Traditional Ecological Awareness in Confucianism
413
and two rows of tall and strong gingko trees are also growing in front of the family
temple of the southern sect of Confucian family in Quzhou. In Anqiu, Shandong
where Confucius’ son-in-law Gongye Chang studied, a male and a female gingko
saplings are growing tall into the sky, which are said to be brought there by Confucius
when he visited his son-in-law who then planted the trees personally. Speaking about
the relation between education and environment, Confucius said, “Living with the
noble is like living in a room filled with fragrant orchid. Over time, you won’t
notice the fragrance because you’ve become part of it. Living with the despicable
is like living in a salted fish store. Over time, you won’t notice the stink because
you’ve become part of it.” (Family Instructions of Confucius by Wang Su). He also
compared pine and cypress to human tenacity and integrity by saying “the coldest
moment in winter withers all other plants but pines and cypresses.” In ancient China,
prestigious academies were often founded in picturesque forests as our ancestors had
long realized an appealing environment was in itself good education.
The Analects of Confucius records, “When the stables burnt, Confucius returned
from court asking, ‘Was anyone hurt?’ He did not ask after the horses.” The ultimate purpose of Confucian ecological awareness falls on man—to promote human
development and guide human activities. Believing that nature provided for human
existence, Confucius called for protecting it, not draining the pond for fish, and
allowing nature to rest and recover, with the ultimate goal of serving human development. Mister Lv’s Spring and Autumn Annals states, “how can you not get plenty
of fish if you drain the pond? But there will be no fish next year. How can you not
get games if you burn the forest? But there will be no game next year.” The purpose
of protecting nature is to sustain human development. The report at the 19th CPC
National Congress points out, “Man and nature form a community of life… Any
harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us.” General Secretary Xi
Jinping also noted, “What we work for is harmony between man and nature, and
economy and society. In plain words, we strive for lucid waters and lush mountains
that can also be invaluable assets.” This in essence means putting people first.
5 Affinity and Harmony Between Man and Nature
Daide’s Book of Rites records Confucius as saying “not breaking growing plants can
be called benevolence.” Such a protective attitude toward plants is closely related
with principal Confucian moralities, such as filial piety, forgiveness and benevolence,
implying that the attitude toward nature is inseparable from the attitude toward man.
According to Confucianism, man and nature essentially have many in common. Wang
Yangming wrote in his Big Studies that “the great man identifies with all creations….
It hurts him to hear birds and beasts wail in fear as his benevolence goes to them;
birds and beasts can feel, but it hurts him to see plants being felled as his benevolence
goes to them too; plants have life, but it also hurts him to watch tiles and rocks being
destroyed as his benevolence goes to them as well.” The “big man” refers to those
who are noble and benevolent, who are conscious of man and nature in one. The word
413
and two rows of tall and strong gingko trees are also growing in front of the family
temple of the southern sect of Confucian family in Quzhou. In Anqiu, Shandong
where Confucius’ son-in-law Gongye Chang studied, a male and a female gingko
saplings are growing tall into the sky, which are said to be brought there by Confucius
when he visited his son-in-law who then planted the trees personally. Speaking about
the relation between education and environment, Confucius said, “Living with the
noble is like living in a room filled with fragrant orchid. Over time, you won’t
notice the fragrance because you’ve become part of it. Living with the despicable
is like living in a salted fish store. Over time, you won’t notice the stink because
you’ve become part of it.” (Family Instructions of Confucius by Wang Su). He also
compared pine and cypress to human tenacity and integrity by saying “the coldest
moment in winter withers all other plants but pines and cypresses.” In ancient China,
prestigious academies were often founded in picturesque forests as our ancestors had
long realized an appealing environment was in itself good education.
The Analects of Confucius records, “When the stables burnt, Confucius returned
from court asking, ‘Was anyone hurt?’ He did not ask after the horses.” The ultimate purpose of Confucian ecological awareness falls on man—to promote human
development and guide human activities. Believing that nature provided for human
existence, Confucius called for protecting it, not draining the pond for fish, and
allowing nature to rest and recover, with the ultimate goal of serving human development. Mister Lv’s Spring and Autumn Annals states, “how can you not get plenty
of fish if you drain the pond? But there will be no fish next year. How can you not
get games if you burn the forest? But there will be no game next year.” The purpose
of protecting nature is to sustain human development. The report at the 19th CPC
National Congress points out, “Man and nature form a community of life… Any
harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us.” General Secretary Xi
Jinping also noted, “What we work for is harmony between man and nature, and
economy and society. In plain words, we strive for lucid waters and lush mountains
that can also be invaluable assets.” This in essence means putting people first.
5 Affinity and Harmony Between Man and Nature
Daide’s Book of Rites records Confucius as saying “not breaking growing plants can
be called benevolence.” Such a protective attitude toward plants is closely related
with principal Confucian moralities, such as filial piety, forgiveness and benevolence,
implying that the attitude toward nature is inseparable from the attitude toward man.
According to Confucianism, man and nature essentially have many in common. Wang
Yangming wrote in his Big Studies that “the great man identifies with all creations….
It hurts him to hear birds and beasts wail in fear as his benevolence goes to them;
birds and beasts can feel, but it hurts him to see plants being felled as his benevolence
goes to them too; plants have life, but it also hurts him to watch tiles and rocks being
destroyed as his benevolence goes to them as well.” The “big man” refers to those
who are noble and benevolent, who are conscious of man and nature in one. The word