奉天承运

奉天承運
fèngtiān-chéngyùn
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 receiving Heaven's mandate and carrying on its fortune
  2. 2 by the mandate of Heaven

Examples

HSK 7-9
Míngcháo hé Qīngcháo de shèngzhǐ, kāitóu dàduō shì " fèngtiān-chéngyùn huángdì, zhào yuē ".
Imperial edicts of the Ming and Qing mostly open with 'The Emperor, who receives Heaven's mandate and carries on its fortune, decrees'.

Tips

history
The Ming founder 朱元璋 named his main audience hall 奉天殿, had 奉天法祖 'obey Heaven, follow the ancestors' carved on the jade tablet he held at court, and opened his edicts with 奉天承运皇帝. The Qing kept the formula.
usage
Strictly the pause comes after 皇帝: 奉天承运皇帝,诏曰, 'the Emperor, who receives Heaven's mandate, decrees'. Costume dramas usually pause after 奉天承运 instead, and people quote it jokingly to announce something with mock solemnity.

Stroke Order

奉 fèng
天 tiān
承 chéng
运 yùn