What is the Celestial Empire in China? Why was China called "China" and "the Celestial Empire". Exclusive right to heaven
According to such ideas, the center of the world is the court of the Chinese emperor, which is successively surrounded by concentric circles: senior officials, lower officials, ordinary citizens and, finally, vassal kingdoms and “barbarians”. Classical Chinese political thought argued that chinese emperor is the ruler of the entire world, and all known foreign kingdoms are only his vassals. In classical Chinese philosophy the term “Celestial Empire” is used as a synonym for civilization and order in the Chinese sense, and denotes the place of the Chinese people in the world.
Similar ideas of a local monarch as the ruler of "all that is under heaven" existed in Japan, and also for some periods of history in Korea and Vietnam, as the proximity of strong Chinese states allowed episodical control of these countries, asserting at least the symbolic supremacy of the Chinese emperors .
Currently, this term is used in China to mean “the whole world,” but in Russia it refers specifically to China.
Development of the term
The term first appears during the Shang Dynasty, but only takes on a complete form during the Zhou Dynasty. In documents of this time, the expressions “Four Quarters” and “Ten Thousand Kingdoms” begin to appear, denoting both the territory controlled by the dynasty and the lands of non-Chinese “barbarians”.
In the subsequent periods of Chunqiu (“spring and autumn”) and Zhanguo (“
China is an amazing country with strong traditions and new technologies. Whatever foreigners call this magnificent and controversial state, the Chinese themselves call their country a beautiful word"Celestial Empire". So why is China the Celestial Country?
What is the reason for such an elegant name - “Celestial Empire”?
The sky in the culture and history of China occupies absolutely special place. According to the beliefs of the ancient peoples who lived on the territory of modern China, the souls of their ancestors merged with the sky after death, and their enemies and foreign peoples did not have a sky above their heads at all.
The early Shan state, which appeared in the Bronze Age, was considered a fairly developed and enlightened place. Its rulers revered their ancestors, and their Zhou neighbors learned much from them.
In the course of small feuds and unifications in Ancient China, the interesting concept of the “mandate of heaven” appeared. According to her, it is the sky itself (perfume worthy ancestors) give power to the best ruler or hero, and also prescribe his fate. So the Chinese began to believe that everything was the will of the sky above their heads, just as their most revered ancestors were there. Hence the name “Celestial Empire” - the one that is under the sky.
Meaning of country name in Chinese
For the whole world, China has one name. For the residents of the state themselves, the name consists of two hieroglyphs: 中国 . “Tian Xia” is how China sounds to the Chinese themselves. "Tian" is translated as "day" or "sky". And “Xia” means “foot” or “being under something.”
Hieroglyph for China 中国 (Tian Xia) - means “foot” or “being under something.”
That's why China is called the Celestial Country. In addition to this name, you can hear about China as the “middle land”. “Zhong Guo” is a middle empire that no one has tried to conquer for thousands of years. The Chinese are very proud of their origins and culture, it is no wonder that for some period of time they considered themselves the “navel of the earth.” And perhaps they think so today.
The appearance of such names was also influenced by the geography of China. Throughout the country there are places where mountain peaks reach into the sky, and below the mountains there are ancient palaces, temples and monasteries. The fascinating “low” sky with beautiful clouds also played a role in the formation of ancient ideas and images of different peoples.
Sometimes the Chinese call their state "Sihai". This word translates as “countries between the four seas.” And here geographical position China influences the name. “Syhai” is a broader concept that includes not only the central lands, but also all the provinces extending to the very borders of modern China. Although the main one still remains the concept of heavenly domination and fate.
What do foreigners call the country?
The notorious “China”, which can be seen on many goods from China, was born thanks to southern lands states. During his travels, Afanasy Nikitin called the southern provinces of China “China,” as did the porcelain that was exported from there to India.
