China traditional culture related exercises.

China's primitive Taoist view of heaven and man, represented by Laozi and Zhuangzi, and its possible beneficial enlightenment for protecting the environment and realizing the sustainable development of mankind today.

The interpretation of the concept of "Tao" is the starting point of the original Taoist ecological philosophy system, and the whole philosophy system is also carried out under the command of the proposition of "Tao". Regarding the proposition of "Tao", Lao Tzu clearly told people in Tao Te Ching that "Tao can be Tao, but extraordinary" (chapter 1 of Tao Te Ching, below only lists all chapters quoted from Tao Te Ching), "Things are mixed and naturally born. Lonely and lonely, independent without change, walking around without danger, but the mother of heaven and earth doesn't know its name, and the strong word says, "Tao" (Chapter 25), "Tao is a thing, but just a dream. "Very embarrassed, there are elephants; I was in a daze, and there was something inside; It is subtle, it is essential, its essence is real, and it has faith "(Chapter 265438 +0). In Laozi's view, "Tao" is knowable, it is not mysterious, there are images in it and things in it. But because the authority of Tao is far beyond our imagination, we don't know how to call it properly, so we have to call it Tao for the time being. Zhuangzi also pointed out: "The way of a husband, love and faith, inaction and invisibility, can be passed on but not received, and can be obtained but not seen. Since its roots, there is no heaven and earth, and it has been solid since ancient times. Ghosts and gods emperors are born. Before Tai Chi, it was not high, but under the six poles, it was not deep, naturally born, not long, longer than ancient times, and not old "("Master Zhuangzi ",all the following quotations from Zhuangzi are only listed in the title)," Tao, everything is reasonable "("Fisherman "). The thoughts of Zhuangzi and Laozi come down in one continuous line, and both of them clearly declared that Tao is not only authoritative, but also knowable.

As for what "Tao" is, there are still different opinions. According to Mr. Nan's statistics, "Tao" has about three meanings and usages in traditional ancient books: one is the only way for human beings; Second, it represents abstract rules, laws and practical rules, and it can also be said to be an unchangeable principle in theory or theory; The third is the metaphysical Tao [3]. In addition, Ci Hai has 14 interpretations of Tao. In recent years, many scholars have tried to give a new explanation to the meaning of Tao. But in a word, their understanding is almost beyond Mr. Nan's understanding, that is, they think Tao is an abstract and metaphysical law or rule. Although some scholars believe that "Tao" should also contain the meaning of objective entities, this view is as absurd as the morning star, and their discussion is not very in-depth. The author thinks that Tao is mentioned in Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi in many places, which can be interpreted differently according to different occasions. However, the meaning of "Tao" as a law is very clear, which has been recognized by more and more scholars; At the same time, since "Tao" is recognized as a law, it should not be denied that "Tao" also exists objectively. Because the law itself exists objectively. If we talk about laws or rules without objective reality, this law or rule will lose its carrier of existence and cannot be captured. In this way, our understanding is very likely to fall into the quagmire of mysticism and cannot extricate itself. So generally speaking, "Tao" can be understood as objective existence and natural laws.

First of all, Tao is a real objective existence, which is "Tao", "image", "thing", "emotion", "faith", "innate" and "fixed since ancient times". Moreover, Tao is an organic arrangement in space. Laozi said: "Skynet is long, sparse but not leaking." (Chapter 73) The structure of nature is a "sparse but not leaking" ecological network composed of all things seeking, attaching and interlocking each other. Everything in the world is "whether there is mutual growth, whether there is difficulty or not, whether there is long or short, whether there is high or low, whether there is sound or not, whether there is front or back" (Chapter II). It is eternal and out of order, and it is a dynamic and constantly adjusting process of "supplementing less with more" (Chapter 77).

Secondly, "Tao" is a law or a rule. "Tao" is contained in all things in the world and becomes the law that restricts its rise and fall. Everything in the world naturally forms, develops and dies. At the same time, natural laws are eternal and universal. Laozi said: "The road is broad and controllable. Everything depends on it, but it doesn't work hard and doesn't work well. Clothes support everything without priority "(Chapter 34); "Lonely and lonely, independent without change, walking around without danger" (Chapter 25). Zhuangzi said: "Those who lie in the Tao cover everything and are magnificent!" (heaven and earth); "Heaven and earth move without accumulation" (Heaven). The laws of nature carry, regulate and rule all things in the world, and have never stood still. The laws of nature are also static. Everything in the world and the changes of life and death are calm and natural, and their motivation comes from everything itself. Laozi said, "Be empty, be quiet, and at the same time, I will turn back. Everything must be traced back to the source. " (Chapter 16) All kinds of natural things are full of vitality and prosperity, but their final destination is still quietly returned to the original place. This law is called the law of "returning to the original" and the law of "moving against the Tao" (Chapter 40). Laozi called it "Jing" and "Jing, in the final analysis, called me" (Chapter 16). The laws of nature are dialectical and unity of opposites. On the one hand, the unity of opposites of Tao is interdependent. Laozi thought: "Misfortune is a blessing; Happiness lies in misfortune "(Chapter 58)," Whether there are mutual strengths, it is difficult to complement each other, the length intersects, the height is oblique, the sound and sound are in harmony, and go hand in hand "(Chapter 2). Zhuangzi also pointed out: "Things are nothing more than this, things are nothing more than this, because it is right, because it is wrong." On the other hand, the opposites of Tao are mutually transformed. Laozi believes that "the world knows that beauty is beauty and evil; Everyone knows that good is good, but good is not good "(Chapter II). "Song Quan, waste straight, hollow full, and we are new, the less we learn, the more confused we are ... I didn't see it, so I know; Self-evident, so obvious; Do not cut yourself, have merit; If you are not proud, you will grow up "(Chapter 22). Everything not only returns to its origin, but also can be reborn only through the transformation of the opposing sides. Only by respecting the "heaven", respecting the laws of nature and developing the economy and society according to the laws of nature can we realize an environment-friendly society in which man and self-heating live in harmony.

Second, the basic concept: the unity of man and nature

When discussing the relationship between heaven and man, the primitive Taoist thought is very unique. Contrary to the view of some religions and civilizations in the world that God has given human beings the right to rule the world and that human beings have a special position in nature, primitive Taoism believes that the noblest master in the world is Tao. Tao is just, it reproduces and regulates the world fairly. This fairness is the law, that is, "Everything is straw dogs" (Chapter 5). Everything in the world and human beings are the products of nature, and their activities can only be within the scope of natural laws, and they can only be regarded as "pigs", and they must never run amok. Laozi said: "Everything in the world is born, and everything is born without it" (Chapter 40), "Tao is born with one, born with two, born with three, born with three" (Chapter 42), "Tao is big, it is big, and people are big. There are four areas in the territory, but one of them is inhabited "(Chapter 25). The generation process of natural things is a wonderful and gradual picture: from scratch, from less to more, from simple to complex, from low to high. They are not created by transcendental things such as heaven and god, but are naturally and orderly formed under the command of "Tao", that is, natural laws including people. For the evolution and formation of nature, Zhuangzi also has a wonderful description: "There are several kinds of plants, followed by water. Those who get soil and water are frog clothes, and those who give birth to Yu Ling are tombs. When the tomb is lush, it is black feet. The roots of black feet are grubs, and their leaves are Hu Die. Xu also became an ant, born under the kitchen stove, named Yanduoer. A bird is a thousand-day bird, called dry bone. The foam of dry bones is smiling face, and smiling face is edible acyl. Life is like eating acyl. Huang Wei was born in nine years; Rui was born rotten. Sheep are better than sheep, and bamboo is green for a long time; Qingning life, life gives birth to horses, horses give birth to people, and people turn around. Everything comes from the machine and enters the machine. " Undeniably, Zhuangzi's Theory of Evolution cannot be called a scientific theory of evolution, and the relationship between various species described by him is incredible to people today. However, Zhuangzi's theory adheres to the materialistic position, that is, everything in the world evolved through a certain process, and they were not created by God. In particular, the discussion about "horse gives birth to man, and man becomes a machine" shows more clearly that man is an ordinary member of all things in nature and has no privilege. In addition, Zhuangzi also pointed out: "There are tens of thousands of things, and people are at a loss." ("Autumn Water") He also said in "The Great Master": "So, it is also good and good; One is also one, and one is different. One is a disciple of heaven and the other is a disciple of man. Heaven is not equal to man, so it is called a real person. " Whether we agree or not, nature is one, and everything in the world can't do without this whole. Only those who admit that man is "the unity of heaven and man" (a grand language) and consciously safeguard the natural balance are real people. Laozi and Zhuangzi's theory that "man comes from nature and is a part of nature" has important ecological significance.

In modern ecology, scientists also believe that all components of the biosphere ecosystem, including photosynthetic plants (producers), animals (consumers) and microorganisms (decomposers), are closely related to the environment. In Lao Tzu's words, it is "everlasting, sparsely populated." No matter which link is disconnected, the whole system will collapse. It can be said that human activities are mainly concentrated in the biosphere today. Man is a member of the biosphere ecosystem, and he should undertake obligations in maintaining the normal operation of the whole system. This is not so much a proof of Laozi and Zhuangzi's thought as an inheritance of Laozi and Zhuangzi's thought, that is, heaven and earth have the same root as man, and everything is integrated with man, so it is the bounden duty of human beings to maintain ecological balance and maintain the harmonious relationship between man and nature.

Third, the fundamental way to deal with the relationship between man and nature: inaction

"Inaction" is an important thought of primitive Taoism. In the eyes of some people, "nothing" means nothing, and "inaction" means "doing nothing", which is actually a misunderstanding. In the Tao Te Ching, the "inaction" of primitive Taoism says: "It is the sage who teaches no words by doing nothing" (Chapter II), "It is useless to damage it" (Chapter 48) and "Doing nothing is tasteless" (Chapter 63). At the same time, he said: "I do nothing, but the people are selfish" (Chapter 57), "Because the sage does nothing, there is no defeat" (Chapter 64). In addition, the Tao Te Ching also mentions many words or phrases similar to the meaning of "inaction", such as nameless, silent, persistent, ignorant, without desire, indisputable, selfless, without body, without cutting, without arrogance, without matter, without heart, without taste, without learning, without martial arts, without anger, without dare and so on. These words and "inaction" can be said to be a collection, that is, "inaction collection". According to this collection, the meaning of the word "inaction" is much clearer. In my opinion, Lao Tzu never advocated muddleheaded and inaction, otherwise he would not think about so many social problems, complain about hypocrisy and advocate imitating saints. Here, the true meaning of "inaction" should be "inaction" and "goodness", that is, the denial of excessive behavior and the denial of behavior that violates the laws of nature; In other words, it advocates natural and moderate action; This kind of "inaction" is aimed at "doing everything possible" and "the weak wins the strong" (Chapter 36). Inaction is the fundamental way to solve ecological crisis, protect ecological environment and maintain ecological balance. Specifically, inaction can be divided into external inaction and internal inaction.

(A) the "inaction" of external behavior

The "inaction" of external behavior requires human beings to recognize the limitations of their own abilities, respect nature, conform to nature and love nature.

Protecting nature, opposing the excessive behavior of human nature and ensuring the harmony and coordination between man and nature can be summarized as harmony, harmony and tranquility.

Compliance means respecting nature and conforming to it. In the important organism of nature, man is one of them. In front of nature, man's ability is limited. Only by respecting and caring for nature can human beings gain the favor of nature, otherwise they will only be punished. Conforming to nature requires "virtue". Laozi said: "Tao is born, livestock is virtuous, things are shaped, and potential is achieved." It is based on the respect and virtue of all things. The respect of Tao, the preciousness of virtue, and the life of a husband are natural. " (Chapter 565438 +0) Nature is an orderly and gradual evolutionary process. If human beings want to have virtue, they should be "animals", that is, they should treat all natural things fairly and cherish all natural things in the process of "man, earth, heaven, heaven and Tao" (Chapter 25). "Doing nothing while living, acting without relying, long without killing" (Chapter 5 1), and "assisting all things naturally and not daring to act" (Chapter 64), let all things naturally enjoy their fate. Zhuangzi also thinks that "the inequality between man and nature" (the master) emphasizes that "everything is together" (autumn water), each with its own strong points and keeps pace. Humans should respect nature and treat all things in nature fairly, so Zhuangzi put forward the theory of "no distinction between noble and low" (autumn water). On this basis, Zhuangzi called for "no one will destroy the sky, and life will be destroyed for no reason" (Autumn Water). Zhuangzi strongly condemns this kind of behavior that violates the laws of nature: "Wait for the rule of the hook rope, and cut its nature;" Those who wait for the rope to be stuck and fixed are also those who violate their morality. " (Clear thumb) Furthermore, Zhuangzi warned us that if we deliberately change nature with the help of external forces, "the chaos of heaven and the affection of things" ("In the coffin") will inevitably lead to "clouds and gas do not wait for the rain at home, vegetation does not wait for the yellow fall, and the light of the sun and the moon will be wasted" and "disaster and vegetation, disaster and insect control" ("In the coffin").

