This writing discusses various understandings and views of Taoist literature on nature.
Looking at the Tao Te Ching, there were five places where "nature" was clearly mentioned. They were “悠兮其贵言。功成事遂，百姓皆谓我自然。” The best ruler is leisurely, rarely giving orders, and the people can't even feel his existence. When things are done, people will think that they are like this. “希言自然” It is natural not to mention decrees and less disturbance to the people. “道法自然” Tao is natural. “道之尊，德之贵，夫莫之命而常自然” The reason why Tao is respected and virtue is valued is that it does not interfere and let nature take its course. “以辅万物之自然而不敢为” To assist all things to develop naturally according to their own laws without arbitrary intervention. The purport of Laozi's so-called "nature" refers to the natural state of all existence.
Zhuangzi also defined "nature" under the original, natural and unconscious purpose. Only in Zhuangzi, it is clear that the category of "Tian" achieved this, “Tian” means sky, the universe also has the impression of god but the ruler of nature. Zhuangzi says “无为为之之谓天” “何谓天？何谓人？牛马四足，是谓天；落马首，穿牛鼻，是谓人。” “天地无为也而无不为也。” Action with the attitude of “inaction” is nature. What is nature? What is man-made? Cattle and horses have four legs, which is natural; Putting bridles on horses and nose ropes on cows is man-made. Therefore, the world does inaction but everything is done. Zhuangzi cleverly opposed Tian and human, and stipulated their attributes with "natural" and "unnatural" (man-made) respectively. The establishment of Zhuangzi's ideological system is realized by the establishment of the category of Tian which is isomorphic with "Tao" and the proposal of a series of concepts under this guidance.
The concept of Tian runs through the whole book of Zhuang Zi. What Tian wants to represent is nothing but the spirit of nature. For example “天籁” sound of tian, an word from chapter “Qi Wu Lun” The Theory of Equality. Zhuangzi divided sound into three states: sound of humans, sound of earth and sound of tian. At the beginning of Qi Wu Lun, there was a scene of questions and answers between the teacher Nan Guo Ziqi and the student Yan chengziyou. The reason was that the student didn't understand how his teacher forgot or abandoned himself. In order to explain why Ziyou couldn't realize the realm of "吾忘我” A kind of state like wood and hearts are deathly gray, or forget the external self. So the teacher asked “汝闻人籁而未闻地籁；汝闻地籁而未闻天籁” you have heard of human’s sound but not earth’s sound, heard of earth’s sound but not tian’s sound. As a result, the students learned that "earthly sound" is the sound of the wind from surface orifices, "human sound" is the sound made by people blowing, but he still doesn't know the true meaning of "tian's sound". “夫吹万不同，为而使其自己也。咸其自取，怒者其谁邪？” Although Tian’s sound has all kinds of differences, what makes them happen and stop is out of themselves. Who else is the initiator? In the conversation, tian’s sound is defined as nature’s sound but it is the sound that not everyone can perceive. Its implication is any existence beyond the cognitive ability of ordinary people. This is one of Zhuangzi's metaphor to express "Tao" with "Tian’s sound". “夫道有情有信，无为无形；可传而不可受，可得而不可见；自本自根，未有天地，自古以固存。” "Tao" is true and believable, but it is inaction and intangible; "Tao" can be perceived but not dictated, understood but not seen; "Tao" itself is the origin and root, and "Tao" has existed in ancient times before the emergence of Tian and earth; "Tao" can be perceived but not dictated, understood but not seen; "Tao" itself is the origin, and "Tao" has existed in ancient times before the emergence of Tian and earth. “听之不闻其声，视之不见其形，充满天地，苞裹六极” Unable to hear sounds and see signs, it is filled in tian and earth and contains the up, down, East, West, North and South six directions. This state of existence of "Tao" just conforms to the characteristics of "sound of tian", but it cannot be described and perceived, only by imagination can make a realization of "Tao".
From the above Taoist thought of nature has always highlighted that nature is inaction, and should be so. This is what Laozi’s so called “生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居。” Let everything rise naturally without creating it, and do something, but do not add your own tendency, and you will succeed without self conceit. Laozi and Zhuangzi calls the nature of all things "一" one. “天得一以清，地得一以宁，神得一以灵，谷得一以盈，万物得一以生，侯王得一以为天下正。” one makes tian clear, one makes earth peaceful, one makes a man god, one makes mountain surplus, one gives everything alive, one makes lord or king the leader of the world. “万物皆一也。” Everything is one. “通天下一气耳。圣人贵一。” What runs through the world is “一气” the one and qi. Therefore, saints attach importance to this' one '. The integrity of this "one" of nature is the real way of existence of Tao emphasized by Taoism, that is, the real way of existence of all things in the universe. When the "one" or nature gets destroyed or changed, everything's normal states will disappear.
