Foundations of Chinese Philosophy
Cosmic Energies

Basic focus: maintenance of harmony and balance in the cosmos, on earth and in the individual:

• Chinese philosophy and religion is concerned with the relationship between the energies of earth, the energies of heaven and the energy patterns of human beings who live sandwiched between the realm above (heaven) and that below (earth)

• maintaining harmonious relationships between humans, nature and the spirit world is the basis for many of Chinese religious practices 

• Chinese philosophy identifies Five energies or movements in the cosmos:

• rising

• descending

• radiating/expanding outward

• contracting inward

• rotating

These five movements are represented/symbolized by five elements of nature:

• fire

• water

• wood

• metal

• earth

Maintaining harmony and balance between these energies is the basis of Feng Shui, the Chinese art of placement. If a space is in harmony and balance, the people in that space will also experience harmony. If the energies of a space are out of balance, that will have a negative affect on the energies of the people.

• Chi - an all pervasive life force or energy, primal energy

• Yin-Yang - the interplay or harmony of opposites

• Tao - the "way" of the cosmos or nature (the Yin-Yang of Chi = Tao)

• T’ien - heaven. Though not a primary focus of Chinese thought the concept remains in the background. The Emperor is the link between heaven and earth. He was understood to rule by the "Mandate of Heaven" and, when things went wrong (e.g., natural disasters) this was a sign that he no longer had the "Mandate of Heaven" (his energies are no longer aligned with heaven) and another ruler was put into place.