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Trying on Confucianism’s “Heaven’s Reverence” – the most important “religious rights” in modern China
Author: Jo Fei (provided by Henan University of Law)
Source: Author Author Authorized by Confucian Network, Originally published by “Traditional Chinese and Western Laws” 2023 Issue 2
[Abstract] “Heaven” is the supreme god of Chinese predecessors, especially Confucianism. Confucian classics such as “Pen Shu” and “Shang Shu” have many records about this. Confucius, Mencius, Dong Zhongshu and other Confucians were the first to be worshipped by the “heavenly worshipped”. The Confucian “Heaven Conquest” was also accepted by the rulers. The “Sacrifice for Heaven” ceremony of the dynasty is the reorganization expression of the Confucian “Heaven Conquest”. The Confucian “Heaven worship” also deeply influenced the life of life. The “worship of heaven” and “respect of heaven” can be regarded as the life of Confucian “Heaven worship” in the past. The Confucian “Heaven worship” is actually the exercise and expression of the “rights” of loving and admiring the way of heaven. Although this kind of “rights” is not “religion is not restricted”, it has always existed in traditional China and is the most important “religious rights” in modern China.
[Keyword] Confucianism; heaven; worship; rights
The thinking and worship of super-experiences has never been interrupted in human history. In modern Chinese history, Confucianism worships this shore with a religious worship of the divine religion, and the academic community calls it “Confucianism”. [1] Confucianism respects many gods, and the gods of heaven, earth, ancestors’ demise and natural gods are all the objects of their respect and memorialization. However, “the value concepts of Confucianism are all produced by the transformation of the concepts of “Emperor” and “Heaven”. [2] The respect and worship of the supreme gods “Heaven” and “Heaven Emperor” is the cornerstone and most fundamental of Confucian religious worship. The “Heavenly Contemporary” about Confucianism has been paid attention to by ministers in recent years. For example, Xie Xiaomeng and Li Bo have made a statement on Confucianism’s respect for heaven and respect for heaven and respect for the aspects of “the disenchanting ‘theistic theory’”, “heart of awe”, “roots of virtue”, “character and sacredness”, and “shendao teaching”. When he arrived at the building, he was about to go to the stage, a faint “meow” came from his ears [3] Zeng Wei and Song Guoqiang summarized the worship of the Emperor of Heaven, including Confucianism and Taoism, from the aspects of “the numerous names and causes of the “Heaven””, “the civilization of the Emperor of Heaven worshipped by the Emperor of Heaven,” and “the educational effectiveness of the Emperor of Heaven worshipped by the Emperor of Heaven”. [4] Cai Weiming discussed the secular expression of the emperor worshipped in China from the perspectives of “filial piety and the Emperor of Heaven”, “destiny, fortune telling and destiny”, and “the practicality of the emperor worshipped by the emperor”. [5] These discussions are difficult to be expensive, but overall, the number of results is relatively small, and it has not yet been possible to develop a systematic discussion on the Confucian “Heavenly Contemplation” of different subjects such as Confucian scholars, officials, and common people, and has not yet understood the legal properties of this worship. This article does not care about the rudeness and tries to explore the Confucian “Heavenly Conquest” of Confucianism, the most important “religious rights” in modern China.
