While watching a Chinese historical drama, I noticed titles of nobility were translated into Western titles - i.e. Duke, Marquis, Count, etc.
Obviously, Chinese and other non-western titles of nobility have no relation to the system of European nobility. But they have been translated into Western "equivalents"?
Why was that choice made, and how was it done? I'm most interested in ancient Chinese titles, but I'd also be interested in how and why this was done for other systems of nobility.
There were also aristocrats in ancient China. The aristocrats formed through the enfeoffment system before the Qin and Han dynasties had autonomy and independence, which was similar to Japan. Dominated by aristocratic politics, it should be regarded as an aristocratic society. However, after the Qin and Han Dynasties, the county system dominated, indicating that bureaucratic politics replaced aristocratic politics. Although the act of knighthood was retained, there were still barons in the future, but they were oppressed by imperial power. With the implementation of the examination system and the nine grades system. In the Wei, Jin, southern and Northern Dynasties, there was some retrogression in history. During the period of prosperity of the clan, it also played a leading role in politics. The Guanlong group and the Kanto group in the Sui and Tang Dynasties gradually weakened under the pressure of imperial power. The frequent wars in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and ten countries led to the demise of the Chinese gate valve gentry. Although there were still nobility after the Song Dynasty, the main imperial nobility served the imperial power for respect. In fact, they were only the ruling class with some privileges. Feudal autocracy reached its peak. Aristocracy originally refers to the upper class formed in the feudal society because of the higher power and property than other classes, including military aristocracy, secular aristocracy and religious aristocracy. After evolution, the aristocratic system continued in some countries and formed a stable aristocratic class. But if we look at the aristocracy from the perspective of the title system, the title system in ancient China has a long history, and the politics below will also be involved《 In the 28th year of Duke Zhao in Zuo Zhuan: "in the past, King Wu conquered business and had a world of light. There were five out of ten brothers in the country and 40 in the country surnamed Ji, all of whom were relatives." During the Warring States period, after Shang Yang's reform, the state of Qin abolished the Royal knighthood and established a twenty class knighthood system to reward merit (mainly military merit). From the highest twenty to the lowest first, the order is: Marquis Che, Marquis Guannei, great Shu Chang, Si Che Shu Chang, Da shangzao, Shaoshang Zao, yougeng, Zhonggeng, Zuo Geng, Youshu Chang, Zuo Shuchang, five officials, Gongcheng, public officials, officials, bu Geng, hairpin curl, shangzao, and Gongshi. After the Western Han Dynasty, Royal knighthood and meritorious official knighthood coexisted until the Qing Dynasty. Before the Qin Dynasty, the monarch was called king, and the highest rank among the Knights was public. Qin Shihuang became emperor. After the Western Han Dynasty, the highest rank was granted as king, and all were granted to the prince. After the Western Jin Dynasty, the titles of the royal family and the meritorious officials were merged, but the highest level kings and princes were only granted to the royal family. In the Ming Dynasty, the titles of Zhenguo general and Zhenguo Lieutenant were added to the titles. The royal titles of the Qing Dynasty were divided into 14 grades, among which Belle and Beizi were transliterated from the Manchu "natural aristocracy".
(My English is not good. I've tried my best. I'm sorry)