The Ecological Implications of Zhu Xi's Ontological Thought
On the basis of inheriting the pre-Qin Confucianism,Zhu Xi fully absorbed the doctrines of the Confucian scholars of the Northern Song Dynasty.He developed an ontological philosophy that encompasses the evolution of the universe,the existence of all things,and the relationship between humans and nature,rich with ecological implications.From the perspective of cosmic evolution,Zhu Xi takes Tai Chi as the ontology of the universe and establishes the cosmic evolution model of Tai Chi,Yin Yang,Five Elements,and all things,which is of great significance for understanding the evolution and development of all things in nature,and the integrity and organic ness of nature.For the understanding of the existence of things,Zhu Xi took"Li"as the ontology,and establishes the basis for the unity and diversity of all things from the ontological level through the proposition of"universality and particularity".In terms of the relationship between humans and nature,Zhu Xi elevates"benevolence"to a moral ontological status through the principle of"benevolence and all things are one",thereby extending benevolence—a moral sentiment—from human-to-human relations to the realm of human-nature interactions.This establishes an ontological rationale for humans to fulfill their moral duties towards nature and care for living beings,thereby embodying a distinct ecological dimension.
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