How did the ancient Chinese understand the “metacosm” today?

Recently, the term "meta-universe" has become popular, and in English, metaverse means "beyond the universe" and refers to the virtual world equivalent to the real world. Human understanding of the universe is a long process. From the simple and intuitive thought of legend to the study of the natural sciences, cosmology from ancient times to the present day also reflects the transformation of civilization.

Arpentage et carte de Xu Guangqi Tang Ruowang de la dynastie Ming

There is an old saying, "The north and the north are called the universe, and were and are now called the universe." From this point of view, "world" and "world" have been combined at the same time to include the concept of space. In fact, it is close to the modern view of the universe and the cosmos, and it is also based on the understanding of the “meta universe”. So how did the ancient Chinese understand "place"?

The start of chaos, the birth of the universe

The creation of Pangu is the most classic legend of the birth of the world in China. However, in fact, Bango's story happened very late. When Samagun wrote the Emperor as the ancestor of success in the "library," none of Pango's in the scriptures. There are five kings, and the story of our king does not go down in history to tell the story at that time. In The Three Kingdoms, Seojeong (徐正) finally includes the stories of Our King and Bangos before them in his Samuriji 』, words about the pioneer world of Pango as a“ model ”of Pangos and stories from the history of the world. Its classicity is undoubtedly:

"The chaos of heaven and earth like a rooster, and a banjo was born therein, in eight thousand years the heavens and the earth open, the sun is as clear as the sky, and turbidity is the earth. The sun is a form, and the day of Bango is a form, and the length is eight thousand years, the days are very, the earth is deep, and Bango is very long, and after there are three kings. starts at 1 and goes from 3 to 5 It will travel ninety thousand miles to Earth. "

These letters are not long, but they provide two very important pieces. First, the universe is egg-like chaos, the border between heaven and earth is chaotic, and Pangu was born out of chaos. The universe was in a “nothing” state before it was born, and there was a sudden “birth” period. In the eyes of the ancients, this was the birth of Pangu. Big Bang.

There are also important terms that the heavens and the earth were gradually created based on the exchange of yin and yang. This is a simple concept of the nature and teachings of Taoism, believing that yang is bright and clear, and yin is heavy and cloudy. the difference in distance and direction. .

Most of the gods in ancient Chinese myths and legends had extraordinary mana and infinite vitality, but Pango was a rare god who sacrificed himself in heaven and earth. Pangu's body has changed for everything in the world, but such images are rare. During Song Jinjong, there was a large-scale Taoist book "Unji Chilbo", which wrote a similar, but more detailed, written, and philosophical world history.

There is no space before chaos, and at the beginning of chaos there is Taehwajiyan. Loneliness is loneliness and there is no place to stand. First, the key is removed, and after ascending into the sky, the key is darkened. Descending to earth, the Tao without void is born, The Tao has no birth and cannot be called the source of nature, the place of qi (气) The husband has an attitude, a Tao, important, one, in fact Yuan. Dynasty, pure yang, a body is concentric with the Taeo, of the same sex in nature, without beginning and without end. Injustice, injustice, conflict and conflict, conflict is born and embodied, becoming the moon, the right eye becoming the moon, and the four spheres became the pillars and the five stars. "Blood is water, muscles and muscles are earth, muscles are earth, mustache is a star, hair is grass, bones are gold and stones. , gasoline is jade, sweat is nag. "

Here, “Tao begets one, one life begets two, two begets three and three begels all things” from Lao-tse is combined with the story of Pango. Pangu was not "the only real and pure sheep", but after Bango's death, Pangu transformed into the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, and his life is one with everything in the world. Ancient Events: It does not separate from nature, but the energy of the world, whether it is a god or an ordinary person, objects eventually enter the world and return to the status quo.

From "Sky and Round Places" to cosmic painting

Regarding the perception of the image of the earth, the most classic saying of Antiquity is "where the sky is round". It is generally believed to have been written in "Hoenamji · Cheonwonsun". Where the sky is round and the path is in place, the sun is needed and the moon is full, when the moon returns everything dies, and when the sun rises everything remains. "Real life.

After this simple cosmology was combined with Taoism and Buddhism, more and more world was created and more and more words appeared in writing, the more representative is the center of heaven and space in "Journey to the West". ": Four countries, Shimesan and the sea together form one big world.

The account of "Journey to the West" and the story of Pango after the opening of Hongmong appears at the beginning of the book.

