miếu hiệu
Definition
- Noun:
- Temple name: A posthumous title bestowed upon an emperor or king in East Asian historical tradition, particularly in Vietnam and China. It is used for ceremonial worship in the ancestral temple (miếu) and for official historical records.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Miếu hiệu của vua Lý Thái Tổ là Thái Tổ. (The temple name of King Lý Thái Tổ is Thái Tổ.)
- Các sử gia thường gọi vị vua này bằng miếu hiệu. (Historians often refer to this king by his temple name.)
- Miếu hiệu được đặt sau khi một hoàng đế băng hà. (A temple name is conferred after an emperor passes away.)
Advanced Usage
- The temple name is distinct from other posthumous titles. It typically follows a set structure, often containing characters like Tổ (Founder), Tông (Ancestor), Thái (Great), or Cao (High). For example: Thái Tổ (Great Founder), Thánh Tông (Saintly Ancestor).
- In historical texts, a ruler is commonly referred to by combining their dynasty name with their temple name (e.g., Lý Thái Tổ, Trần Thánh Tông).
Variants and Related Words
- Thụy hiệu (n): Posthumous name (or posthumous title). A longer, evaluative title summarizing the ruler's life and reign, often different from the more formal temple name.
- Niên hiệu (n): Era name. The regnal name chosen by a monarch for a period of years during their reign.
Synonyms
- Temple name
- Posthumous temple title
Cultural and Historical Context
- The practice of conferring miếu hiệu was a central part of the East Asian imperial system, derived from Chinese tradition and adopted in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. It served to legitimize the ruler's place in the dynastic lineage for ancestor worship and official history.