Editing Chinese sovereign (section)

===Son of Heaven===
{{main|Son of Heaven}}

"Son of Heaven" was a title of the Emperor based on the [[Mandate of Heaven]]. The Son of Heaven is a universal emperor who rules [[tianxia]] comprising "all under heaven".{{sfn|Ebrey|2010|p=179}} The title was not interpreted literally. The monarch is a mortal chosen by Heaven, not its actual descendant.{{sfn|Dull|1990|p=59}} The title comes from the Mandate of Heaven, created by the monarchs of the [[Zhou dynasty]] to justify deposing the [[Shang dynasty]]. They declared that Heaven had revoked the mandate from the Shang and given it to the Zhou in retaliation for their corruption and misrule. Heaven bestowed the mandate to whoever was best fit to rule. The title held the emperor responsible for the prosperity and security of his people through the threat of losing the mandate.{{sfn|Dull|1990|p=59}}

Unlike with over sovereigns such as the [[Emperor of Japan]], Chinese political theory allowed for dynastic change, based on the concept of the [[Mandate of Heaven]]. The theory behind this was that the Chinese emperor acted as the [[Son of Heaven]]. As the only legitimate ruler, his authority extended to "[[all under heaven]]" and had neighbors only in a geographical sense. He holds a mandate to which he had a valid claim to rule over (or to lead) everyone else in the world as long as he served the people well. If the ruler became immoral, then rebellion is justified and heaven would take away that mandate and give it to another. This single most important concept legitimized the dynastic cycle or the change of dynasties regardless of social or ethnic background. This principle made it possible for dynasties founded by families of non-noble origins such as the [[Han dynasty]] and the [[Ming dynasty]] or non-ethnic Han dynasties such as the Mongol-led [[Yuan dynasty]] and the Manchu-led [[Qing dynasty]]. It was moral integrity and benevolent leadership that determined the holder of the Mandate of Heaven. Every dynasty that self-consciously adopted this administrative practice powerfully reinforced this [[Sinocentric]] concept throughout the history of imperial China. Historians noted that this was one of the key reasons why imperial China in many ways had the most efficient system of government in ancient times.

It was generally not possible for a woman to succeed to the throne and in the history of China; there has only been one reigning Empress, [[Wu Zetian]] (624–705), who usurped the throne of the [[Tang dynasty]] by establishing her own [[Wu Zhou]] dynasty.