Zhou rulers claimed that they had won the Mandate of Heaven because they
To understand why Zhou rulers claimed that they had won the Mandate of Heaven, we need to look at the concept of the Mandate of Heaven in ancient Chinese political philosophy. The Mandate of Heaven was the belief that the ruler of China was chosen by the gods and that their rule was justified and sanctioned by divine intervention. It was believed that a just ruler who followed the principles of virtue and ruled with benevolence would be favored by the gods and maintain the Mandate of Heaven.
The Zhou rulers, who overthrew the Shang dynasty to establish their own rule, used the concept of the Mandate of Heaven to legitimize their authority and to justify their actions. They claimed that the Shang rulers had lost the Mandate of Heaven due to their oppressive and tyrannical rule, and that the gods had chosen the Zhou as the rightful rulers to restore order and bring prosperity to the people.
The Zhou rulers asserted that they had won the Mandate of Heaven through their successful military conquest of the Shang dynasty. They argued that their victory in battle was a sign of divine favor, as the gods would not allow an unjust ruler to prevail. By claiming that they had defeated the Shang rulers with the support and approval of the heavens, the Zhou rulers sought to establish themselves as the legitimate rulers of China.
It should be noted that claiming the Mandate of Heaven was not simply a matter of conquest or military victory. The Zhou rulers understood that they had to demonstrate good governance and fulfill their responsibilities to maintain the Mandate of Heaven. If they failed to meet these expectations and became corrupt or tyrannical themselves, it was believed that they would lose the Mandate of Heaven and be overthrown by a just and virtuous ruler.
In conclusion, the Zhou rulers claimed that they had won the Mandate of Heaven because they successfully overthrew the Shang dynasty and believed that their victory in battle was a sign of divine favor. However, it was not enough to only claim the Mandate of Heaven; they had to rule with benevolence and virtue to maintain their legitimacy as the rightful rulers.