The unity of man and nature is a traditional Chinese thought, which believes that the universe and man are in resonance, and man should be integrated with the universe.
In this way of thinking, each person is a small universe, and human society and nature are not parallel, nor are they in opposition. Human society is a part of nature. What the universe is like, what human society is like.
Therefore, choosing which cosmology implies running towards different ideals of the human world. It reflects what kind of life we want to live.
Combing through the cosmology of ancient China, the theories of Xintian, Qiongtian, and Antian are like meteors, passing through the history books and then being forgotten. In addition, there are three major theories of Gaitian, Xuanye, and Huntian.
Cai Yong, a scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty, pointed out in "Astronomy": "There are three schools of thought on celestial bodies: one is Zhoubi, the second is Xuanye, and the third is Huntian. Xuanye's learning has no master."
The Zhoubi Suanjing, which was written between the Warring States Period and the Western Han Dynasty, recorded the Gaitian Theory, which was a cosmological theory used by the imperial system and had a profound impact on the national psychology;
The Huntian Theory, represented by the discussion of Zhang Heng, a scientist in the Eastern Han Dynasty, was the main theoretical support for the observation of celestial phenomena in the ancient Chinese astronomical community;
The Xuanye Theory, which originated from Taoism, is closest to the true universe discovered by modern science and points to a modern society that is completely different from the imperial system, but it is like the sound of footsteps in an empty valley, so it has been lost.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing is an ancient building from the Ming Dynasty. It was originally named the Great Sacrifice Hall and the Great Enjoyment Hall. Its shape reflects the traditional concept of "the sky is round and the earth is square" in the Gaitian Theory.
The emblem of the Bank of China, which has branches all over the world, is round on the outside and square on the inside, just like an ancient Chinese coin, which is also a reflection of the cognition of the Gaitian Theory of "the sky is round and the earth is square".
Because, the Gai Tian theory believes that the sky is like a round pot cover, and the earth is flat and square like a Go board.
In the center of the sky is the North Star, and the stars rotate around it.
The location of the North Star is called Ziweiyuan, which is regarded as the residence of the Emperor of Heaven.
The emperor is called "Son of Heaven", and his power is granted by God. He is ordered by heaven to rule the world, just like the North Star reigns over the stars.
Therefore, the palace where the emperor lives is also called the Forbidden City, and subjects from all directions worship it.
The universe model of the Gai Tian theory is actually a projection of the bureaucratic society and hierarchy of the world.
Based on the same principle, the ancients also conceived a similar model of the underworld and the underground world.
Different from the Gai Tian theory is the Hun Tian theory. Although the Hun Tian theory also originated very early, Zhang Heng of the Eastern Han Dynasty was the master of it.
According to the "Zhang Heng Hun Yi Zhu" quoted in Volume 1 of the "Da Tang Kaiyuan Zhan Jing", the Hun Tian theory believes that the sky is a sphere, like an egg, and the earth is in it, like an egg yolk. According to the Hun Tian theory, there is space in the universe outside the celestial sphere.
In fact, the Hun Tian theory has been popular in the Chinese astronomical community for more than a thousand years, but it is only used in this small circle.
In the broader ancient Chinese society, the Gai Tian theory is still the mainstream cognition. At least for the imperial power, the Gai Tian theory is more beneficial to him.
Ancient astronomical institutions were not independent, and astronomers were royal priests. They would not and were unable to veto the Gai Tian theory.
Joseph Needham, a British historian of science, dedicated a section to the theory of Xuanye in the Tian Xue volume of "A History of Science and Technology in China", pointing out that Xuanye's theory was influenced by Taoism.
Among the pre Qin philosophers, Taoism adhered to the spirit of ancient books such as "Lianshan", "Guicang", and "Zhouyi", and carried forward the tradition of using the Tao of Heaven to understand human affairs during the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Most other schools of thought only focus on social reality, but Taoism also has a unique approach to studying cosmology and ontology as the basis for human theory.
