Celestial Empire

American  

noun

1. the former Chinese Empire.

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Celestial Empire British  

noun

1. an archaic or literary name for the Chinese Empire

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Etymology

Origin of Celestial Empire

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Under its succession of imperial dynasties, the Chinese defined the world as "all under heaven" and themselves as celestials of the Celestial Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Opium War was fought, Hong Kong gained, extraterritorial concessions yanked from the declining Celestial Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

Some observers see in Red China merely a more ruthless version of the Celestial Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

The two books attempt to erase any lingering misconceptions about the once Celestial Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

In a map of the ninth century, preserved in the Strasbourg library, the terrestrial Paradise is, however, on the Continent, placed at the extreme east of Asia; in fact, is situated in the Celestial Empire.

From Curious Myths of the Middle Ages by Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)