Why didn't the emperors use their own surnames in the names of dynasties in Chinese history? Why did they use the titles given to them by the previous emperors?
Why didn't the emperors use their own surnames in the names of dynasties in Chinese history, but used the titles given to them by the previous emperors? This was because in Chinese history, feudal dynasties usually used the method of "emperor's seal" to name the dynasty instead of directly using the emperor's own surname. The meaning of this method was that these dynasties were founded by the monarch or emperor of the previous dynasty and inherited the territory, system, culture, etc. of the previous dynasty. For example, the Han Dynasty was founded by Liu Xie, Emperor Xian of Han, but the official name of the Han Dynasty was "Han" instead of "Emperor Xian of Han". Similarly, the Tang Dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, but the official name of the Tang Dynasty was "Tang" instead of Emperor Taizong's surname. In addition, using the titles given by the previous emperor could also increase the legitimacy and sense of history of the dynasty. In history, emperors usually gave their trusted ministers or generals lofty titles in recognition of their achievements and status. This way, the dynasty's name would have more authority and historical value. Therefore, the names of dynasties in Chinese history were usually titles or titles given by the previous emperor rather than the emperor's own surname.