The political philosophy used by the Zhou dynasty to establish legitimacy over the rest of China is known as the "Mandate of Heaven." According to this concept, the Zhou rulers claimed that they had received a divine mandate to rule from heaven itself. They argued that their virtuous and just rule was a reflection of their alignment with the will of heaven.
The Mandate of Heaven was a significant ideological tool that provided a moral and spiritual basis for the authority of the ruling dynasty. It allowed the Zhou rulers to justify their overthrow of the Shang dynasty and provided a framework for subsequent dynastic changes in Chinese history.
Under the Mandate of Heaven, rulers were expected to govern justly and benevolently. If they failed in their duty and their rule became corrupt or oppressive, it was believed that heaven could withdraw its mandate, leading to the dynasty's downfall and the rise of a new one that had received the divine approval.
This concept played a central role in Chinese political thought for centuries and influenced the way rulers justified their authority and legitimacy throughout China's imperial history.