This word has been used 23 times, and in the Analects of Confucius, it refers to the world of buildings and the Analects of Confucius
The concepts and categories of "heaven", "human", "nature", "reason", "dao", and "tools" can be said to be the cornerstone of ancient Chinese thinking. In the Analects, the term "world" is used frequently, a total of 23 times. The concept of "the world" in the pre Qin period has some special aspects that are worth paying attention to and examining.
The concept of "the world" has vastness and extensibility, such as being analogized to "four directions", "four seas", "nine states", "twelve states", "five uniforms", and so on. Geographically speaking, the concept of "the world" emphasizes regionalism and a kind of "centrality", with the most typical saying being "beautiful rivers and mountains".
German philosopher Schopenhauer said in his article "On the Beauty of Nature": "When we suddenly see a mountain that appears before our eyes, we can easily enter into some serious, even solemn, and noble emotion. Part of the reason is that the shape of the mountain and the outline it outlines are the only enduring terrain lines... Only high mountains despise and resist decay and decay, which sweep through everything, especially our own fleeting physical bodies."
For ancient Chinese people, "worshiping mountains" and "worshiping mountains" were also a great tradition. In the "Shan Jing" section of the "Shan Hai Jing", there are 447 mountains and 26 mountain ranges recorded. The mountains are towering and majestic, with lush forests and dangerous obstacles. The entry and exit of rare and exotic beasts inevitably give people a sense of mystery. Therefore, "Shuowen Jiezi" says: "The mountain is capable of spreading qi and giving birth to all things. It is said that there is a stone and it is high."
During the Western Zhou Dynasty, there was also a saying that "a country must rely on mountains and rivers". Mountains and rivers became symbols of a country's territory, to the extent that "famous mountains collapsed, the king's way came to an end, the rivers exhausted and the gods passed away, and the country subsequently perished.".
On the basis of Emperor Wu of Han's expansion of territory, the court further designated the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Sacrifices as the highest level mountains and rivers in the country, and formulated the ritual of worshiping the Five Sacred Mountains and Four Sacrifices. The specific five mountains of the Five Sacred Mountains have been revised in history, but they have become a symbol of national unity. Gradually, rivers and lakes have been endowed with more cultural and political connotations, becoming specific symbols of people's perception of the "world" and anchor points of "Chinese identity".
In fact, as early as the time of Mencius, people had already begun to think about "the world" and the country together, believing that "the foundation of the world lies in the country, the foundation of the country lies in the home, and the foundation of the home lies in the body.".
This aspect of "the world" emphasizes the unique geographical mountains, seas, lakes, and rivers, the importance of the people, cohesion, and unity, providing important support for future generations to transform into modern countries and form strong national cohesion.
The concept of "the world" during the pre Qin period placed special emphasis on the value of the people. As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, there was a profound and philosophical aphorism that goes, "The people can be close, not inferior; the people are the foundation of the country, the foundation is solid, and the country is peaceful.". The ancient Chinese generally understood "the world" from a human perspective, emphasizing the fundamental role of the people in the country and believing that "the rise and fall of the world depend on the common people.".
This is completely different from ancient Greece and also from the Middle Ages in Europe. In ancient Greece, gods were often regarded as the sole source of truth and justice; In the Middle Ages of Europe, one of the most popular views was that "God determines everything in human society.".
When ancient Chinese people pondered the importance of the people, they often regarded them as a whole and believed that the people were the decisive force in governing the rise and fall of chaos. So, how to "gain the world" and "protect the world"? Mencius proposed a plan - "If you win the world, you will win the world. If you win the people, you will win the world. If you win the people, you will win the people."
"Winning the world" means ensuring that political measures are in line with the will of the people. On the contrary, if Jie and Zhou lost their heaven and earth, they would lose their people; if they lost their people, they would lose their hearts. The result is that even if the lost people want to protect the world, they cannot do it.
How can we win the hearts of the people? Confucius proposed, "Respect and believe in things, use frugally and love others, so that the people can be timely.". Song Dynasty scholar Cheng Yi emphasized that "the way of governance is based on following the people's hearts, enriching people's livelihoods, and ensuring safety without disturbing the people." In one sentence, a politician should love, benefit, and protect the interests of the people.
Ancient thinkers represented by Mencius even believed that "the world" is not an abstract entity, but rather refers to the people. The rise and fall of the world's governance depend on whether it shares the same aspirations as the people.
