“Having said that, many hierarchical societies did not develop in this way. In East Asia, the ruler was the head of the most powerful lineage. An important aspect of their role was to question and intercede with human ancestors, who could, if approached correctly, help to guarantee the well-being of their descendants. Here there was no pantheon of gods, and it is likely that the ultimate divine creative force, such as Di in China, who is sometimes described as a god, might have been seen as the original ancestor.”