Zhou rulers claimed that they had won the mandate of heaven because they ?

Answer 1

Zhou rulers claimed they had won the Mandate of Heaven because they presented themselves as moral and virtuous leaders chosen by the heavens to rule. This concept justified their overthrow of the Shang dynasty, which they depicted as corrupt and failing to fulfill its duties to the people. By establishing the Mandate of Heaven, they argued that just rulers would receive divine approval, while those who ruled unjustly would lose this mandate and be overthrown. This ideology became a central tenet in Chinese political philosophy, influencing governance and legitimacy for centuries.