Starting from Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" discourse of "the mixture of things and the innate birth", it emphasizes that governance should be based on the laws of nature, from heaven to man.
Among the Taoist philosophers, Zhuangzi proposed, "Is the sky's blueness the true color? Is it far and has no end?" He speculated that the universe is infinite and boundless, which is obviously different from the Gai Tian theory;
Heguanzi, Song Yan and Yin Wen proposed the theory of "qi", believing that all things are composed of qi;
Liezi proposed, "The sky is just the accumulation of qi, and there is no qi where there is no qi." The sky is nothing but the accumulation of qi, and there is no place without qi, and pointed out that the eight directions above and below are "infinite and endless";
During the Three Kingdoms period, Yang Quan of Wu discussed in "Theory of Things" that the sky and the Milky Way are composed of qi, from which stars are born;
According to the lost text of "Baopuzi" by the Taoist Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty quoted in "Taiping Yulan•Volume 2•Heaven Department 2", and the "Book of Jin•Astronomy Records" written by the Taoist Li Chunfeng in the early Tang Dynasty, and the "Book of Sui•Astronomy Records", during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the inheritance of Xuan Ye's theory had been interrupted, and the scholar Xi Meng at that time only recorded a few words of his predecessor.
The contents of Xi Meng's statements in these three books are very different. Take "Book of Jin•Astronomy" as an example:
"Xuan Ye's book has been lost, but Xi Meng, a secretary of the Han Dynasty, recorded the legend passed down by his teacher:
The nature of heaven is without substance. Looking up, it is high and far, and the eyes are blinded and sharp, so it is blue.
It is like looking at the Huangshan Mountain in the distance and seeing it is all green, and looking down at the deep valley thousands of feet deep and seeing it is dark. The blue is not the real color, and the black is not a substance.
The sun, the moon and the stars are naturally floating in the void, and their movement and stopping all require energy.
Therefore, the seven stars may pass or stay, may go forward or backward, appear and disappear at random, and advance and retreat differently, due to the absence of energy. They are rooted in different places, so they are different.
Therefore, the celestial pole always stays in its place, and the Big Dipper does not set in the west with the other stars.
Sheti and Tianxing both move eastward.
The sun moves once, and the moon moves thirteen degrees. They move slowly or quickly as they please, so it is clear that they are not tied to anything.
If they are attached to the celestial body, they will not be like that. "
Xi Meng's general idea is that Xuan Ye believes that the sky is not a substantial material form. The sky is infinitely vast. The sun, moon, and stars are naturally generated and float in the universe. They move in the air of the sky, and each has its own laws of motion.
Although this retelling is brief, it is revolutionary to mainstream cosmology. It categorically denies the fallacies that the sky is a substance, that the sky has an end, that the stars are fixed or attached to the substance of the sky, and that the movement is subject to the instructions of the sky.
From these fallacies, a series of fallacies of fallacies have been derived: the sky is a god with a personal will, that the universe has a center point, that the stars worship the sky like subjects worship the king, and that the stars have no autonomy in front of the sky.
We can imagine that Xuan Ye's theory would be a thorn in the eyes of the imperial power, but it would be the crusher of all these fallacies.
If Xuan Ye's theory occupied a dominant position, then in ancient China, which believed in the unity of heaven and man, society might be different:
Since the universe is vast and boundless, there can be no center point. If the universe has no center, how can there be a center in the world? This would be a decentralized and diversified human society.
Since the sky is not an entity, it is not a god with personality, will, and image, and there can be no "Son of Heaven", messengers, and other gods ruled by the emperor of heaven. Then, the aura of the imperial system of divine right of kings will disappear, and mankind will stand up in front of the imperial power and theocracy.
Since the sky is just an empty existence, and it is not a superior-subordinate relationship with the earth, nor does it exist that the North Star is the king and the stars are the ministers. It is just a pure natural phenomenon. Then, why can't people be equal? Why should there be a hierarchy of superiors and subordinates?
