天皇 tiān huáng Heavenly Sovereign, one of the three legendary sovereigns 三皇[san1 huang2] / emperor / emperor of Japan syn 洪武 hóng wǔ Hongwu Emperor, also written Hung-wu Ti, reign name of first Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋[Zhu1 Yuan2 zhang1] (1328-1398), reigned 1386-1398, temple name 明太祖[Ming2 Tai4 zu3] 永乐 永樂 yǒng lè Yongle Emperor, reign name of third Ming emperor Zhu Di 朱棣[Zhu1 Di4] (1360-1424), reigned 1403-1424, temple name 明成祖[Ming2 Cheng2 zu3] 正德 zhèng dé Zhengde Emperor, reign name of eleventh Ming emperor Zhu Houzhao 朱厚照[Zhu1 Hou4 zhao4] (1491-1521), reigned 1505-1521, temple name 明武宗[Ming2 Wu3 zong1] 太上皇 tài shàng huáng Taishang Huang / Retired Emperor / father of the reigning emperor / fig. puppet master 天顺 天順 tiān shùn Tianshun Emperor, reign name of eighth Ming Emperor 朱祁鎮|朱祁镇[Zhu1 Qi2 zhen4] (1427-1464), reigned 1457-1464, temple name Yingzong 英宗[Ying1 zong1] 乾隆 qián lóng Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799), sixth Qing emperor, princely title 寶親王|宝亲王[Bao3 Qin1 wang2], personal name 弘曆|弘历[Hong2 li4], reigned 1735-1799 黄帝 黃帝 huáng dì the Yellow Emperor, mythological emperor of China, reigned c. 2697-2597 BC 嘉庆 嘉慶 jiā qìng Jiaqing Emperor (1760-1820), seventh Qing emperor, personal name 顒琰|颙琰[Yong2 yan3], reigned 1796-1820 炎黄子孙 炎黃子孫 yán huáng zǐ sūn descendants of the Fiery Emperor and the Yellow Emperor (i.e. Han Chinese people) syn 溥仪 溥儀 pǔ yí Puyi, personal name of the last Qing emperor (reigned as child 1909-1911), the subject of Bertolucci's biopic The Last Emperor 曹丕 cáo pī Cao Pi (187-226), second son of Cao Cao 曹操, king then emperor of Cao Wei 曹魏 from 220, ruled as Emperor Wen 魏文帝, also a noted calligrapher 建文 jiàn wén Jianwen Emperor, reign name of second Ming Emperor Zhu Yunwen 朱允炆[Zhu1 Yun3 wen2] (1377-1402), reigned 1398-1402 宣德 xuān dé Xuande Emperor, reign name of fifth Ming emperor Zhu Zhanji 朱瞻基[Zhu1 Zhan1 ji1] (1398-1435), reigned 1426-1436, temple name 明宣宗[Ming2 Xuan1 zong1] 唐明皇 táng míng huáng Emperor Ming of Tang (685-762), also known as Emperor Xuanzong of Tang 唐玄宗[Tang2 Xuan2 zong1], reigned 712-756 汉文帝 漢文帝 hàn wén dì Emperor Wen of Han (202-157 BC), fourth Han emperor, personal name Liu Heng 劉恆|刘恒[Liu2 Heng2], reigned 180-157 BC 汉献帝 漢獻帝 hàn xiàn dì Emperor Xian of Han (181-234), the final Han emperor, set up by Dong Zhuo 董卓, reigned 189-220, forced to abdicate 220 by Cao Pi 曹丕 朝 cháo imperial or royal court / government / dynasty / reign of a sovereign or emperor / court or assembly held by a sovereign or emperor / to make a pilgrimage to / facing / towards syn 唐高祖 táng gāo zǔ Emperor Gaozu of Tang, reign name of first Tang emperor Li Yuan 李淵|李渊[Li3 Yuan1] (566-635), reigned 618-626 顺治帝 順治帝 shùn zhì dì Fulin Emperor Shunzhi (1638-1662), second Qing emperor, reigned 1644-1662 圣诞 聖誕 shèng dàn Christmas / birthday of reigning Emperor / Confucius' birthday 皇帝 huáng dì emperor / CL:個|个[ge4] syn 恺撒 愷撒 kǎi sǎ Caesar (name) / Gaius Julius Caesar 100-42 BC / by extension, emperor, Kaiser, Tsar 拿破仑 拿破侖 ná pò lún Napoleon (name) / Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Emperor of France 1804-1815 天子 tiān zǐ the (rightful) emperor / "Son of Heaven" (traditional English translation) syn 苏丹 蘇丹 sū dān Sudan / sultan (ruler of some Muslim states, esp. Ottoman Emperor) 大帝 dà dì heavenly emperor / "the Great" (title) syn 谢恩 謝恩 xiè ēn to thank sb for favor (esp. emperor or superior official) syn 行人 xíng rén pedestrian / traveler on foot / passer-by / official responsible for arranging audiences with the emperor syn 宫廷 宮廷 gōng tíng court (of king or