What does "If you are ordered by heaven, you will live forever" mean

"If you are ordered by God, you will live a long and prosperous life." This is a classic sentence from "Shangshu·Hongfan", which means that if you receive orders from God, you will enjoy longevity and eternal peace and prosperity.

This sentence comes from the classic document "Shangshu" in the pre-Qin period. It is a declaration by the rulers of ancient Chinese dynasties. It expresses the concept that they, as the sons of destiny, receive divine blessings from heaven. Among them, "mandated by heaven" refers to the monarch's rights and responsibilities given by heaven, while "longevity and everlasting prosperity" means enjoying long life and eternal peace and prosperity.

This sentence conveys the unique political concept of ancient monarchs, that is, their rule is in line with heaven and has been recognized and blessed by heaven, so they can enjoy longevity and the prosperity of the country.