The imperial Chinese equivalent of “your majesty” was bixia, literally “at the bottom of the steps”. This curious honorific came to be because, in ancient times, officials were not allowed to speak directly to the “son of heaven” (the reigning king or emperor). They had to convey their words to their lord and master through his attendants standing at the bottom of the palace steps. Over time, when protocols were relaxed and ministers could speak directly to the emperor, bixia became the honorific term of address for emperors.

To address royals of lower ranks such as princes and princesses, the term dianxia (“below the hall”) was used. While only emperors were entitled to be addressed as bixia, the courtesy was sometimes extended to empresses and empress dowagers, but they usually had to be content with the less exalted dianxia, or “your highness”.

In the Chinese-speaking world, bixia and dianxia are no longer used. To address dignitaries, one could use gexia (“below your house”), equivalent to “your excellency”, which can even be used to address your peers if you want to be very formal.

Reflecting the Marxist and revolutionary origins of the People’s Republic of China, state leaders are addressed as tongzhi, or “comrades”. Just a few decades ago, everyone in mainland China, male and female, was addressed as tongzhi, but this term has been eschewed in favour of xiansheng (Mr), xiaojie (Miss) and nüshi (Ms). Ironically, “comrades”, that most proletarian term of address, is now reserved only for the grandest people in the country.