Monarchy of China

Monarchy of China
Last to reign
Puyi
2 December 1908 – 12 February 1912
Details
StyleHis Imperial Majesty (陛下)[e]
and various others
First monarchYellow Emperor (traditional)
Last monarchPuyi[a]
Abolition12 February 1912[b]
ResidenceForbidden City[c] and various others
AppointerNon-hereditary (until 2070 BC)
Hereditary (since 2070 BC)[d]

China was a monarchy from prehistoric times up to 1912, when a republic was established. The succession of legendary monarchs of China were non-hereditary. Dynastic rule began c. 2070 BC when Yu the Great established the Xia dynasty,[d] and monarchy lasted until 1912 when dynastic rule collapsed together with the monarchical government.[5] Various attempts at preserving and restoring the Chinese monarchy occurred during and following the Xinhai Revolution, but these regimes were short-lived and lacked widespread recognition.

The monarchy of China took the form of absolute monarchy during most of its existence, even though the actual power of the ruler varied depending on his/her ability to consolidate the rule and various other factors. On 3 November 1911, the Qing dynasty issued the constitutional Nineteen Creeds which limited the power of the emperor, marking the official transition to a constitutional monarchy. However, after only 3 months, the monarchy was abolished.[6][7]

During periods of political disunity, China was divided among competing dynasties that often claimed exclusive Chinese politico-cultural orthodoxy; in such cases, more than one Chinese monarchy existed simultaneously. Throughout Chinese history, there were monarchs of both ethnic Han and non-Han origins, including many who were of mixed heritage.[8]


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  1. ^ Nadeau, Randall (2012). The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Chinese Religions. John Wiley & Sons. p. 31. ISBN 9781444361971.
  2. ^ Yeo, Khiok-Khng (2008). Musing with Confucius and Paul: Toward a Chinese Christian Theology. James Clarke & Company Limited. p. 24. ISBN 9780227903308.
  3. ^ Chao, Yuan-ling (2009). Medicine and Society in Late Imperial China: A Study of Physicians in Suzhou, 1600–1850. Peter Lang. p. 73. ISBN 9781433103810.
  4. ^ Wang, Shumin (2002). "夏、商、周之前还有个虞朝". Hebei Academic Journal. 22 (1): 146–147. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  5. ^ Ebrey, Patricia; Liu, Kwang-Ching (2010). The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press. p. 10. ISBN 9780521124331.
  6. ^ Gao, Quanxi; Zhang, Wei; Tian, Feilong (2015). The Road to the Rule of Law in Modern China. Springer. p. 135. ISBN 9783662456378.
  7. ^ To, Michael (2017). China's Quest for a Modern Constitutional Polity: from dynastic empires to modern republics. p. 54.
  8. ^ Skutsch, Carl (2013). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Routledge. p. 287. ISBN 9781135193881.

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