The concept of destiny in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the descriptions of celestial phenomena, divination and disasters in the book are mainly influenced by China's mysterious theory of "the feeling between heaven and man". Dong Zhongshu, a Confucian scholar in the Western Han Dynasty, is the founder of the theory of "harmony between man and nature". He believes that "heaven" is "the king of gods" and "the ancestor of all things"; It is believed that "Li", namely "Tian Li" or "Heaven", is the noumenon of the universe and the origin of all things. Is the highest category. He attached "heaven" to personnel and thought that heaven and man corresponded. It is believed that heaven can interfere with personnel, and disasters and auspicious signs in nature are signs that heaven condemns and rewards people. He believes that "the sky is also full of qi, sorrow and joy" and "heavenly heart" means "caring for the people and the king". "The country will lose its way, and the sky will report the disaster first; I don't know how to introspect, but I am weird and scared; I still don't know how to change, but I am hurt and even defeated. " At the same time, Dong Zhongshu thinks that people's political measures and behaviors, people's certain religious ceremonies, etc. It can also move God and urge him to change God's arrangement of personnel. His theory of "harmony between man and nature" is a theological idealism system based on Confucianism and absorbing the thoughts of Legalists and pre-Qin philosophers. Its essence and purpose is to create a "theoretical" basis for the "divine right of monarchy" advocated by the feudal ruling class.
Mencius, Zhu and other idealistic philosophers believe that "heaven" is the origin of "reason", and the concept (reason) that people have comes from "heaven". Mencius said: "those who try their best know their nature;" If you know its nature, you will know its nature. "("Mencius with all his heart ") Zhu made a note on what Mencius said:" The heart is a god, so those who are reasonable should do what they should; Sex is the cause of the heart; And the sky is reasonable. "The understanding of" heaven "in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the same as that of Mencius and Zhu. There are no descriptions of immortal institutions such as Lingxiao Hall, Hades and Dragon Palace, and there are no immortal figures such as Jade Emperor, Bodhisattva and Dragon King, but there are a lot of statements about "Heaven", "Destiny", "Heaven" and "Heaven". The characters in the book know "Tian" not through its artistic image, but through its worship concept. Their understanding of "heaven" is basically abstract, idealistic and idealistic.
In the eighty-sixth chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the bachelor who wrote Shu said to Zhang Wen, the envoy of the State of Wu, "The chaos of the previous dynasty was divided into yin and yang; Those who are light and clear float in the sky, and those who are heavy and turbid condense on the ground. " And "heaven" seems to be made up of matter, but I still don't know what it is. Zhang Wen, who calls himself "omniscient" and "omniscient", is speechless. Their understanding of "heaven" is superficial and materialistic, while more people have an idealistic understanding of "heaven" and think that heaven has "destiny", "justice", "heaven" and "heaven".
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms holds that "heaven" has "heaven" and the countries on the ground have "luck", and the "heaven" of "heaven" determines the "luck" of the countries on the ground. The survival of the country depends on fate. In the book, the words "I am ordered by heaven to live forever" are engraved on the imperial seal of the Han Dynasty, and "the luck of the Han family" is determined by "heaven". Although the book also says that the "chaotic cause" at the end of the Han Dynasty is the political * * * * of "the second emperor of Huan Ling", it also emphasizes that "the number of days in the Han Dynasty should be Huan Ling" (4 times) and "the Han family is exhausted" (8 times); As a summary of the historical changes in the Three Kingdoms from the end of Han Dynasty to the beginning of Jin Dynasty, the book borrows poems from later generations and says: "Wei swallowed Han Dynasty and Jin swallowed Cao, and the cycle of fate could not escape" (119); "Things are infinite, and so are days" (120). It is pointed out that the "general trend of the world" is determined by the "natural fortune cycle". It is "Heaven" that determines the fate of the country's "luck". Politicians in the Three Kingdoms period paid attention to defending their political actions with "Heaven" and "God's will". In order to seize power, Cao Pi made his heart Wang Lang force Emperor Xiandi to meditate, emphasizing that the Han Dynasty was "exhausted" and "calendar day" was in Cao Shi (eighty times); In order to establish a feudal regime, Shu Han also used "providence" to create public opinion. Zhuge Liang advised Liu Bei to be emperor, saying, "If heaven takes it from him, it will be blamed for it." Liu Bei claimed that he had to answer "destiny" when he ascended the throne, and also used "destiny" to cover up that he was an emperor. They all claimed that their "kingship" was given by God.