Ｂａｌａｎｃｉｎｇ　Ｍａｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｎａｔｕｒｅ　ｉｎ　Ｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌ　Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ.docVIP

Ｂａｌａｎｃｉｎｇ　Ｍａｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｎａｔｕｒｅ　ｉｎ　Ｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌ　Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ 　　 　　IN the sixth century B.C. Confucius visited the philosopher Laozi and had a philosophical dialogue on the banks of the Yellow River, later recorded by his disciples in The Analects of Confucius. Watching the running waters, Confucius was quoted as saying, in a tone of helpless regret, “Things elapse day and night just like this [the running waters].” To which Laozi replied, “Men live between heaven and earth, as an organic part of them. Man is born of Nature, just like heaven and earth… They all begin and end in accordance with the law of Nature.” Laozi’s answer reflects a fundamental tenet of his philosophy: man is just one of the myriad elements comprising nature, and all elements in nature are equal and should coexist peacefully and harmoniously. This interpretation of the man-nature relationship has influenced Chinese thinking, culture and arts for two millennia. 　　 　　Tao Yuanming and His Idyllic World 　　 　　Tao Yuanming (365-427) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) is but one example of the many Chinese poets whose work reflects the philosophical outlook expressed in Laozi’s words. Although a career bureaucrat, Tao found himself constantly at odds with the bureaucracy. In 405, Jiangxi’s Pengze County received notice that a superior official would soon arrive on an inspection trip. Local officialdom immediately set about preparing a reception ?C except for the magistrate appointed to his position just 80 days earlier. This was Tao Yuanming. 　　He continued to work on his files, dressed in his loose everyday attire. One of his subordinates cautioned him to dress formally and wait outside the gate for the official’s arrival, to which Tao replied; “I’ll not bend and bow to a rustic snob merely for an official post that’s worth just five sacks of rice.” He then placed his official robe and seal on his desk and resigned. 　　 　　During an official career of 13 years, Tao resigned several times, but each time h