Natural Ethics，Resource Optimization and Ecological Return —— On the Ecological Society Thoughts in Tao Te Ching

Hu Xinhua

(Academy of Arts Shandong University，Jinan Shandong 250100)

Ⅰ．Definitions of Tao and virtue— from Huang－ti to Lao Tse and Chuang－Tzu

Lao Tse raises“Tao”and“virtue”in Tao Te Ching and repeatedly demonstrates it，stressing the“special Tao”and“non － constant name”．These principles are summarized as two modes in Chuang－Tzu·the Land under the Heaven:one is the logical mode which is“based on constancy，nothingness and existence”，and the other one is a cognitive mode．These concepts are not unfamiliar to us in China’s philosophy;however，it still remains a major subject in academic circle as to how to define them from the theoretical origin and what the theoretical form is．After the discovery of the silk book of Four Classics of Huangdi in the Han Tombs at Mawangdui in 1973，academic circle has believed that there is a system of“the theory of Huangdi”in the Taoism system of ancient study．

Apparently，Tao Te Ching interprets the subject of“Tao and virtue”by means of the ancient study．The study of“Tao”in Four Classics of Huangdi has already existed in the Xia，Shang and Zhou Dynasty．Otherwise，we cannot comprehend the historical and cultural background of the generation of Taoism．

Ⅱ．Ethics— integration of Tao and virtue，standing for harmony in nature and ecology

Therefore，Tao Te Ching includes the classic of“Tao”and the classic of“virtue”，which is a new integration of the interpretation of ancient study．We can understand the class of“Tao”as the ancient renaissance of“Tao models itself after nature”and the class of“virtue”as the integration of natural philosophy and ecological ethics．The former focuses on the interpretation of ancient study．The 37 chapters of the class of virtue interpret the quality of the way of virtue．

The 54 chapters of the class of virtue discuss the generation and construction of social character centering on“Tao begets nature”．Humanism and the essence of“manifesting virtue”have been established．The academic route of Taoism，based on natural philosophy，establishes the human ontology value．

Chuang Tzu’s interpretation of the construction mode of Tao Te Ching，and Lao Tse’s integration of ancient study have the same origin as that of Yi Qiangua and Xiang Ci，which is the theory of“Tao mechanism”of the class of virtue．Therefore，we can see the academic standpoint and theoretical direction of Lao Tse，namely the ecological Xuan Tong view of Tao Te Ching．

The influence of Xuan Tong view of Lao Tse on Chinese society is complete and profound．Taoism has laid the academic foundation of Chinese culture and formed the basic theory of China’s ecological society．At present，we have put forward the core value concept based on it，namely environmental－ friendly society and conservation － minded society．As for the former，the so － called“environmental－ friendly”refers to the Taoism natural philosophical thoughts，and the latter is the essence of Tao．Therefore，Taoism has established theoretical basis for the management of national affairs of various dynasties in terms of the inheritance and advocating of ancient Taoism．

Ⅲ．Interpretation and reconstruction— ecological social ethics

1．“Tao models itself after nature”and optimizing the environment

The idea of“Tao models itself after nature”has undoubtedly opened a new perspective for the research on Taoism ecological ethics．The environmental justice and ecological ethics adopted by Taoism natural philosophy have avoided the interpretation of Taoism natural philosophy from the perspective of classics by modern scholars．

During recent years，the ides of“Tao models itself after nature”，as the hot spot of Taoism ecological ethics research，has revealed its importance in the following aspects，all of which possess the modern ecological ethics significance and begin to form the new Taoism natural philosophy based on ecological tools:first，the rural ethics researches with the focus on human and the research and modern interpretation of“urbanization”havebeen stressed;second，the systemic researches on the inheritance of Taoism ecological ethics and ecological ethics local records or famous people，as well as ecological environment ethics inherited by folk organizations and schools have been gradually developed;third，inspired by“contemporary new Confucianism”，many scholars have combined with them to better promote the traditional cultural heritage of Taoism and strived to construct the theoretical system of modern new Confucianism ecological ethics;fourth，interdisciplinary researches and applied researches have been carried out．Focused on the real problems and requirement of modern society，the modern value of Taoism ecological culture has been explored on the level of interdisciplinary researches and applied researches，which has become a new trend of the research on Taoism ecological ethics during recent years．Taoism ecological ethics have shown the rationality in modern society．Besides，Taoism researches have strived to gain self－development from multi－dimensional perspective．In this sense，it is quite necessary to conduct researches open the Taoism natural ecological system．

