Chinese Views on Nature Shan Ni, Shanghai, People's Republic of China Email:
[email protected] 1. Summary The People's Republic of China (referred to as China), is located in Eastern Eurasia, on the Pacific West Coast. Geographically speaking, nature has played a significant role in Chinese culture through its long history. China is filled with various kinds of natural resources. This paper explores some worldviews of nature from Chinese perspectives, particularly from traditional Chinese views on nature. 2. Introduction to China and Traditional Chinese Cultural Influences on Ethics China (known as " Zhong Guo" in Chinese) is the world's most-populous country with a population of over 1.3 billion in 2010 (2011 Sixth Chinese national census major data communiqué) accounting for approximately 19% of the world population. China has one of the largest areas for a single country, covering about 9.6 million square kilometers and borders 14 countries. 2.1 The Origins of "Zhong Guo" and its Ethics Value The word "China" means literally the "central state". According to the "Ci Yuan" (also known as "Chinese Etymology Dictionary"), in ancient times, the Chinese Huaxia group established their state in the Yellow River Basin area. They thought the state is located in the center of the world, thus, they called it as "Zhong Guo". Meanwhile, other places around China are called as "Si Fang" (four directions of north, south, west and east). It is also recognized as the origin of Tributary System (known as "Sino-centric sphere of order") in the ancient China. The word "Zhong" (literally meaning centre or mean) plays an important role throughout Chinese history, cultural and ethics development.