It is not clear when the term Tiangong was created. This is a colloquial saying, which is generally first produced from the people, and then gradually used by the literati, and passed down to the present day through writing. In the written records, such as "I advise the heavenly prince to be vigorous and eclectic to reduce talents", "I want to compete with the heavenly princess" and so on, all appear relatively late. From these it is impossible to analyze the specific time when the term was created.
In the sense, the Heavenly Father should refer to the God of heaven, who governs all the people on earth. The emperors of the world were sent by them to rule over mankind on their behalf. And this meaning came about very early. Therefore, this article mainly talks about the specific meaning of Tiangong in different eras, or who it refers to.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas mentions the god who lives in the heavens. It is generally believed that this is a myth, but Lao Yan found that the truth is even greater. At that time, the heavens were physical, not only could people go up and down, but there was also a physical connection between heaven and earth, which was the famous heavenly pillar. Of course, the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" does not talk about the heavenly pillars, but only about a thing called Panmu, which is more than 400 kilometers high. If we use today's knowledge, more than 400 kilometers high is just enough to overcome the Earth's gravity in outer space.
The people do not depend on this pillar of heaven up and down. Presumably this was used for the transportation of goods. There are other facilities above and below the people, but the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" does not point it out. "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" talks about the battle of Zhuolu, the Yellow Emperor asked the heavens to send a god called Nulu to help win the battle of Chiyou. also said that Nulu and Ying Long "can't go back", that is, they can't go up again. That is, after the victory in the battle of Zhuolu, they were no longer needed in the sky, so they were not provided with tools.
It is the Emperor who lives in the heavens. But he is not in charge of the whole world, but only supports the Yellow Emperor. He was the father of the Yellow Emperor. And he was in a position that was admired by the gods and all mankind at the time. This may be the original ** of the Celestial Father, and it is also the ultimate source of the reverence of the Celestial Gods.
Regarding the fate of Di Jun, "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" also has a very clear description, that is, when Zhuan Xuan was a Jedi Tiantong, Zhuan Xuan let his grandson drive the sky away again. To understand it this way, the sky at that time was very much like today's space stations or spaceships. After that, there was no such facility in the sky. But the fear of the gods continued. Moreover, the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" and any other sources do not mention the death of Emperor Jun, so he is considered to be immortal and has been alive all along.
Therefore, when the historical records talk about Yao Shun Chanrang, they all emphasize that they should tell the heavens. At that time, there was no real heaven, just looking at the sky and talking. Since then, the Heavenly Father has existed only in people's imaginations. By the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the wind of new mythological creation flourished, and people gradually constructed another universe that existed in the imagination, believing that there was another world above us, and that human beings were governed by that world.
On this basis, Taoism was formed. Taoism has constructed a fantastical, bizarre, and relatively complete cosmic system. In Taoism, there are nine heavens, and each heaven has a master. One of the heavy heavens is also divided into many areas. Several major god systems formed since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were arranged in these areas. And at the heart of these areas there is a Heavenly Palace, which is also known as the Lingxiao Palace. It is the Jade Emperor who rules the heavens.
Of course, the Jade Emperor not only ruled the heavens, but also ruled the entire Three Realms, and even the Six Realms. And that includes the ground. So the Heavenly Gong at this time refers to the Jade Emperor. He not only determines the ups and downs on the earth, but also manages the fate of everyone, and also manages the karma of the world, etc.
But in the whole feudal society, in fact, there are two kinds of heaven and earth. In addition to the Jade Emperor, there is also an image of Tiangong that has been inherited from Emperor Jun. And most of the time it refers to Dijun. The meaning of the Heavenly Father here refers to the gods who created the world and appointed emperors to rule over the earth. The emperor sacrificed to the heavens every year and proclaimed himself the prime minister of rivers and mountains to the heavens.
Therefore, who Tiangong is depends on the times and the specific application environment. Like the heavenly prince in the two poems mentioned above, the author did not clearly refer to who he was referring to when he wrote, but it should be Dijun in analysis.
As we enter a new era, we believe that science dispels superstitions. The so-called Jade Emperor could not stand up to scientific arguments at all, so this Heavenly Guild gradually died out. As for whether Di Jun and the heaven he lived in really existed, although there are many denials in society at present, there is also a certain scientific basis for analysis, so it is inconclusive.
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