《道家文化中的环境保护思想》译文

A brief Study on the Concepts of Eco- environmental Protection

Manifesting in the Taoist Culture

Li Dong

North China Institute of Science and Technology

Sanhe,Hebei,China 065201

donge@

Abstract:

the Taoist culture contains abundant thoughts of the ecological protection and this paper

just made discussion about it from the philosophical universe view for

view for valuing life and attaching importance to mankind,the ecological balance view for

XingAn

forward

to

learning

valuable

ecological

wisdom

for

human

beings

from

Taoism

ecological

protection concepts and completing its modern transformation and creation.

Keywords:

Taoism culture, Eco- environment,Protection

Introduction

As

one

of

the

main

pillars

of

Chinese

traditional

culture

,Taoist

culture

contains

abundant

ecological

protection

ys

the

ecological

environment

gradually

getting

worse,

necessarily

combing

out

and

cognizing

the

ecological

protection

view

of

Taoist

culture

might

inspire human learning the valuable wisdom from the ancient human Taoism ecological protection

thought

efficiently

and

complete

the

modern

transformation

and

creation,

which

is

one

of

the

significant

ways

to

walk

on

the

sustainable

development

road

in

environmental

protection

in

contemporary human society. This paper just made discussion about ecological protection thoughts

in

Taoist

culture

from

the

philosophical

universe

view

for

from

nature

care

view

for

valuing

life

and

attaching

importance

to

mankind,the

ecological

balance

view

for

to

XingAn

First, philosophical universe view for

fingered out that human follows the earth,earth follows the heaven,heaven follows the rules and

rules follow means that human lives on the earth and under the earth's grace therefore

human should follow the Earth; the earth is covered by heaven accepting its light and heat, so the

earth should run follow the principle of the heaven; however,

it shall follow the rules of

action is exactly following the nature. In Laocius' opinion, now that

everything,runs following the nature,human should follow it and be harmonious with it even

culture stands for

condition of the universe that shows the position and effect of different species clearly and

comprehensively thus human could take measures within ecological laws accord to its value from

the point for the integrity,stability,perfection of ecosystem and the protection,evolution of life

spicies. Taoist culture works fully indicate this idea. Such as what says in A Silk Book of Huang

Lao,Strife of Name

would accept their perishment so if you did not break the laws,you'd not lose what you own.

Zhuangzi emphasized in his Autumn that human need to live following the laws otherwise we'd get

a ing to

environment that humans,animals,plants, and microorganisms rely on to live following natural laws,

mainly including atmosphere,soil,water etc. The Laojun Said--One Hundred and Eighty

Commandments stipulates in the twenty fifth item: forbid poisoning all the water area;the forty

seventh item:forbid destroying all the grounds,rivers and mountains;the fifty third item:forbid

drying up the water in any field;the hundredth item:forbid throwing any rubbishes into the wells...

Above all ,that is to say,the Taoist culture advocates to observe and obey the nature and developing

rules of things,to take a positive attitude toward the ecological environment of humans,flora and

fauna,to respect and cherish the only earth,to protect virtuous circle of soil,water and air and

whatever creature that relate to us.

Second,life care view for valuing life and attaching importance to mankind

Valuing life and mankind is the basic value orientation of the

ecological ethics in Taoist is said in chapter thirteenth in

LaoZi that if he cherishes his body for the country,he'd be capable to

manage

the

country

and

in

ZhuangZi,YangShengZhu

it

argues

deed

not

for

good

fame,bad

deed

not

for

bad

is

passable

to

defend,protect

yourself and enjoy your late life if you follow the way of moderation.

From all these we can see the importance attached to mankind.(1)Respect

the life of Taoist culture claims that all animals have

first item in

Wisdom is

Quotations:One Hundred and Eighty commandments stipulates:

treading the six livestocks,fishing,hunting,seizing insects hiding in

soil

in

winter,damaging

the

birds'

eggs

in

nest,killing

animals

for

food

to

protect

founa.(2)

Cherish

the

life

of

culture

claims

that

plants have anima as well as humans and we are ought to cherish the life

of plants. For instance,the Scripture of the Great Peace suggests:

cautious

not

to

set

fire

on

mountains

or

dig

the

ground

avoiding

involving

plants,burning the branches and flowers ;

实于市里，金刃加之，茎根俱

尽。

. ..Indeed human need plants for living nevertheless taking the

withered

not

the

vitality

is

the

creatures

growing

just

like

human

struggling to live and whatever we do is for sustaining

development.

the human life as the most important among all ng LaoJun

KaiTianJing proclaims explicitly of the top grace of human life in

nature:

mountains,stone and animals originate in plain anima yet

humans originate in delicate anima that human are superior in the

world.

is

of

great

importance

and

Taoist

culture

regards

protecting

the

nature

as

one

important

way

for

cherishing

spite

of

stressing

the

superior

of

human,Taoist

culture

does

not

take

human

as

the

conqueror

of the lord of creation,human has his peculiar mission in the

process of operation of the world,praising and helping the nature and

cultivating the culture not only affirm human values

more than everything and capable to help all the lives but also reveal

the function and significance of human's morality and responsibility.

Third,the Ecological Balance View for

Three to XinAn

proposesjh a theory for human and universe:

nature is the nature made use of the heaven and made use of

the nature as well as taken-up by the when in a balance utilization then

human,the nature and the universe can reach harmony.

shall ameliorate the nature when take advantage of it for its sustaining

the opposite side,it means the nature takes use of the intelligence

of human for its sustaining nature originated in the heaven and

earth,revolveing for human and human rely on the nature to live,therefore

human,nature and the universe are indispensable in supplement each other. This is

not only the basic principle of mutual existence

，

mutual cultivation and mutual