"The spirit of design Van Go, our emperor ruled the world, five emperors ruled the relationship, and the world is divided into four countries: Dongsheng Shenzhou, Xiniuhezhou, Nanfangbuzhou, Beijuluzhou This book is with Shan Dongsheng Shenzhou. Region of overseas of Ao. Lai country, the country near the sea, and in the sea there is a mountain called Huaguo, this mountain is The ancestors of ten continents, three dragons, if there is mud in the Qing Dynasty, Hong Mong will rule .. will get. "

The Four Noble Truths of the ancient "Ahama Sutra" and "Journey to the West" have become an integral part of descriptions of cosmology. The content of this book is shogun and seojeon is a teaching of Taoist and religious beliefs, this type of writing is mixed with other mythological techniques to make it interesting for the reader, and readers from different backgrounds can come up with ideas. In other words, it is in accordance with the simple understanding of most of the universe, through which spiritual resonance can be achieved.

It's a new way of thinking from a writing point of view, but from a reader's acceptance point of view, it's a true manifestation of the old way of thinking about the world. Understand the universe and accept different views of the world. It is also a sign of the unification of Chinese culture, and although the cosmology of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism coexist, it is not a "violation of harmony" in this case. .

Yu Gwan-do's "Dream Butterfly Painting"

All over the world the house is happy

In addition to their understanding of the origin of the universe and its image, the ancients were also very interested in how to survive it and maintain a good rational relationship with it. Among them, the Taoist ideology is the best and the Zhuangzi ideology is the most attractive.

Zhuangzi has the following classical text in "Xiaoaoyou":

“There is a fish in the north, his name is Gon, Gon is so big I don't know how many kilos, when he became a bird, his name is Feng, Peng back, I don't know. he flies away in anger and his wings are like clouds in the sky, I am moving to Nammyung. "

These statements are not only the "first stop" of Zhuangzi's ideas, but the beautiful state that millions of people have admired for thousands of years. Gon in the water, boom while in the air the club spreads its wings. Then Lee Baek was surprised, saying, "I woke up in the morning with a noise-like wind and 90,000 times." Miles. “Kunpeng's life is natural and flexible, he has trusted many young people and millions of people see him as spiritual freedom.

The image is like a club that can move and change the sky and the earth across the boundaries of time and space. Among them are some good philosophical ideas. This is the question of the "size debate" at the limit. From Zhuangzi's point of view, the mass of objects is relative and is a kind of "relativism". And the comfortable state is to break those limits. Although human life is endless and time is endless, the desire to find the surpassing of oneself is always there. And this beautiful photo of Kunpeng is so charming that it allows us to see a state of freedom that transcends time and life.

Reaching this state is not easy. Zhuangzi said in Giorun 』," Heaven and earth are with me, and all is one with me. " This “heaven and earth are free and comfortable” means that person and nature are one. The most important thing in the universe A good state of existence: The existence of two human subjectivity and free spirit is not to eliminate a person, but to combine several free states.

For many years, many people thought about the state of independence, but most of the people can only see its beauty, but in fact, it is difficult to achieve the state of detachment. Zhuangzi opposed foreign property restrictions on human beings and lifted all restrictions, perhaps to gain freedom and happiness.

In "Master," Zhuangzi said in "Master," scholar Mou Zongsan said, "Spring water and fish and the earth and wet and wet, so that we do not remember each other in rivers and lakes. Taoism is the wisdom of 'forgetting' ...... Forgetting is the most useful type of knowledge. “With the knowledge of forgetting, you can let go. Get out of too many connections and worries and reach for the heights of spirituality. To truly 'forget yourself', you have to put in too many connections.

Kunpeng, described by Zhuangzi, is a state free from worries and thoughts, transcends reality and allows him to easily transform his physical well-being on his own in the changing nature of nature. Kunpeng and Xiaoyao Province is an expression of the thoughts of the ancients and the embodiment of the soul that transcends reality.

This "way to go" is a state of freedom and pleasure. German scholar Hans-Georg Mailer thinks this is the last question: “Where do we come from? "Your state of movement is aimless, without beginning and without end, but affects change for the better. Ability." This spirit journey has happened through the ages, and life has spiritual freedom which is more appealing.

Faced with the endless world, the elderly will think of the end, but in fact they have to mourn the limits of life and less productivity. An animal is very capable. The fish in the water and the birds in the sky aroused the imaginations of the ancients, and over time many myths and legends have arisen. It is true whether it is the story of Van Go or the birth of the club. It is the state of "swimming" in this world that gives people spiritual freedom, and despite the vastness of the universe, man is able to complete the process of true freedom and walk through freedom. spiritual.

Today, modern science and technology can detect star searches in the distant sky and explore many anomalies in distant lands. About the world and how in life everything suits modern tastes.