The great traveler, who wrote the famous book “The Book of Wonders of the World” about his travels in Asia and Africa, also determined southern territories, as “China”, and called all other lands “Katay”. Until the 17th century, these names did not take root in different languages, but then became widespread throughout the world.
But no matter how the inhabitants of different states call the country “The Celestial Empire,” for the Chinese it will forever remain the land chosen by heaven, located in the middle of the planet.
Why China was called "China" and "The Celestial Empire".
When we have time to think, we begin to look for answers to seemingly simple questions. For example, why was China called “China” and not something else? A fifth of our entire planet lives in this densely populated state. As to why this country is named this way, there are several very interesting theories, each of which may well turn out to be true.
Historical theory
Previously modern China was divided into two parts: northern and southern. In its northern part there was a state founded by the Kitami tribes, and it was called “Liao”. The southern part at that time belonged to the Mongols. Where the indigenous Liao tribes came from is not known for certain to this day. If you believe some sources, then they also owe their origin to the Mongols. But there is other information that they originated from the Tungus-Manchu tribes. Subsequently, residents of nearby states began to call the northern territories “China.” In principle, this theory could be the answer to the question of why China was called "China". But how did this name come to us in Slavic speech? After all, the name of this country sounded completely differently in different dialects: Catai, Hetai, Khitan and China.
Etymological theory
IN English language the name "China" appeared in the twelfth century and it was written like this: "Cathay" (now it is written differently - "China"). There is an interesting argument that China began to be called “China” after the Qin dynasty arose. And this word entered the Russian dictionary in the fifteenth century in the form it has now.
But it is worth recalling that only a small part of its territory was called “China,” and the name came to us after the Qin dynasty collapsed. In fact, not even all Chinese know why China was called "China". This means that we can confidently say that there is no specific meaning in this word; this sometimes occurs in the history of titles and names.
Why is China called "The Celestial Empire"
The country with the largest population in the world actually goes by several names. The Chinese themselves call their country “The Celestial Empire,” while citizens of other countries call it “China” or “China.” If we consider the word “Celestial Empire” itself, then Chinese it consists of two hieroglyphs - "Tian" and "Xia". The first in translation means “day”, “sky”, and the second is translated as “foot”, “bottom”. So something similar to “Celestial Empire” comes out. The Chinese have long worshiped the sky and firmly believe that only their country is protected by it. And other people do not have heaven.
China also has another name - “Zhong Guo” - “the path of the earth”. This philosophy is quite understandable, because no one really invaded China or sought to conquer it. Therefore, it is understandable why the Chinese consider their country to be the middle of the world. And so, while we are wondering why China was called “China,” the inhabitants of this country are rapidly developing and occupying niches in international trade markets. So maybe they are actually the main inhabitants of the Earth, despite the fact that civilization has reached them, infecting them with opium and the communist system?
The Celestial Empire - this is what poets call China, the Middle Kingdom - this is what China was called in ancient times, the country of socialism under construction - this country was called in the 70s of the last century, the country of great prospects and hardworking people - this is what China is called now!
First of all, this is due to the ancient religion, in which Heaven was considered the highest deity. In Beijing there is an ancient temple of heaven, where the emperor consulted Heaven only in extremely difficult state situations. It was a gorgeous ceremony - it lasted two weeks, with the participation of many priests, officials and troops, more than 100 thousand people, not counting horses and war elephants.
Well, the entire huge country, led by Heaven, was naturally called the Celestial Empire.
The greatest power in Asia has changed many names over its long history. The Chinese usually called their cultural universe Tianxia - the Celestial Empire, sometimes Syhai - “(countries between) the four seas.” The state was named after the reigning dynasty, whose name was chosen according to some ancient kingdom, chosen as a model (Tang - in honor of the inheritance of the mythical wise ruler Yao, Song - in honor of one of the most cultural kingdoms), or with a special meaning: Yuan - Main, Ming - Light, Qing - Pure. If we were talking about China as a country, in contrast to all other countries and regardless of who reigns, then they said: Zhongguo - Middle Country, Zhonghua - Middle Blooming, Huaxia - Blooming Xia (one of the oldest dynasties). The Chinese call themselves Zhongguoren - people of the Middle State, or Hanren - Han people, after the most famous dynasty of antiquity.
