The state religion of ancient China, which came into existence at least as far back as the Han Dynasty (206 B .C . to A .D . 220) and perhaps as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050 B .C . to 771 B .C .), allowed only emperors performing the ritual worship of heaven, perceiving them as special links between the earthly and celestial realms.

• Aonly emperors performing the ritual worship of heaven, perceiving them as  
• Bonly emperors to perform the ritual worship of heaven, with the perception of them being  
• Cthe ritual worship of heaven to be performed only by emperors, who were perceived as  
• Dthe ritual worship of heaven, performed by emperors only, with the perception of them as  
• Ethe ritual worship of heaven as performed by emperors only, who were perceived to be