Divine Right of Kings - Divine Right in Asian Countries

Divine Right in Asian Countries

In China and East Asia, rulers justified their rule using a similar concept called the Mandate of Heaven. It was similar to the European notion of the divine right of kings in that both sought to legitimize rule from divine approval. However, while the divine right of kings granted unconditional legitimacy, the Mandate of Heaven was conditional on the just behavior of the ruler. Heaven would bless the authority of a just ruler, but would be displeased with a despotic ruler and would withdraw its mandate. The Mandate of Heaven would then transfer to those who would rule best.

Whereas revolution is never legitimate under the divine right of kings, the philosophy associated with the Mandate of Heaven approved of the overthrow of unjust rulers. In China, the right of rebellion against an unjust ruler had been a part of the political philosophy ever since the Zhou dynasty, whose rulers had used this philosophy to justify their overthrow of the previous Shang dynasty. Chinese historians interpreted a successful revolt as evidence that the Mandate of Heaven had passed.

The medieval Mongols and other steppe people like Turks elected their rulers, then afterwards judged Heaven to have strengthened their rule if they succeeded in war.

During its imperial era, Japanese Emperors claimed divine right reinforced by the State Shinto until the Humanity Declaration.

In the Malay Annals, the rajas and sultans of the Malay States (now Malaysia and Brunei) as well as their predecessors, such as the Indonesian kingdom of Majapahit, also claimed divine right to rule. The sultan is mandated by God, and the sultan is expected to lead his country and people in religious matters, ceremonies as well as prayers. This divine right is called Daulat, and although presently, the notion of divine right is somewhat obsolete, one can still see banners and posters with pictures of the reigning sultan with words Daulat Tuanku, similar to the European proclamation of "Long live the King", on streets and buildings. In Indonesia, especially on the island of Java, the sultan's divite right is more commonly known as the wahyu, or 'revelation', but it is not hereditary, and can be passed on to distant relatives.

In Tamil culture, before Brahmanism and especially during the Cankam period, emperors were known as இறையர் (Iraiyer), or "those who spill", and kings were called கோ (Ko) or கோன் (Kon). During this time, the distinction between kingship and godhood had not yet occurred, as the caste system had not yet been introduced. Even in Modern Tamil, the word for temple is 'கோயில்', meaning "king's house". Kings were understood to be the "agents of God", as they protected the world like God did. This may well have been continued post-Brahminism in Tamilakam, as the famous Thiruvalangadu inscription states:

"Having noticed by the marks (on his body) that Arulmozhi was the very Vishnu" in reference to the Emperor Raja Raja Chola I.