1. “Heaven” is the supreme god of Confucianism. In the past, Confucianism first worshipped “Heaven”
“Heaven” is the highest ruler of the universe in the hearts of Chinese predecessors, especially Confucian scholars. There are a large number of discussions about the supreme god “Heaven”. “The Emperor, God, is the Lord; the Lord, who is in the world, and the Lord is in the world. (“People·Big Eye·Zheng Eye”)” means: the most beautiful God, your light shines on the earth. You observe all things in the world, see the world and understand the sufferings of the people. “Heaven’s rituals are replaced by people. Heaven has rules, so I will entrust my five rules and five righteousness! Heaven has rank, and the five blessings are mediocre! Colleagues are respectful and kind! Heaven’s destiny is virtuous, and five chapters are five constituents! (“Shangshu·Gao Yao’s Sutra”)” Gao Yao believed that the rules, ethics and orders of human beings all originate from “Heaven”, and “Heaven” is the highest basis for righteousness. Confucius said: “There are three fears for the righteous: fear of the will of heaven, fear of the great man, and fear of the sages. (“Journal of Ji”)” In Confucius’ heart, he had awe of heaven, and his respect for “heaven” lies in the “big man” and “the words of the sages”. “If you blame God for sinning, there is nothing to do (“Speech: Eight Bibles”); if you blame God, it will be useless to pray. When Confucius was chased and killed by Huan Zi, he said to the door: “If you are born with virtue, how will Huan Zi help you? (“Shuer”)” His courage and belief are derived from the worship of heaven. “The ‘Heaven’ mentioned by Mencius is in line with the ‘God’ of Zhou Gong.” [6] Specially emphasizes the personality attribute of “Heaven”. Although Mencius advocated “being determined”, he still advocated “Honor is the way of heaven; thinking of integrity is the way of man (Mencius: Leaving the Mother”)”. He regards the inner “Heaven” as ultimately real. “If you have the heart, you know the nature. If you know the nature, you will know the heaven. Keep the heart and cultivate the nature, so you can serve the heaven. (Mencius: The Heart and the Heart)” The purpose of his mind is to serve the heaven.
Hanru Dong Zhongshu is also a “heavenly worshipped”. “Heaven is the ancestor of all things (“Han Shu·Dong Zhongshu”)”; “Heaven is the king of all gods, and the heaven and man are the same. If the genre is combined, it is the same as heaven and man.” [7] Dong Ziqi inherited the traditional destiny of heaven: “Now the suburbs serve the heavens, this is because of the saints. Therefore, the sages of ancient sages were the most important articles. The kings of previous generations all valued millet and worshiped them to serve the heavens. As for Qin, they were wiped out by themselves.” [8] It is believed that modern sages regarded sacrifice to heaven as the most important thing, and this tradition was not eliminated until the Qin Dynasty. Dong Zhongshu advocated restoring the modern tradition of offering sacrifices to heaven because “Heaven is the great king of all gods. If the heaven is not ready, even if the gods are not beneficial.” [9] Heaven is the highest and greatest god. If you don’t give it to heaven with great sincerity, you will have no interest in tribute to other gods. Dong Zhongshu criticized Confucius’ admiration and view, “Confucius said: ‘It is impossible to blame the heaven for nothing.’ This is the law. Therefore, it has not been seen that Qin has received blessings from heaven as the Zhou Dynasty”; [10] Zhou got blessings but Qin was short of money because Zhou Chong worshipped heaven but Qin did not serve him to heaven.
Song MingBao meansPeople are also “heavenly worshipped”. Ercheng said: “Knowing the destiny of heaven is to meet the principles of heaven. You must give the destiny to get the response. Destiny is what the heaven receives, like the order of the decree. The destiny of heaven is like an influence, and it is common reason for obtaining the report; if you cannot obtain the report, it is very reasonable. But if you apply it carefully, there must be a report, but people seek it with purity, and they will be different. The destiny of heaven cannot be easy, but there are only those who can be changed. href=”https://twbabyhoney520.org/”>Baoqing.com Those who listen can do it. For example, the cultivation of the years, the world’s fortune prays for the eternal destiny of heaven, and the mortals who are most holy, are all this way. “[11] Destiny and response are the main content of “Heaven worship”. The saints of the past were vigilant, walking deep on ice, and leaning against the front and leaning on the wings. The reason why the heavens were respectful to heaven and feared the heavens in the past was that they could not be eliminated, and the disasters were not responsible for their own responsibility.” [12] Modern saints were vigilant to respect the heavens. Once they encountered disasters, they would find the to cover the message board in themselves. This is because, “There are many ways in which the heavens and ma TC: