The Harmonious Unity Of Heaven And Man

Ecological literature was born in the background of the modern ecological crisis and the plight of the spirit. It wants to inquire into the relationship among nature,human beings and literature in the perspective of Natural ecology, mining the ecological meaning of literature, so one hand we can absorb the ecological wisdom and guide the ecological practice of human beings, on the other hand we can finally enhance our surviving ability , exploring the social and cultural source of the ecological crisis and the strategy of removing it.In the 1940's ,"Walden Pond" , which containing a deep ecological thought, written by American writer Thoreau who is a pioneer of the ecological literature, leaves us a most precious spiritual wealth in the world for modern people who are in the serious ecological crisis and the plight of the spirit. Thoreau's impact is profound and immense, from this time on, people are still researching on his thought and from time to time to continue deepen it. While Thoreau and ancestors of Chinese Confucianism and Taoism live in different times and regions, however, their thought are strikingly resembling. It contains a wealth of ecological wisdom in broad and profound Chinese traditional culture ideology. Particularly when examining the relationship between human beings and nature, Confucianism and Taoism have shown a profound idea of the harmonious unity of heaven and man. This article attempts to study the ecological idea of Thoreau's and the ecological wisdom of Chinese Confucianism and Taoism's, exploring and going deep into the thought essence of the traditional Chinese culture, just for to seek a relief for modern people on dealing with ecological crisis which mankind are facing today.This paper first introduces affinity between Thoreau and nature, and at the same time it makes a brief description about relationship between Thoreau and the Chinese traditional culture. Then it will focus on the analysis of Thoreau's ecological thought and ecology wisdom of the Chinese culture, which based on the "Walden Pond" and the Chinese Confucian and Taoist classic works, and from the perspectives of people and nature, man and society, people with themselves——namely natural, social and spiritual, discussing the similarities among them. The author thinks they all have a concept about harmony of the heaven and man on Natural Ecology, advocating respecting for life and equal treatment of all things. In the use of the natural resources we have to comply with the laws of nature, keeping a long-term development needs for society. On Social Ecology, they both emphasize balanced development of spirit and material, promoting a simple life, simplifing material requirement and asking a healthy and useful life. On the Ecology of Mind, they all lay dress on the personal spirit independence and moral self-cultivation, advocating returning to nature and purifing our mind. Finally, it's an analysis about the differences between ecological thought of Thoreau's and the ecological wisdom of Chinese Confucianism and Taoism's. The value of this thesis lies in the guidance of modern practice and theories construction in the serious reality, carrying on the glorious past and opening a way for future.