The Son of Heaven is an imperial title originating from the ancient Han Chinese emperors and subsequently adopted by other East Asian monarchs that was founded on the theoretical principle of the cosmic Mandate of Heaven. The Son of Heaven is a universal emperor who rules tianxia comprising "all under heaven" which translates from the ancient Chinese into English as "ruler of the whole world." The title was interpreted literally only in China and Japan, and the Chinese and Japanese monarchs were referred to as a demigod, deity or "living God" chosen by the cosmic intelligence or entity referred to as the "Heavens" which in ancient Chinese sources usually referred to the universe.