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms holds that "heaven" is a constantly changing spiritual noumenon. Many influential people in the book have this view that "the five elements are not always prosperous when they have definite numbers" (14). Xelloss forced Emperor Xian of Han to meditate, saying that "the destiny is not constant" (eighty times); Before the Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang said: "The change of heaven is very unusual" (9 1 time); When Wang Lang argued with Zhuge Liang, he said: "The number of days has changed" (93 times); Sima Shi also said, "Heaven has changed for thirty years." (108) However, the number of days described in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is not a process of quantitative change to qualitative change, but a process of quantitative change without qualitative change, which is a cycle of "days". The cycle of the general trend of the world caused by this cycle of heaven is naturally a process of quantitative change rather than qualitative change.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms holds that "heaven" is intentional and emotional. The so-called "heavenly heart", "providence", "heavenly power" and "heavenly wrath" can be seen everywhere in the book. After Dong Zhuo's death, he was moved and buried. "It rained heavily, and the ground was several feet deep. The coffin was split by lightning and the body was carried out of the coffin." Even "three reburies can't be buried, and the bones are destroyed by thunder and fire." The book says: "The wrath of heaven is very great!" (10 times) The characters in Romance of the Three Kingdoms are also convinced that there is "providence". Pang Tong, Fazheng and others persuaded Liu Bei to murder Liu Zhang and seize Yizhou. Liu Bei was afraid of "God forbid", but Fazheng thought it was "obeying destiny" and "God's will" (60 times); Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo, and the Shu army was spared by "dumb spring, extinct spring, black spring and soft spring". Zhuge Liang also thought, "Isn't it God's will?" (89 times); Zhuge Liang argued with Wang Lang and said, "Fortunately, God will never stop burning Han people" (93 times); On his deathbed, Zhuge Liang regretted that he failed to complete the great cause of "restoring the Central Plains and revitalizing the Han Dynasty", but he still believed that it was not that he did not "try his best" but "God's will" (104 times). It can be seen that both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang believe that "heaven" has a will, and this "providence" dominates personnel, which is alarming.
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, many characters think that "Heaven" not only dominates the infinite world and the fate of mankind, but also can distinguish good from evil and give people assistance or punishment. When the characters in the book are helped or successful, they often say things like "God bless", "God help", "God send" and "God send", while when they are not helped or fail, they often say things like "Heaven dies", "Heaven dies" and "Heaven is defeated". Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei made vows in Taoyuan to worship heaven and earth. The guests came to vote and offered good horses, gold and silver to help each other. Liu Bei thought it was "God bless" (1 time). Han Shaodi was hijacked by Zhang Rang, his entourage, and lost his way. When he was "helpless", "suddenly thousands of fireflies glowed in groups and only flew around in front of the emperor", which Chen Liuwang thought was "God help" (3 times); Guandu was defeated, and Yuan Shao was in a desperate situation. He thought it was a "celestial burial" (3 1 time); Liu Bei is in danger. "There is an ambush in front and a pursuer behind." He thought he was "Heaven will kill me!" (64 times) In fact, these characters in the book are not really helped or punished by "providence", but start from their own ideas and mentality and use "providence" to explain their situation in reality.
