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The Meaning of “The Realms of Heaven and Earth” In Taoism
A profound idea in Eastern philosophy
As one explores the Tao te Ching and other Taoist writings, one will often come across the word “heaven,” often in association with the word “Earth.” These terms do not reflect the meanings that would be associated with these words in formal Western religious faiths such as Christianity, Islam, or Judaism.
To understand what the words “heaven” and “Earth” mean in Taoist writings, it is essential that one understand Taoist cosmology, a perspective shaped by the way in which the Chinese traditionally understood the world. Taoists believe that when the universe began, there was only Tao, a featureless, empty void, pregnant with the potential of all things. The word “heaven” is usually a translation of T’ien (天), one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. The concept of heaven (T’ien, 天) is pervasive in Confucianism and Taoism. Both Lao Tzu and Confucius describe a deep trust in heaven and believe that heaven overrules human efforts. Both also speak of those with profound wisdom carrying out the will of heaven. In this worldview, heaven is the supreme source of what is best in the world. Yet it is Tao that is the source of heaven.
