Who ran the country of ancient China?

Ancient China was primarily run by emperors who held absolute power and were considered the divine rulers of the state. The governance was often supported by a bureaucratic system, which included officials selected through the imperial examination system, particularly during the Han Dynasty and later. Additionally, various dynasties, such as the Qin, Han, Tang, and Ming, contributed to the political landscape, each with its own administrative practices and philosophies like Confucianism that influenced governance.