Celestial Empire

Celestial Empire (Chinese: 天朝; pinyin: Tiāncháo; "heavenly dynasty") is an old name used to refer to China, from a literary and poetic translation of the Chinese term Tianchao, one of many names for China.[1]

For the clipper ship, see Celestial Empire (clipper).
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Names of China

Accordingly, in the 19th century, the name "Celestial" was used to refer to Chinese emigrants to the United States, Canada, and Australia.[2] Both terms were widely used in the English-language popular mass media of the day,[3][4] but fell into disuse later on.

Its usage has become popular again in the present day (2015), particularly among Chinese Internet users. It's used to refer to the current Communist regime, to imply either disapproval for its political suppression and arrogance or national pride in the country's emergence as a superpower in the twenty-first century, depending on the context.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Chances in China; Standard Oil Man Says Celestial Kingdom Needs Much American Funds" (PDF). The New York Times. February 15, 1914.
  2. "Celestial" capitalized (Celestial Empire, old name for China): of or relating to China or the Chinese Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
  3. ""The Wyoming Massacre" New York Times; 6 September 1885; pg. 7, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times Retrieved 12 March 2007.
  4. "The Chinese Massacre," The National Police Gazette, September 19, 1885, no. 418, pg 6.
  5. "Decoding the Chinese Internet: A Glossary of Political Slang" (PDF). 2015. p. 13.


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