Tian Chao

天朝

[tiān cháo]

noun

Literally, 天朝 means Celestial Empire, an old phrase to describe the Chinese Empire in its feudal period. It is now commonly used as a jocular moniker for People's Republic of China or the Chinese government, alluding to a sentiment that the "New China" under Chinese Communist Party's tight control is a continuation of the old class society.

Synonyms:
景德镇 [jǐng dé zhèn] Jingde Town, a city known as the Porcelain Capital.
后清 [hòu qīng] Literally "post-Qing Dynasty".