Answer:
A. The Zhou Dynasty’s justification for its leadership.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mandate of Heaven was something invented by The Zhou Dinasty to justify them overthrowing the Shang Dinasty, under the saying that they were sent by heaven and that there could only be one true ruler of China, and it is used ever since to justify the mandate of the ruler or emperor at the time ever since, saying that the ruler or emperor had the blessing of the Gods.