emperor) syn 天王 tiān wáng emperor / god / Hong Xiuquan's self-proclaimed title / see also 洪秀全[Hong2 Xiu4 quan2] syn 道光 dào guāng reign name of Qing emperor (1821-1850) 御用 禦用 yù yòng for use by the emperor / imperial / (derog.) in the pay of the ruler 昭和 zhāo hé Shōwa, Japanese era name, corresponding to the reign (1925-1989) of emperor Hirohito 裕仁[Yu4 ren2] 明治 míng zhì Meiji, Japanese era name, corresponding to the reign (1868-1912) of the Meiji emperor 恩泽 恩澤 ēn zé favor from an emperor or high official syn 天宫 天宮 tiān gōng Temple in Heaven (e.g. of the Jade Emperor) / Tiangong, Chinese space station program syn 皇位 huáng wèi the title of Emperor 围场 圍場 wéi chǎng enclosure / pig pen / hunting ground exclusively kept for emperor or nobility (in former times) 忽必烈 hū bì liè Khubilai Khan (1215-1294), grandson of Genghis Khan 成吉思汗, first Yuan dynasty emperor, reigned 1260-1294 诸侯 諸侯 zhū hóu dukes or princes who rule a part of the country under the emperor / local rulers syn 先斩后奏 先斬後奏 xiān zhǎn hòu zòu lit. first execute the criminal, then report it to the emperor (idiom) / fig. to take some drastic action without the prior approval of higher authorities 圣上 聖上 shèng shàng courtier's or minister's form of address for the current Emperor syn 裕仁 yù rén Hirohito, personal name of the Shōwa 昭和[Zhao1 he2] emperor of Japan (1901-1989), reigned 1925-1989 玉帝 yù dì the Jade Emperor 保驾 保駕 bǎo jià (in former times) to escort the emperor (or other important personage) / (nowadays) to escort sb (usually jocular) syn 阿斗 ā dǒu A-dou, nickname of Liu Shan 劉禪|刘禅[Liu2 Shan4] (207-271), son of Liu Bei, reigned as Shu Han emperor 233-263 / (fig.) weak and inept person syn 元年 yuán nián first year of an emperor's reign / first year of an era / first year of a significant time period 集权 集權 jí quán centralized power (history), e.g. under an Emperor or party 承运 承運 chéng yùn to provide transport / to accept the Mandate of Heaven / to acknowledge one's calling to be emperor 朝觐 朝覲 cháo jìn to give audience (of emperor) / retainers' duty to pay respect to sovereign / hajj (Islam) syn 鸿门宴 鴻門宴 hóng mén yàn Hongmen feast / (fig.) banquet set up with the aim of murdering a guest / refers to a famous episode in 206 BC when future Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] escaped attempted murder by his rival Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiang4 Yu3] syn 王昭君 wáng zhāo jūn Wang Zhaojun (52-19 BC), famous beauty at the court of Han emperor Yuan 漢元帝|汉元帝[Han4 Yuan2 di4], one of the four legendary beauties 四大美女[si4 da4 mei3 nu:3] 项羽 項羽 xiàng yǔ Xiang Yu the Conqueror (232-202 BC), warlord defeated by first Han emperor 驸马 駙馬 fù mǎ emperor's son-in-law 佛爷 佛爺 fó ye Buddha (term of respect for Sakyamuni 釋迦牟尼|释迦牟尼[Shi4 jia1 mou2 ni2]) / His Holiness (refers to a Buddhist grandee) / Buddha / God / emperor / in late Qing court, refers exclusively to Empress Dowager Cixi 慈禧太后[Ci2 xi3 tai4 hou4] syn 年号 年號 nián hào reign title / era name (name for either the entire reign of an emperor or one part of it) / year number (such as 2016 or 甲子) 亲征 親征 qīn zhēng to take to the field oneself (of emperor) / to take part in person in an expedition 御赐 御賜 yù cì to be bestowed by the emperor 朝见 朝見 cháo jiàn to have an audience (with the Emperor) syn 康熙 kāng xī Kangxi, title of the reign (1661-1722) of the Kangxi Emperor 聖祖|圣祖[Sheng4 zu3] 朝天 cháo tiān to have an audience with the Emperor / to be presented at court / to look skyward / to look up 大圣 大聖 dà shèng great sage / mahatma / king / emperor / outstanding personage / Buddha 李世民 lǐ shì mín Li Shimin, personal