Harmony is to keep the harmony between man and nature. Human beings are rooted in and belong to nature, and maintaining harmony between man and nature is the basic condition for human survival and development. Laozi said, "Its security is easy to hold." (Chapter 64) When things are stable, they are easy to maintain. Zhuangzi regards "Heaven and earth coexist with me, and everything is one with me" (Homology of Things) as the highest realm of life. Zhuangzi envied the natural state of primitive society: "The ancients were confused and indifferent to life. When the time comes, Yin and Yang will prevail, ghosts and gods will not disturb, the four seasons will be festivals, everything will not hurt, and people will not die. Although people know it, they don't use it. This is called one. When the time comes, it is natural to do it. " And "promising" and "anti-sun and moon, showing the essence of mountains and rivers and entering the four seasons" ("Yi Li") can only threaten the harmonious coexistence of all things in nature.

Quiet, this is aimed at human society, that is, asking human beings not to fight. Laozi and Zhuangzi lived in a war-torn era, and the cruel scenes brought by the war between countries made the two philosophers grieve. Laozi said: "Those who are good at being scholars are not martial; A good soldier is not angry; Those who are good at defeating the enemy do not cooperate; Those who make good use of people do it. Refers to the indisputable virtue, the power of employing people, and the ancient perfect match "(Chapter 68); "Soldiers are ominous, things are evil, so those who have a way have no place to live ... soldiers are ominous, not gentlemen, so they have to be used" (chapter 3 1); "Where the teacher is, there are thorns. After joining the army, there will be fierce years "(Chapter 30). Laozi's exposition can be said to be carried out from a political and military perspective, but it is still of practical significance for environmental protection. The fiercest way to fight is war, and the pollution caused by war is often inevitable. For example, 199 1 During the Gulf War, about 700 oil wells caught fire, spewing out pollutants such as 1900 tons of sulfur dioxide every hour, causing global pollution, and "oil rain" also appeared in the Mediterranean Sea, the whole Gulf region and parts of Iran [4]. From 65438 to 0999, the pollution caused by NATO aircraft bombing Pancevo refinery and other facilities still affected the environment of the former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and other neighboring countries and regions.

(B) the inherent behavior of "omission"

The "inaction" of internal behavior requires people to follow the example of saints, restrain their inner desires and achieve "less selfish desires." (Chapter 19)

The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are turbulent times. Great progress has not only promoted the further improvement and privatization of society, but also further expanded people's selfish desires, making people's demands for nature more frequent and unscrupulous. Laozi and Zhuangzi quickly and calmly analyzed and evaluated this social phenomenon. Laozi said: "Five colors are blind; Five tones are not deaf; Five flavors are refreshing; Galloping and hunting makes people crazy; Rare goods are an obstacle. " (Chapter 12) Zhuangzi inherited the mantle of Laozi and thought that "the world knows what it doesn't know, and asks for what it knows. Everyone knows that he is not good at what he is not good at, but he knows that he is not good at what he has done. It's chaos "("mm-hmm "). In order to avoid the punishment of the infinite expansion of greed on nature, human beings should strengthen self-control, cherish nature and be content with contentment. Laozi said, "He who knows others is wise, and he who knows himself is wise. The winner is strong, and the winner is strong. Rich in content "(Chapter 33); "It never rains but it pours, hatred is greater than desire. Therefore, the contented are always happy "; (Chapter 46) "Zhi Zhi is therefore not in danger" (Chapter 32); "I have three treasures, which I hold and protect: one is kindness, the other is frugality, and the third is not daring to be the first in the world" (Chapter 67). The greatest evil in the world is greed, and the greatest sin is greed. Everything in the world has a degree. Only in moderation, "less selfishness and less desire", can man and nature live in harmony, and economic and social development can be comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable.