What is the relationship between Chinese titles and western titles?

China's title has nothing to do with western titles.

Nobles are divided into five classes, which is Zhou's system. Since modern times, it has only been used to translate book titles in western Europe. Conversely, Europeans also have European titles such as Earl and Duke to translate China's history of Hou and Gong.

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and Baron are five different surnames in China Dynasty, which are generally believed to have originated from Zhou Dynasty. After the establishment of the Zhou Dynasty, it was established that the Lord of the world was Zhou and the title was "Wang". Under the "king", there are five titles: public, waiting, uncle, son and public, which are awarded to imperial clan and meritorious minister. The salary, crown clothing and residence specifications enjoyed by each grade are different.

As for the division of titles in the West, it is roughly equivalent to that in China, and it is also divided into five grades: Duke (Duke), Marquis (Marquis), Earl (Earl), Viscount (Viscount) and Baron (Baron).

In the western aristocratic system, the British five-level aristocrats were roughly formed in13-15th century. It is different from the five-level aristocratic enfeoffment system in China in the early Zhou Dynasty. It was not established in a moment, but gradually formed in the long years and finally became customized.

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The Meaning of Ancient Appellations in China

As we all know, the Zhou Dynasty implemented the enfeoffment system, in which the Emperor of Zhou was the king and the vassal was named the duke, the duke, the duke, the son and the duke. If they are called by title, only the duke can be called the duke, but this is not the case. Like Qi State and Qin State, they are all Hou States, and they are even listed as the five tyrants in the Spring and Autumn Period.

The king is under the jurisdiction of the Zhou Dynasty, and the king refers to the Zhou Emperor. Other kings who are not sons of heaven, such as King Lu and King Feng, belong to the leader of Rongdi. In the Spring and Autumn Period, the titles of king and vassal in bronze inscriptions were still confined to barbarian vassals with sparse relations with the Zhou Dynasty, namely Xu, Chu, Wu and Yue.

Since the Han Dynasty, both the prince and the emperor's brother have been made kings. Since the Western Jin Dynasty, princes were divided into princes and county kings, and princes dedicated themselves to princes and their younger brothers. The county king was originally the title of the son of the Crown Prince, and later it was mostly used to enfeoffment military officials of our time, and civilian officials also had the title of county king.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, it followed the title system of Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, and made extensive awards nationwide. Members of the royal family and ministers with less outstanding merits were also knighted. At this time, there are many more titles for titles, which are divided into twelve grades. Among them, there are Wang, Heir Wang, County King, lord protector, Chief, Founding Chief, Founding Chief, Founding Hou, Founding Bo, Founding Son and Founding Father.

In the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang and his ministers made an oath of "No Liu, No Wang". Although there was no such oath in the Song Dynasty, there were certain regulations that only the prince and his royal brothers could be called kings.

In the Song Dynasty, the prince no longer belonged to the hereditary system, and even the son of the prince could not be king. Throughout the Song Dynasty, the "heir king" was only given to four people, and Song Shenzong was the first person to be named heir king. For example, Qi Huangong Kong Wen is not a duke and viscount, but a kind of honorific title.

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