The famous Chinese economic miracle became one of the top news stories of the late 20th century. The event acquired sensational proportions also because the Chinese, the authors and performers of this phenomenon, are the largest nation. It makes up one fifth of the inhabitants of the entire planet.
The rapid economic and demographic growth of the People's Republic of China still surprises the whole world and makes us increasingly interested in this mysterious country. Its unique culture has very deep roots and occupies a very special place even among East Asian countries.
Where did the name “Celestial Empire” come from?
Exclusive right to heaven
Experts believe that the prerequisite for this is the country’s somewhat isolated geographical location: on the one hand, China is separated from the whole world by mountain ranges, and on the other, by the Yellow, East China and South China Seas. For a long time, the inhabitants of this territory did not feel significant influence from outside. Perhaps only in the form of raids by nomads from the north.
It is not surprising that the ancient Chinese once considered themselves the center, the “navel” of the Earth, the only territory that is under the sky. They imagined the sky in the form of a round disk located exclusively above their place of residence. According to their beliefs, other people, strangers and barbarians, were deprived of this blessed miracle. Therefore, they called their lands the Celestial Country.
The name "Celestial Empire" in Chinese sounds like "TianXia". The word consists of two hieroglyphs - “Tian” (translated as “sky”, “day”, “light”) and “Xia” (translated as “bottom”, “foot”).
The very idea of the cult of heaven was born during the period Bronze Age and belongs to the oldest people in China - the Han. The state founded by the Han was called “Shang” and was quite developed.
It revered ancestors and believed that the most worthy of them settled in heaven after death. From there they supervise life on earth and help their descendants. The Zhou tribe, which conquered these lands later, preserved the basic tradition of heaven worship, making only some adjustments.
Confucianism and the "Mandate of Heaven"
The very popular ancient Chinese philosophy of Confucianism, which is now very popular, relied on the same postulate of the chosenness and guiding role of heaven. The ruler was endowed with exclusive rights thanks to the so-called “mandate of heaven.”
The mandate belonged to the imperial family by right of inheritance and was supported by the ideas of virtue and justice. The ruler had to be guided by them in his decisions.
It is noteworthy that, according to this teaching, the ruling dynasty could lose power precisely because of the loss of virtue. For example, literary works that period is strongly emphasized positive features clans that seized power, portraying them as heroes. Representatives of the overthrown dynasties were portrayed as individuals mired in immorality.
According to this idea of celestial supervision, state building was organized in concentric circles, as on the disk of the sky. The center of the world and the entrance to heaven was located directly above the emperor's palace. Next were the circles of close nobles, then lower officials, then commoners.
The farthest from the center were all the other countries known to the ancient Chinese, the lands of strangers and savages. They were considered vassals of the ruler of the Celestial Empire.
Temple of Heaven in Beijing
The veneration of the sky as the highest abstract governing force carried over into the new era. Even the Temple of Heaven was built by the Ming Dynasty in the early 15th century. It is located on the territory of modern Beijing. The temple has a round shape, the tiles on its roof are covered with blue glaze, matching the color of the sky.
Architectural forms and their arrangement are full of symbolism: the number of columns, pillars and tiers correspond to the seasons, months, and the number of hours in a day. At the initiative of UNESCO, this temple is included in the list of World Heritage Sites.
Why is China often called China in the modern world?
Today, almost the entire Western world uses the name China to refer to this country. European languages this toponym was inherited from Latin.
There are several versions of its origin:
- China was called Cina (in English version- China, in Greek - Sinai (Sinae)) after the name of the ruling Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). The period of her dominance saw the flourishing of China's trade with ancient states. Presumably, Chinese merchants, since the times of the Great Silk Road, called themselves “Qin people.” In the records of that time they were recorded as representatives of Cina.
- According to another theory, the name comes from what existed in this territory in 481-221 BC. e. kingdom of Jing.
- There is also an opinion that in the 16th century AD this name was brought by the Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin, who discovered porcelain of the highest quality in China. Porcelain also had the name China.
What other names does China have?
China is called the Celestial Country by poets and writers. Europeans and Americans call China, Slavic peoples call it China. How many other names does this state have and what do the Chinese call themselves?
The Russian name “China” comes from the name of the nomadic tribes “Khitan”. They inhabited northern part China. It was these that the conquerors of Siberia and the Far East were the first to encounter in the 17th and 18th centuries.
It is very rare and this is not official name like Huaxia. It is also depicted in two hieroglyphs. Hua means “lush”, “flourishing”, and “Xia” in this context is deciphered as the name of the ancient Chinese ruling dynasty, Xia.
By analogy with the “Celestial Empire,” the name “Zhong Guo” was born. It means "Midland". All the territories that did not have the highest patronage of heaven were located around Tian Xia. Accordingly, the favor of heaven concerned only the central, middle lands.
The modern official name of the state combines several historical options and sounds like this: the People's Republic of China (PRC), in English - People's Republic of China (PRC). The name "China" is used in everyday life, read as "zhong guo" , which means “middle state”.
Video: origin of Chinese names
China is the most mysterious country in the east of the planet. Scientists endlessly argue about its age, the reasons for its rapid development, predicting world domination in the future. Many things create difficulties: difficulties in understanding the language, the complexity and unusualness of the worldview, the diversity of culture.
Over a long period, the state has changed many names. Now familiar to European ears, “China” was given to him by Afanasy Nikitin, a Russian writer and traveler of the 15th century. This is what Chinese porcelain was called (translated from Latin). Over time, they began to call the country by this word. Why do they still talk about it as “The Celestial Empire”? The answer lies in amazing history and philosophy.
"Celestial Empire" from the depths of centuries
People ancient country for hundreds of years it was reliably hidden from the rest of the world by inaccessible mountains and four seas. Only tribes from the north, living and wandering nearby, encroached on the peace. They were considered barbarians.
Related materials:
Why the sky is blue?
The industrious Han (the modern nationality of China) were engaged in agriculture. During the Bronze Age, these lands united, and the Shan kingdom arose. It was famous for its high standard of living, excellent weapons (especially bows) and rich culture.
Honoring the ancestors living in Heaven among the gods, the Chinese presented them with gifts in exchange for the expected help and favor. It is not surprising that they considered the firmament not to be infinite, but to be a round disk. In their opinion, it covers only part of the square land (precisely the part where the Han live). But among the barbarians such grace did not exist.
The neighboring Zhou people eventually conquered this territory, inheriting most of the traditions. Wise ruler Zhou Gong managed to maintain the respect of his subjects by establishing the cult of Heaven worship and making his own adjustments.
The influence of ideology and philosophy on the formation of the “Celestial Empire”
With the development of Confucianism, which defines the ways of seeking harmony in human society, the veneration of Heaven only intensified. It gives the power of power only to the most worthy - the emperor. He, in turn, is guided by justice and virtue.
Related materials:
Most populous countries
The blue vaulted gate hangs directly above the ruler's palace. This is the center of the Celestial Empire. One of the names of the country consisted of two hieroglyphs “Tian” - day, sky and “Xia” - bottom, foot. Another name for China, “Zhong Guo,” was translated as “Middle Empire.” It was meant that China is located between Heaven and an unblessed land inhabited by wild peoples. Hence the importance of the head of the country, representing the heavenly will of the sacred spirits of the ancestors.
The ideology also interpreted a special scheme of statehood. Around the ruler of the country, as if in an orbit, are the highest ranks called upon to carry out his orders. The next circle is the category of low officials. Then there are the common people. On the last - savages of barbarian tribes.