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Monarchy of China
Form of government in historical China / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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,[lower-alpha 5] 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.
Monarchy of China | |
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Details | |
Style | His Imperial Majesty (陛下)[lower-alpha 1] and various others |
First monarch | Yellow Emperor (traditional) |
Last monarch | Xuantong Emperor[lower-alpha 2] |
Abolition | 12 February 1912[lower-alpha 3] |
Residence | Forbidden City[lower-alpha 4] and various others |
Appointer | Non-hereditary (until 2070 BC) Hereditary (since 2070 BC)[lower-alpha 5] |
Pretender(s) | Jin Yuzhang (current) |
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]