The Mandate of Heaven was used to justify the overthrow of the Shang and their dynasty.
What was the Mandate of Heaven?
The Mandate of Heaven was a philosophy in ancient China which meant that the emperor of China was ordained by the heavens and represented the gods.
As such, there could only be one emperor. This emperor should not be removed or rebelled against as that would be like rebelling against the gods of the people.
The ancient Chinese under the Zhou Dynasty, used this to overthrow the Shang who were said to have lost the mandate of heaven and so should not longer rule. The Zhou used this an an excuse to remove the Shang and placate the people.
The Mandate of Heaven in China was much like the Divine Right of a King in Europe which allowed kings to rule unopposed.
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