Since the stars grow naturally, operate autonomously, and are independent, they are not dependent on the sky, but operate according to their own characteristics. So, why can't people control their own destiny? Pursue happiness according to their own wishes? Freely choose their lifestyle?
There is neither a god who is above the Tao nor a sacred and inviolable king in this world, nor is there any unquestionable authority. There is no absolutely correct standard answer, and no stereotyped way of life.
Everyone is a shining existence, and you are the creator of your ideal life!
As a unique philosophical speculation, Xuan Ye's theory has a high starting point and is full of insights. It questions the mainstream cosmology that occupied the political and academic circles in ancient times, but it was difficult to develop and even lost.
Due to historical reasons, the inheritance of this cosmology was interrupted, it was not perfected, it did not become a complete set of scientific theories, and it did not lead ancient China to modernization.
But the laws of the universe exist objectively. Tao is everywhere, and it cannot last long without following the way of heaven. Violating the laws of nature will be punished by nature.
In this sense, we should also achieve unity between heaven and man, like Xuan Ye's theory, and build the order of the world through the correct understanding of the laws of the universe; instead of reversing the procedures like Gai Tian's theory, using the imperial order to tamper with the order of nature.
History has developed to modern society. The new cosmology is highly similar to Xuan Ye's theory, but it is more scientific and is constantly developing.
In line with this, society should promote harmony between people's body and mind, harmony between people, and harmony between people and nature.
People are equal, independent, and autonomous. Society is decentralized, diverse, and full of vitality.
This is the scene described by Lao Tzu in the "Tao Te Ching", that the heaven and the earth do nothing and all things change by themselves, and the king does nothing and the people change by themselves.
This is the objective reality of the universe and the ideal prospect of human society.
