| Empress of China | |
|---|---|
| 中國女皇帝 | |
Imperial | |
 Imperial Seal of China | |
| Incumbent | |
 Wu Shenglong Zhou since 2001 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His/Her Imperial Majesty |
| Heir apparent | Wu Li |
| First monarch | Qin Shi Huang (Qin Dynasty) Wu Zetian (Zhou Dynasty) |
| Formation | 221 BC (Qin) 660 AD (Zhou) |
| Residence | Weiyang Palace (Summer Palace) Shengji Palace (Winter Palace) |
China is a constitutional, democratic monarchy. The Empress or Emperor (Chinese: 皇帝 "Huangdi", which is used for both genders, as Chinese normally makes no dinstinction between male and female) is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government. The current Empress of Wu Shenglong. The monarchy was founded by Empress Wu of the Zhou Dynasy in 660. The monarchy was temporarily abolished after the Earth Empire conquered China, and the Imperial family was reduced to commoner status. After the end of the war, Shao Zhou was returned to the throne.
Regalia[]
Regalia are physical objects that symbolize the sovereign power of a monarch. These often include a crown or other type of headgear, a scepter or staff and sometimes a globe signifying a monarch's rule over the world, and a ceremonial sword.
The Empress or Emperor of China traditionally wears the Imperial Crown, which is the sole object nearly all monarchs of China have used.
The Imperial Crown[]
Main article: Imperial Crown of China
The Imperial Crown of China, also called the Dragon Crown, is the crown with which the Emperor or Empress of China is crowned. There is no single Imperial Crown, most Emperors and Empresses have had one made for their coronation. The Emperor or Empress does not typically wear this crown, as it is seen as a hindrance or quite heavy to wear on one's head. The most common crown is a tall one, with pearls dangling from it; though some monarchs have opted to use other crowns.
Former Emperors or Empress are also allowed to wear a similar crown, as is their spouse.
Line of succession []
The line of succession is traced back to all descendants of Empress Wu of Zhou. It implements absolute cognatic primogeniture, the oldest child regardless of gender inherits the throne. This system was introduced by Empress Asami in 1600 AD. Before this, the line followed male-preference primogeniture.