In "The World, A Stage", Kachiko muses about that very thing--to what extent the "favor of the Heavens" continues to extend to the Hantei. Shoju cautions her that she's flirting with blasphemy just by even considering such a thing. So while Shoju genuinely (or just pragmatically, or maybe some of both) thinks they should toe the party line, Kachiko wonders just where the Heavens are, when terrible things are going down all over the Empire.

The intent, there, was to raise this very issue. After all, everyone TALKS about the Hantei being the embodiment of Heaven on Earth, but IS he, really...?

(I hasten to add I'm not aware of any canon answer to this question. The point was merely to raise it, not to try and definitively answer it!)

9 minutes ago, DGLaderoute said:

The intent, there, was to raise this very issue. After all, everyone TALKS about the Hantei being the embodiment of Heaven on Earth, but IS he, really...?

(I hasten to add I'm not aware of any canon answer to this question. The point was merely to raise it, not to try and definitively answer it!)

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a friendly group of philosophers in Rokugan who ask pretty much just that question?

I think they Kind Of Like Asking That, as a matter of fact.

Note that no-one doubts the Heavens and the Celestial Order EXIST and are most definitely a thing. The stance of the, ahem, people who Kind Of Like Asking That is that it should all be brought down, crashing and burning. I have no idea how they intend to not subsequently be turned into oni-food, but them's the breaks.

13 hours ago, Hida Jitenno said:

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a friendly group of philosophers in Rokugan who ask pretty much just that question?

I think they Kind Of Like Asking That, as a matter of fact.

I think that particular group generally accepts that there IS a connection between the Hantei and the Celestial Heavens--and that's the problem. I suppose some of them may NOT accept this, but almost everyone else does, and that's STILL a problem. In any case, those who Kind Of Like Asking That all essentially want that connection to come to an end, either for reals, or in the minds of the masses, so that "man can rule himself" or words to that effect.

Mind you the instance of Mandate of Heaven they seem to be going with is thone actually based on the Chinese concept, ie the Hantei have the right to rule while they are virtuous and can be replaced by a different family if they prove more virtous.

The Mandate of Heaven was a post-hoc justification for dynastic change not for dynastic continuity.