Topics:
Emperor of Japan - Wu Zetian - Tang dynasty

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