In the view of Taoism, the loss of the natural nature of all things lies in the loss of human nature living between tian and earth, which then harms all things, and leads to the dichotomy and opposition between nature and man. The whole book of Zhuangzi is full of incisive exposure and profound and ruthless criticism of the situation of "escaping from nature" such as "losing human nature", "changing human nature", "hurting human nature", "erotic nature", "bitter human nature", "leaving human nature", "opposing human nature", "destroying feelings" and so on. And why does "escaping from nature“ happen? Zhuangzi believed that it was the labor of things, the fatigue of feelings, the stagnation of the heart, and the infection of the mind, that is from "mankind". Therefore, Zhuangzi strictly distinguishes between "tian" and "man". “天也，非人也。” natural, not artificial. But distinguishing between tian and mankind is by no means the original intention and purpose of Taoism. On the contrary, the integration of tian and mankind, one source and symbiosis are the way of thinking that Taoism has always adhered to. This way of thinking is known as "天人合一" theory that man is an integral part of nature. Because in the view of Taoism, both mankind and tian are based on nature. “人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然” Mankind take the law of the earth, the earth takes the law of the tian, the heaven takes the law of the Tao, and the Tao is purely natural. “天地与我并生，而万物与我为一。” Tian and earth coexist with me, and all things are one with me. “以道观之，物无贵贱。” From the perspective of the Tao, everything are equal. “人与天一也。” Mankind and tian are the “one”. Since tian and mankind are one, the relationship between them is, of course, symbiosis and common prosperity, without harming or hurting each other. Zhuangzi urged “天与人不相胜也，是之谓真人” The ideal realm and ideal personality of Tian and mankind are united in virtue and don't compete with each other. This is called "real person." The purport and significance of this thought of the unity of tian and mankind is that it strives to surpass or take nature as the center or take human as the center. And it is against how animals machine the philosophical notion from Descartes, the idea that humans are different from animals, that humans are the only noble species. This notion considers nature from a pragmatic perspective, which makes for excessive humans' development and utilization of resources and environment, shamelessly depriving nature in various ways.
Although in Taoism, the original meaning of the concept of tian and mankind are the same, if there is no separation and opposition, of course, there is no need to unite. However, the problem lies in the dichotomy between tian and mankind due to human reasons, therefore it is obliged to be united. In the original situation, tian and mankind are one. Now they are on different tracks, deviating from the initial state, and there are all kinds of "alienation" phenomena, which inevitably raises the problem of return, that is, return to the original, return to the sect and the opposite, return to the true and return to simplicity. Of course, only human beings can raise this question. In Taoist tian and mankind thinking, its final destination is how to realize and complete the task of returning to its original form. “夫物芸芸，各复归其根” All things return to their origin. “致命尽情，天地乐而万事销亡，万物复情，此之谓混冥” The highest realm should be to study extreme life, volatilize temperament, enjoy with tian and earth without being affected by everything, and everything in the world will return to true feelings and reality, which is the so-called "confusion." “文灭质，博溺心，然后民始惑乱，无以反其性情而复其初。” Once literary talent destroys the essence and knowledge drowns the mind, people will be confused, and they will no longer be able to return to his temperament and return to his original nature. Origin, confusion, starting is the expression of dao, of tian, of nature. An unpainted, unconscious, and extremely true absolute realm. This absolute realm is the combination of mankind and Tao, the unity of mankind and tian, and the harmony between mankind and nature. So "Sage" is the ideal personality in the eyes of Taoism. The reasons for the loss of Tao and nature can be attributed to material servitude, emotional tiredness, mental stagnation, and mental infection, that is, the crossflow of human desires, the expansion of rationality, the proliferation of private intentions, in another word, artificial artifice. And that Taoist believe by abandoning and destroying them can reveal the truth, return to simplicity, and finally achieve the unity of man and nature. The setting of ideal personality by Taoism is intended to express such an idea to people, that is, whether natural things exist according to their nature, and the decisive factor is whether human beings live according to their nature. The way of life of human beings determines the way of life of all things in nature. “知常曰明。不知常，妄作，凶” Ignorance of the laws of nature often leads to chaos and disaster. Laozi clearly knew that the destruction of nature must in turn affect mankind itself. From this, we can see that although the foothold of Taoism's theory of tian and mankind is the unity of heaven and man, its focus is "governing people". "Governing people" is of course only "governing mind" can be effective. Only with peace of mind and calmness can achieve the balance of mind and matter and the unity of nature and man. This is also the purpose of Taoist meditation.
Arnold Joseph Toynbee, a famous Western historian, is also very concerned about human civilization and the current difficulties and future prospects. He believes that the earth's biosphere is the only habitable place for mankind. Earth is the mother of human beings. As one of the many children raised by the earth, the most natural responsibility of human beings is to maintain its attitude system and make it stable for human habitation forever. However, in his view, the unrestrained expansion of modern industrialization and the abuse of technology show that human history has gradually moved from the stage of harmony between man and nature to the road of conquering and controlling the earth's biosphere. And the result may be, If the biosphere can no longer be used as a habitat for life, mankind will suffer the fate of species extinction, and all other life forms will also suffer this fate. For this reason, he believes that human beings should convert to a broad religion based on animism, which is consistent with the tradition of Eastern polytheism, such as Taoism, in order to effectively limit the invasion of nature caused by people's greed in modern society and establish an internal respect for nature.
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