In the ages of feudal societies, though emperor was a very distinguished title, his liegemen usually called the emperor his alternative name with his presence, instead of calling him emperor directly.

In the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 -220), the emperor was called the state, for the reason that in the old time, seigneurs were called the state, and officials were called the family; later on people generally called a country state, and since the emperor was an incarnation of a country, people called the emperor state. In the Jin Dynasty (265-420), the appellation was stilled used.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the emperor was called the saint and the dwelling place within the basilica, because his power was as supreme as to taking the whole country as his dwelling place.

In the Song Dynasty (960-1127), the emperors were called by temple and ancestor; for instance, Song Emperor Shenzong and Song Emperor Renzong were referred to as divine ancestor and merciful temple. Apart from this, people called the emperor governor or officer, for there was a Chinese saying Five Emperors governed the whole country, and Three Kings took in charge of the whole nation.

Besides, alternative names of an emperor include a Son of Heaven, your majesty, sovereign, king, flying dragon, head of a county, carriage, gharry, long live, long live sir, supreme honor, master of human being, the sacred, house (in the Northern Dynasty), master of man (in the Liao Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty), etc. Also, name of the year could be used as alternative names for emperors.