Research Article

A Study of the Early Chinese Belief in “Heaven”

Qiuzi XuQingdao University of Science and Technology*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The belief in “heaven” in early China is an important part of ancient Chinese philosophy and culture. There are hundreds of schools of ancient Chinese philosophy, and they have their own unique interpretation and understanding of the concept of “heaven”. This paper aims to explore the belief based on “heaven” in ancient Chinese philosophy and analyze its philosophical significance in depth, so as to understand the evolution, characteristics, and inheritance of ancient Chinese philosophy. Through the study of the belief in “heaven” and the concepts of “Destiny of Heaven” and “Way of Heaven”, it is found that these thoughts not only had a profound impact on the development of early Chinese philosophy but also played an important role in the formation and inheritance of Chinese culture. This kind of thought has significance beyond the times and national boundaries, giving enlightenment on the theoretical construction and practical exploration of human society.

Keywords: heaven; hundred schools of thought; Chinese original belief; Chinese culture
Published: November 20, 2023
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/14/20230417
Volume: CHR Vol.14
pp. 100-105
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