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Under the influence of Confucius, the ancient Chinese developed a sense of awe and belief in Heaven. To them, Heaven was the highest sacred being, with its profound mystery never to be fully understood by mortals. It was not a supernatural, personified deity, but was the world of ever-generating life. As the most intelligent of all beings, humans should take to heart the purpose of Heaven by cherishing life. If one remained "ignorant and disrespectful of one's heavenly mission" by killing or maiming life, one would be punished by Heaven. Confucius said, "He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray." The Confucian respect for and belief in Heaven represented a form of religious spiritualism of the ancient Chinese. In the 21st century, the 去书内
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    Confucianism’s conception of Heaven centers on its role as the source of life with an inherent purpose of creating, protecting, and nurturing all beings. Humans, as Heaven’s creations, bear a "heavenly mission" to fulfill this purpose by cherishing and improving life. Confucius emphasized reverence for Heaven, arguing that virtuous individuals must align their actions with Heaven’s will. Ancient Chinese viewed Heaven not as a personified deity but as a realm of eternal life generation; violating this order—such as harming life—would incur Heaven’s retribution, as reflected in Confucius’ remark: "He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray." This reverence endures today, resonating with modern ecological civilization ideals, urging humanity to respect nature as a sacred duty.

    2025-12-16 喜欢(0) 回复(0)

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