2．“Tao begets nature”and saving resources

“Tao begets nature”．Taoism natural philosophy，as a natural resource outlook，includes the leaning spirit and social customs and mechanism instead of classifying natural knowledge according to western academic classification．Ecological ethics culture should be an important composition of Chinese philosophy，which is also a unique aspect of Chinese philosophy in the worldwide．

The view of“Tao begets nature”，as the cultural heritage of Taoism ecological ethics，has conducted systemic researches on the natural mirroring of Taoism，which are conducive to our recognition of the connotation and scientific value of the Taoism natural ecological practice and theories，and mark a leap forward to get a glance of the whole idea of natural ecological activities．Therefore，we need to analyze the records of the subtle relations between the depiction of natural ecological practice and theory in the ecological civilization project so as to construct the then history and social context．

3．“Tao is nature”and returning to nature

The coordination and unification of modern natural resources aim at maintaining the present ecological laws and highlighting the regional characteristics of ecology．Taoism holds that ecological environment should be protected，which is based on the moral self－ awareness of identifying ecological value．Nature is the shelter and homeland f all humans，and the moral ability of learning from nature should be confirmed．

The coordination and unification of modern natural resources，based on group ethics and natural ethics，advocate the non － tool value of nature．Taoism ecological ethics，based on the openness and communication of national ecology，have become the logical starting point of the cultural renaissance of peaceful rise．In terms of the present development of contemporary ecological knowledge，it is quite necessary for us to conduct further researches on the ecological ethics significance of Taoism natural philosophy．

Ⅳ．Conclusion

Whether we can find out the practical characteristics of the Taoism ecological mechanism by defining the connotation and features of“Taoism natural philosophy”is of great academic value to the understanding of human ecological activity and its evolution．It can be found through reading historical materials that the practice of early ecological activity is divided from the simple activities of conquering nature and has formed the natural symbol of human，which is the ecological humane view of“the beginning of earth and heaven”．Despite the fact that Taoism natural symbol system contains the elements of witchcraft in the study of the philosophy of the Yi learning，the majority of them are derived from the theoretical summary based on experience．But the theorization of the Taoism natural philosophy has actually exerted great influence upon the philosophical works of Chuang Tzu．Thanks to the constant learning from various traditional social thoughts including Taoism ，the ecological system of“governing by doing nothing that goes against nature”has ultimately developed，prospered and been spread in the development process of the natural philosophy of Chuang Tzu，thus forming the practical foundation of ecological ethic．There is bound to be some historical reasons for the evolution of ecologic ethics．We should explore these reasons from the perceptive of collective awareness，belief and motivation，ecological humane psychology of our fellow countrymen so that we can gradually interpret the elements of sociology，ethnology，mysticalness and other natural elements in the Taoism natural philosophical works，thus lifting the mystical veil of Taoism natural philosophical theories，which might bring new knowledge to all of us．

It needs to be pointed out that once the category of“Taoism natural ecological ethics”is made explicit，we can surely summarize the connotation and features of ecological ethics by means of some relevant documents．We can read through the Taoism ecological documents in the existing ancient classics，and figure out the construction process of theoretical system，thus inspecting the completeness and perfectness of its theoretical system，exposing the civilized form hidden in it，and pointing out the implication on modern social activities．As a result，the study on the south and north ecological system in China，based on important ecological sys-tem，has given rise to the system of the study on mountains and forests，on caves，on lakes and rivers，and on mountains and seas．If this task can be fulfilled，it will be justifiable to say that the research upon Taoism natural philosophical theory has figured out its relation to the ecological thought in traditional Chinese culture，and provided the theoretical basis and philosophical foundation of the Taoism natural philosophy，which also deepens the current study on Taoism ecology，thus possessing significant theoretical value．In terms of the current urban and rural environmental ethics，regional environmental ethics and class environmental ethics，based on the study，we can further make it clear that which ecological ethic problems have been solved，which ecological problems need to be further explored，and point out the possible development trend of this subject．

Against the background of current ecological civilization，Taoism natural philosophy has eliminated the“mark”made by human upon nature and supported the idea of returning to natural ecology，thus possessing abundant ecological ethics thoughts．Taoism natural ecological ethics has transcended the limits of western“ethnic ecology”and“national ecology”，forming a type of“civilized formation”．Taoism ecological ethics，as the basic ethics of the renaissance of Chinese culture and peaceful rise，has solved the development mechanism of the problem concerning the“beginning of earth and heaven”in the original sense，as well as the ecological development mechanism of the“Great Mother”．As a result，there is no doubt that the combined study on ecological ethics，modern management and law and institution will be the bright future of the development of Taoism ecological ethics in China．

Notes:

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