Analysis of the relationship between heaven and man in Neo-Confucianism from an ecological perspective

Abstract

Neo-Confucianism’s understanding of the relationship between heaven and man greatly reflects their view of nature and their aesthetic pursuits. Confucianism revolves around the perfection of human virtue, and the profundity of its theory of the relationship between heaven and humanity lies in the recognition of the value of all natural things. Therefore, the Confucian view of nature and humans emphasises the Unity of Heaven and Man by virtue. The concept of ‘the Unity of Heaven and Man by virtue’ unfolds the characteristic of symbiosis between humans and all things, which is manifested by the natural view of oneness of all things. The virtue of Sheng reflects the natural aesthetic consciousness of Confucianism. In Confucianism, virtue and beauty are unified, and this characteristic is mainly manifested as the beauty of ShengSheng. Sheng is not only a kind of great virtue but also a kind of great beauty, and the idea of the beauty of ShengSheng embodies the Confucian pursuit of the beauty of natural life.

Contribution: This article mainly examines the relationship between humans and heaven in Neo-Confucianism. In particular, it focusses on the thought of ‘the Unity of Heaven and Man’, and analyses the natural aesthetic influence of this thought.