The Mandate of Heaven is a philosophical and political doctrine used in ancient China to justify the rule of the emperor, asserting that heaven grants the right to govern based on virtue and the mandate can be revoked if the ruler is unjust or fails to fulfill their responsibilities. This concept institutionalized the idea that the legitimacy of a ruler was based on their ability to maintain social order and prosperity, thus linking the divine will with the welfare of the state.
In Two sentences, How does the concept of the Mandate of Heaven function in ancient Chinese government?
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