《诗经》中的“天”、“下土”与“地”——早期“天地”观念溯源

The “Tian”,“Xiatu” and “Di” in the Book of Songs:The Origin of the Early Concept of “Tiandi”

在《诗经》中,"皇天"、"旻天"、"苍天"基本上是神格义,"昊天"兼具神格义和自然义。"上天"的神格义开始弱化,有哲学化倾向,同时自然空间化;"上天"与日月之光紧密关联,且与"下土"相对。"天"、"土"相对可以被看作是"天地"观念的早期形态。《小雅·正月》出现"天高"、"地厚"用语,这表明明确的天地观念已经形成,它应是春秋时期的观念。由绝对意义上的至上神之天,到相对意义上的天地观念的形成,是早期中国哲学发展的重大突破,其思想意义正可谓"开天辟地"。

The meanings of"Huangtian"(皇天),"Mintian"(旻天)and"Cangtian"(苍天)are almost divine in the Book of Songs(Shi Jing诗经),and"Haotian"(昊天)is both divine and natural.With a philosophic tendency,the divine meaning of the word"Shangtian"(上天the upper sky or heaven)has been weakened.At the same time,its connotation has been naturalized and spatialized,getting closely correlated with the light of the sun and the moon and being opposite to"Xiatu"(下土the lower earth).The opposition of"Tian"(天sky)and"Tu"(土earth)can be regarded as an early form of the concept of"Tiandi"(天地heaven and earth)."Tiangao"(天高higher sky)and"Dihou"(地厚thicker earth),which are presented in the poem The First Moon(Zhengyue正月)in Xiaoya(小雅),indicates that the concept of heaven and earth has been formed,which should be the concept of the Spring and Autumn Period.From the absolutely supreme god to the concept of"Tiandi"in the relative meaning,the transformation of the concept of"Tian"(天sky or heaven)is a breakthrough in the development of early Chinese philosophy,and its ideological significance is unprecedented in history.