| name | imperial-title-establishment |
| description | Use when creating a new imperial title or establishing governance terminology for a unified empire. Guides council deliberation, historical precedent review, title composition (皇帝), imperial terminology (制/诏/朕), and succession numbering from 始皇帝 onward. |
Imperial Title Establishment Procedure
A governance procedure for creating a new imperial system and legitimizing rule over unified territories.
Overview
When unifying multiple states under one ruler, establish new titles and systems to reflect unprecedented achievements.
Steps
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Convene council: Summon ministers (丞相, 御史, 廷尉) to deliberate on appropriate titles
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Review historical precedents: Examine titles of past rulers (Three Sovereigns, Five Emperors)
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Select title components:
- Combine '皇' (from Three Sovereigns/三皇) with '帝' (from Five Emperors/五帝)
- Create title '皇帝' (Emperor)
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Establish imperial terminology:
- Commands are called '制' (zhì)
- Orders are called '诏' (zhào)
- Emperor refers to himself as '朕' (zhèn)
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Abolish posthumous titles:
- Eliminate practice of successors naming predecessors based on conduct
- Rationale: Prevent subjects from judging rulers
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Establish succession numbering:
- First ruler: 始皇帝 (First Emperor)
- Successors: Second Emperor, Third Emperor, continuing to ten thousand generations
Expected Outcomes
- Clear hierarchical distinction from previous rulers
- Unified imperial terminology across the realm
- Legitimized dynastic succession
Validation
- Verify that ministers (丞相, 御史, 廷尉) were convened and historical precedents from Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were reviewed
- Confirm that all imperial terminology (制, 诏, 朕) is established and consistently applied across official communications
- Check that posthumous titles are abolished and the sequential numbering system (始皇帝, Second Emperor, etc.) is formally decreed
