Mandate Of Heaven Analysis

Recent travels to China have opened my eyes to both the flaws and the valuable parts of Chinese society and government. Much can be learned from the mistakes and successes of the Chinese society and government. The confucian ideals which started in China teach us the importance of respecting specific relationships, such as the priceless relationship between a subject and his ruler. From the Confucian time we also understand the importance of educational standards and morals, while the legalist ideals from ancient China show us the value in balance of punishment and reward. Furthermore, from Chinese government we can learn the significance of motivation to lead in a just, sensible, and ethical manner.

By having strong educational standards
The mandate of heaven could grant or take away a ruler’s power and ability to rule. The mandate of heaven was a way in which the leaders were controlled since they had a threat of losing their power. In order to keep their power they had to make just and right decisions. During the Zhou dynasty, the mandate of heaven was used as a way to justify themselves when they overthrew the previous Shang leader. Although the mandate of heaven started out as a form of justification for an action, it became an essential part of the dynastic cycle in China throughout all of Chinese history. Even though the Zhou dynasty rulers made up the mandate of heaven, it ended up helping and improving the Chinese civilization. The mandate of heaven allowed the dynastic cycle to be changing constantly. While most of the Chinese leaders such as Shi Huangdi and King Zhou ignored the threat of the mandate of heaven and continued to mistreat their people, the mandate of heaven eventually took place and they were overthrown. Daoism best explains the mandate of heaven, as it is a natural occurrence of events. In Daoism they focus on the natural world, the natural force, and how things are meant to happen. Following these ideals, the mandate of heaven represents the natural change that is supposed to happen when a leader is no longer suitable for leading his people. It is not supposed to be questioned, but should be trusted. Furthermore, the motivation the mandate of heaven provides is important because it keeps the leaders in check. When they are meant to step down due to lack of leadership, they will do so, bettering their society because a newer and stronger leader will take their