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" holds that those who practice virtue and those who have virtue belong to the destiny, and "the destiny is not constant, only virtue" (80 times); "The sky has changed, and it's easier to be angry, so it's time to be virtuous" (back to 93). In the book, Shu Han embodies the rule of virtue, so many people in Shu Han are blessed and helped by God.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms holds that "Heaven" is the supreme master, "Heaven" is just and "God's will is selfless" (9 times), so it places great emphasis on "obeying destiny". Cui Zhouping, Zhuge Liang's friend, said to Liu Bei: "You haven't heard that' those who go against the sky are easy to escape' and' where are the numbers, you can't take them away without a reason; Where is life, people can't be strong? "(back to the 37th) he stressed that" man "can't compete with" fate "and" reason "can't go against" number ",that is to say, man can't compete with heaven and fate, but obey fate. When arguing with Zhuge Liang, Wang Lang, Cao Pi's confidant, even put forward the view (93 times) that "those who go against heaven prosper and those who go against it die", affirming that "heaven" is the master that determines the fate of a country. The argument between Zhuge Liang and Wang Lang not only did not deny God's will, but also argued on the basis of "God's will", saying that "immortal Han people" is also "God's will". Sima Yi pointed out that Zhuge Liang's forced capture of the Central Plains was "conceited and clever, going against the sky", so the ending was bound to be "self-defeating" (102 times); Zhuge Liang himself admitted: "Man proposes, God disposes. "Don't be strong!" (103 times); Knowing that he was "dying", he tried to pray for disaster, but in the end he failed. He said with deep feelings: "Life is death, life is life, and you can't get it." (103 times). Zhuge Liang is an ambitious and clever man. He wants to make a difference. He is helpless in God's will and can't escape his fate, so other ordinary people should obey it. The success or failure of a person's life and death depends on fate, and it is difficult for a person's intelligence to make a difference under God's will. This kind of negative thought has stained the thoughts and personalities of many characters in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms with tragic colors.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms emphasizes the harmony between man and nature while obeying the destiny. It is believed that only by obeying the destiny can we consolidate the political power and achieve great things. So many politicians in the book talk about "obeying destiny". Dong Zhuo abolished the little emperor and made Chen Liuwang Xian Di. The essay said that this is the so-called "Shun Tian Dao" (4 times); Wang Yun pretended to persuade Dong Zhuoxiao to "submit", that is, he acceded to the throne, which is said to be "in line with God's will" (8 times); Counselor Guo Tu advised Yuan Shao to link Liu Bei to destroy Cao Cao, saying that it was "God's will and human feelings" (22 times); When Yan Ze went to Cao Ying to deliver a fake book, he said to Cao Cao, "Some of you didn't come for the noble salary, but you should obey." (47 times); Kong Ming and others advised Liu Bei to be emperor, also called "being a natural person" (73 times); Sun Quan advised Cao Cao to "accede to the throne as soon as possible", also known as "obeying heaven" (78 times). In different occasions and environments, important figures in the Three Kingdoms have repeatedly emphasized "the separation of heaven and man", "the unity of heaven and man" and "harmony with heaven, harmony with human feelings" and "harmony with God's will and harmony with human feelings". This idea of combining "heaven" with "man" is exactly what Han Confucianism and Song Confucianism advocated. Dong Zhongshu said: "Heaven and man are one" (the story of Spring and Autumn Annals); Cheng Hao said: "There is no distinction between heaven and man" ("Quotations from Two Cheng Quan Shu"); Zhu said: "Heaven and man are one, and the exterior and interior are one" (The Analects of Zhuzi). The theory of harmony between man and nature in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is obviously influenced by the thoughts of Han Confucianism and Song Confucianism.
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the so-called "providence" is expressed through a complete system of astronomical phenomena, good or bad luck, astrological divination and dreams. The book thinks that omens are good and bad, stars are bright and dark, astronomical phenomena have changed, and rumors and dreams are all manifestations of "providence", so the book attaches great importance to the description of various prophecies and omens.
There are about twenty things mentioned in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, such as "watching the dry images at night", "watching the astronomy" and "watching the stars at night". Astrology is often used to predict the overall situation of political affairs and the good and bad luck of generals and outstanding people. If Tai Shigong made Wang Li "look up to astronomy", he predicted that "the fortunes of great men will be exhausted, and there will be prosperity in the land of Wei and Jin Dynasties." (back to 14) Cao Wei's founding of the country was an act of god. Another example is that on the eve of the battle of Guandu, the counselor looked up at the astronomical phenomena and predicted that "there was a danger of looting by thieves and soldiers." When Yuan Shao didn't listen to him, Cao Cao burned the hay in his nest. When Cao Cao saw that "the south is full of vitality", he thought in his heart that Sun Quan of Soochow was "afraid of being unprofitable" (33 times). Seeing that "the north is full of vigor and vitality", Qiao Zhou advised Zhuge Liang not to cut Wei reluctantly (9 1). As for the description of the deaths of Sun Jian, Zhou Yu, Pang Tong, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and others, the stars fell from the sky. When Zhuge Liang saw that "among the three stars, the guest star is brighter and the main star is more secluded", he knew that his life was at stake. They all emphasize the correspondence between man and nature, and people know the so-called "providence" according to the astronomical phenomena. In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, not many people are good at observing astronomical phenomena and predicting good or bad luck. Zhuge Liang is the best. Others, such as Qiao Zhou, Quinn, Ju Guangda, and even Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sima Yi, are familiar with astronomical phenomena to varying degrees.