name of second Tang emperor Taizong 唐太宗[Tang2 Tai4 zong1] (599-649), reigned 626-649 光绪 光緒 guāng xù reign name of penultimate Qing emperor Guangxu or Guang-hsu (1875-1908) 蚩尤 chī yóu Chiyou, legendary tribal leader who was defeated and killed by the Yellow Emperor 黃帝|黄帝[Huang2 di4] 朱元璋 zhū yuán zhāng Zhu Yuanzhang, personal name of first Ming dynasty emperor Hongwu 洪武[Hong2 wu3] 进宫 進宮 jìn gōng to enter the emperor's palace / (slang) to go to jail 雍正 yōng zhèng Yongzheng, reign name of Qing emperor (1722-1735) 玉皇 yù huáng Jade Emperor (in Taoism) 天帝 tiān dì God of heaven / Celestial emperor 伏羲 fú xī Fuxi, legendary Chinese emperor, trad. 2852-2738 BC, mythical creator of fishing, trapping and writing 太宗 tài zōng posthumous name given to the second emperor of a dynasty / King Taejong of Joseon Korea (1367-1422), reigned 1400-1418 韩信 韓信 hán xìn Han Xin (-196 BC), famous general of first Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] 大驾 大駕 dà jià imperial chariot / (fig.) emperor / (polite) you 袁世凯 袁世凱 yuán shì kǎi Yuan Shikai (1859-1916), senior general of late Qing, subsequently warlord and self-proclaimed emperor of China 崇祯 崇禎 chóng zhēn Chongzhen, reign name of last Ming emperor (1628-1644) 万历 萬曆 wàn lì reign name of Ming emperor (1573-1619) 引见 引見 yǐn jiàn to introduce (sb) / (esp.) to present to the emperor syn 小皇帝 xiǎo huáng dì child emperor / (fig.) spoiled child / spoiled boy / pampered only child 顺治 順治 shùn zhì reign name of second Qing emperor (1644-1662) 吕不韦 呂不韋 lǚ bù wéi Lü Buwei (?291-235 BC), merchant and politician of the State of Qin 秦國|秦国[Qin2 guo2], subsequent Qin Dynasty 秦代[Qin2 dai4] Chancellor, allegedly the father of Ying Zheng 嬴政[Ying2 Zheng4], who subsequently became the first emperor Qin Shihuang 秦始皇[Qin2 Shi3 huang2] 刑天 xíng tiān Xingtian, headless giant hero of Chinese mythology decapitated by the Yellow Emperor 黃帝|黄帝[Huang2 di4] 同治 tóng zhì reign name of Qing emperor (1861-1875) 内经 內經 nèi jīng abbr. for 黃帝內經|黄帝内经[Huang2 di4 Nei4 jing1], The Yellow Emperor's Internal Canon, medical text c. 300 BC 刘裕 劉裕 liú yù Liu Yu, founder of Song of the Southern dynasties 劉宋|刘宋[Liu2 Song4], broke away from Eastern Jin in 420, reigned as Emperor Wu of Song 宋武帝[Song4 Wu3 di4] 官家 guān jiā emperor / government / official 多尔衮 多爾袞 duō ěr gǔn Dorgon (1612-1651), fourteenth son of Nurhaci 努爾哈赤|努尔哈赤[Nu3 er3 ha1 chi4], successful general, instrumental in Manchu conquest of China, ruled China as regent 1644-1650 for his nephew Emperor Shunzhi 順治帝|顺治帝[Shun4 zhi4 di4] 李渊 李淵 lǐ yuān Li Yuan, personal name of first Tang emperor Gaozu 唐高祖[Tang2 Gao1 zu3] (566-635), reigned 618-626 大正 dà zhèng Taishō, Japanese era name, corresponding to the reign (1912-1926) of emperor Yoshihito 嘉仁[Jia1 ren2] 本纪 本紀 běn jì biographic sketch of an emperor 奏折 奏摺 zòu zhé memorial to the emperor (folded in accordion form) syn 恩宠 恩寵 ēn chǒng special favor from a ruler / Emperor's generosity towards a favorite 赵匡胤 趙匡胤 zhào kuāng yìn Zhao Kuangyin, personal name of founding Song emperor Song Taizu 宋太祖 (927-976) 公卿 gōng qīng high-ranking officials in the court of a Chinese emperor 真武 zhēn wǔ Lord of profound heaven, major Daoist deity / aka Black Tortoise 玄武 or Black heavenly emperor 玄天上帝 杨玉环 楊玉環 yáng yù huán Yang Yuhuan, aka Yang Guifei 楊貴妃|杨贵妃[Yang2 Gui4 fei1] (719-756), famous Tang beauty, consort of Emperor Xuanzhong 唐玄宗[Tang2 Xuan2 zong1] 秦始皇陵 qín shǐ huáng líng the tomb of the first emperor at Mt Li 驪山|骊山[Li2 shan1] near Xi'an (awaits excavation) 嬴政 yíng zhèng Ying Zheng (260-210 BC), personal name of the first emperor 秦始皇[Qin2 Shi3 huang2] 