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Confucius and Nature

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Confucius and nature

One of the most difficult areas of philosophy is nature. Traditional presses, as well as scholarly avenues, have tried to unveil what nature entails. For obvious reasons, the topic of nature lies more on climate change and the destruction path of humankind towards nature. The pursuit of limitless resources and materialism by man has led to the destruction of nature. The man appears to have an insatiable appetite for more which caused an environmental disaster (Kassiola, 2014). To stop depletion of resources, it is fundamental that man stops the insatiable appetite for natural resources. In philosophy, Confucian scholars debate about essential human nature and the surrounding. This article explains the meaning of nature according to Confucius scholars.

In Chinese culture, Confucius was an incredibly important figure in philosophy. Most philosophical Chinese teaching derives from Confucius. Confucius showed a great devotion towards wanting to explore the meaning of nature. The way human beings have become slaves of technology and the gadgetry world emerges a simple question. Is our fulfillment as people a way of constant connectedness or perhaps it is about self-reflection and self-development? Human nature seasons to enlighten mentality. It is evident that our subscription to socialism and thinking makes us have a modern mindset (Turker and Bethrong, 2013). However, we have failed to connect with the meaning of nature. According to Confucius, the primary role of human beings is to acquire an education that will be able to help us connect with the surrounding. Education purports to enlighten man about virtues, responsibilities, and care. Through learning how to be fully human, enables us to transform ourselves and what surrounds us for the better.

As he quotes, “Even though you have only coarse grain for food, water for drink, and your bent arm for a pillow, you may still be happy. Riches and honors without justice are to me as fleeting clouds.”(Kassiola, 2014) Confucius sheds light on the relationship between humanity and heaven. Confucius also celebrates humanity as an ethic of responsibility. He believes in the system of reciprocation. According to one of his sayings, Confucius implies that our approach to the environment determines what we get in return. This means that nature is what we receive after we give. He regards nature as one family and is gains those who create a cleavage between two different forms of nature. There is the sense in the belief that humanity holds nature together because man regards both heaven, earth, and a myriad of things as one (Turker and Bethrong, 2013).

The ethical of Confucianism emphasizes on proper ways that human of different social classes relate to one another. By embracing the virtue, we are cultivating a practice that leads to honesty. Self-cultivation enables us to have social cohesiveness, national integrity, and world peace. Therefore, the measurement of success is if the man has an ethic responsibility towards the transcendent vision. There is strive to become spiritual is not by being above the earth, family, and community (Kassiola, 2014). Rather, our touch with spirituality is complete when we can work with our surrounding.

Undoubted, our lives are not only secular but also entails the response towards onto-cosmological decree. It is important to keep in touch with the greater enterprise of cosmic transformation. In return, we can appreciate nature. Confucius believes that we are partners with our surrounding. Therefore, whenever we work against nature, we breed grounds for self-destruction. Humankind entails deep, cosmic significance (Kassiola, 2014). As such, this meaning manifests in the why we relate to both heavens and earth.

In Confucius teachings, human, heaven, and earth form a trinity, and together we have an embodiment of nature. The belief that nature is just our surrounding makes man selfish and greedy. In one of Confucius teachings about nature, he quotes “Only those who are the most sincere [authentic, genuine and real] can fully realize their nature. If they can fully realize their nature, they can fully realize human nature. If they can fully understand human nature, they can fully realize the nature of things. If they can fully understand the nature of stuff, they can take part in the transforming and nourishing process of Heaven and Earth. If they can take part in the transforming and nourishing process of Heaven and Earth, they can form a trinity with Heaven and Earth.”

The teachings of nature by Confucius build on the principle that Earth is life. Confucius’s ethics teaches man about appreciating oneness with our surrounding. He describes heaven as his father and earth as his father while the small creatures make him feel intimate. We as humans are in a position to observe earth’s presence and appreciate its beauty. Therefore, we share earth’s fecundity and richness. One of Confucius teachings writes about our intimacy with nature. According to the teachings, we can observe our fellow human in distress and feel emotionally attached. Again, we can see frightened animals or hear their pitiful cries and immediately feel their suffering. Our ability to connect with others and animals shows that humanity forms one body with the surrounding (Turker and Bethrong, 2013). Even with shattered titles and stones, there is a still feeling of regret. Such experiences validate that we are one with nature. Nevertheless, humankind has frequently abused the surrounding through selfish exploitation.

Confucius reminds us that the world is a precious inheritance. One of core Confucian value is that the world is a gift from our ancestors. At the same time, this world is entrusted to us for our future generations. Thereby, we have a responsibility towards conserving the surrounding. To conserve nature, it is important to form a sustainable and harmonious relationship (Kassiola, 2014). Confucius idea about nature is having an inseparable link between heaven and humanity. Our human nature comes from heaven. As such, we must continuously empower ourselves through education to understand heaven. Empowerment of man about the way of heaven helps to complete the trinity: man, heaven, and earth.

In conclusion, Confucius teachings about nature aim to educate humankind on the importance of taking care of the surrounding. He gives examples of instances where the man tries to separate himself from the surrounding by caring less about nature. From his teachings, Confucius makes us realize that there is no greater nature than heaven, man, and earth trinity. The separation of the Trinity makes each triad unstable (Kassiola, 2014). The creativity and vitality of heaven are endless. As such, humankind has the obligation to emulate this spirit in the conservation of nature. The ethos of Confucius is a guiding principle to help man understand the usefulness of nature. His teachings provide a basis as to how we can work towards the future of nature. As he says, we ought to do what is right, and all will be well. The right thing to do is realize our roles with nature and finding a balance in our actions. Whether our beliefs stem from being creationists or evolutionist, we are indebted to our environment for the good of our existence (Turker and Bethrong, 2013). Therefore, the basis of Confucius teaching about nature is that humankind; heaven and earth form a trinity and are inseparable.

References

Kassiola, J. J. (2014). Confucianizing Modernity and “Modernizing” Confucianism:

Environmentalism and the Need for a Confucian Positive Argument for Social Change.

In China’s Environmental Crisis (pp. 195-218). Palgrave Macmillan US.

Tucker, M. E., & Berthrong, J. (2013). Confucianism and ecology. Harvard University.