天人合一是中国的传统思想，认为宇宙与人相感应，人应该与宇宙融为一体。
在这一思维中，每个人就是一个小宇宙，人类社会与大自然并非平行关系，更不是对立关系，人类社会就是大自然的一部分。宇宙是什么样的，人类社会就是什么样的。
所以，选择哪种宇宙学说，隐含着奔赴不同的人间理想。反映的是，我们要过上什么样的生活。
梳理古代中国的宇宙学说，昕天、穹天、安天等学说如流星一般，掠过史籍即湮没无闻，此外还有盖天、宣夜、浑天三大学说。
东汉学者蔡邕在《天文志》指出：“言天体者有三家：一曰周髀，二曰宣夜，三曰浑天。宣夜之学，绝无师法。”
成书于战国至西汉期间的《周髀算经》记载了盖天说，这是一种被帝制皇权利用、对民族心理影响极为深远的宇宙学说；
浑天说以东汉科学家张衡的论述为代表，是古代中国天文学界观测天象的主要理论支撑；
而来源于道家的宣夜说，最接近现代科学发现的宇宙真象，指向的是与帝制截然不同的现代社会，却如空谷足音，以致失传。
现在我们看到的北京天坛祈年殿，是明代古建筑，原名大祀殿、大享殿，造型就体现了盖天说“天圆地方”的传统观念。
而网点遍及全球的中国银行的行徽，外圆内方，就像一枚中国古钱币，也是盖天说“天圆地方”认知的反映。
因为，盖天说认为天空像一个圆穹形的大锅盖，大地像围棋棋盘一样平整方正。
在天空的中心，是北极星，群星环绕着它旋转不息。
北极星所在位置，被称为紫微垣，视为天帝所居。
皇帝被称为“天子”，君权神授，受命于天来统治人间，就像北极星君临星空一样。
所以，皇帝居住的皇宫也被称为紫禁城，四面八方的臣民向它朝拜。
盖天说的宇宙模型，实际上是人间的官僚社会、等级制度的投影。
出于同样的原理，古人还构想出一个类似模型的阴曹地府、地下世界。
与盖天说不同的是浑天说。虽然浑天说同样起源很早，但东汉张衡是集大成者。
根据《大唐开元占经》卷一所引《张衡浑仪注》，浑天说认为，天是一个圆球，如同鸡蛋，大地在其中，如同蛋黄。在浑天说看来，在天球之外还有宇宙的空间。
事实上，浑天说在中国天文学界流行了一千多年，但也只在这个小圈子内使用。
在更为广阔的古代中国社会，盖天说依然是主流的认知。至少对皇权来说，盖天说对他更有利。
古代的天文机构并不独立，天文学家是皇家的御用祭司。他们不会，也无力去否决盖天说。
英国科学史学家李约瑟在《中国科学技术史》天学卷中，为宣夜说专设一节，指出宣夜说受道家影响。
在先秦诸子中，道家秉承《连山》《归藏》《周易》的精神，发扬三代以天道而明人事的传统。其他各派多数只关注社会现实，但道家还别具一格地对宇宙学、本体论展开研究，作为人间理论的依据。
从老子《道德经》的“有物混成，先天地生”论述开始，就强调由天而人，根据自然规律来治国理政。
在道家先哲中，庄子提出“天之苍苍其正色邪？其远而无所至极邪？”猜测宇宙无限、广袤无边，与盖天说显然不同；
鹖冠子、宋钘和尹文则提出“气”的理论，认为万物皆为气的构成；
列子提出：“天，积气耳，亡处亡气。”天不过是气之所积，无处无气，并指出上下八方“无极无尽”；
三国时期吴国杨泉在《物理论》中论述天空、银河都是气组成，由此生出恒星；
而据《太平御览•卷二•天部二》所引东晋道士葛洪《抱朴子》佚文，和唐初道士李淳风所撰《晋书•天文志》，以及《隋书•天文志》的记载，在东汉明帝时，宣夜说已传承中断，当时学者郗萌只是记录下了先师的寥寥数语。
这三本书所载的郗萌所述，内容差异极小。以《晋书•天文志》为例：
“宣夜之书亡，惟汉秘书郎郗萌记先师相传云：
天性了无质，仰而瞻之，高远无极，眼瞀精绝，故苍苍然也。
譬之旁望远道之黄山而皆青，俯察千仞之深谷而窈黑，夫青非真色，而黑非有体也。
日月众星，自然浮生虚空之中，其行其止皆须气焉。
是以七曜或逝或住，或顺或逆，伏现无常，进退不同，由乎无所根系，故各异也。
故辰极常居其所，而北斗不与众星西没也。
摄提、填星皆东行。
日行一度，月行十三度，迟疾任情，其无所系著可知矣。
若缀附天体，不得尔也。”
郗萌的大意是，宣夜说认为，天不是一个实质的物质形体，天无限广大，日月星辰自然生成，并漂浮在宇宙之中，在漫天的气中运行，各有属于自己的运动规律。
这一转述虽然简略，但对主流宇宙学说是革命性的。它断然否定了天是实体、天有尽头、群星固定或依附在天的实体之上，运动接受天的指令等谬论。
从这些谬论又繁衍出一系列谬论的谬论：天是有人格意志的神、宇宙有中心点、群星拜天如臣民膜拜于君王、群星在天面前没有自主性等。
我们可以想见，宣夜说会是帝制皇权的眼中钉，却是所有这些谬论的粉碎机。
如果宣夜说占据统治地位，那么，在信奉天人合一的古代中国，社会可能就是另一副模样：
既然宇宙广大、无边无际，那么就不可能有中心点。宇宙没有中心，人间何来中心？这会是一个去中心化的、多元化的人类社会。
既然天不是实体，它就不是有人格意志、有人物形象的神，也就不可能有什么“天子”、使者和其他受天帝统治的众神。那么，君权神授的帝制光环荡然无存，人类在皇权和神权面前就会站起来。
既然天只是一种虚空的存在，与地并不是高处与低处的上下级关系，也不存在北极星为君、众星为臣的关系，只是纯粹的自然现象，那么，人为什么不能平等？为什么要有上下尊卑、等级秩序？
既然群星自然生长，自主运行，各自独立，并不依附于天，而是依据自己的特性在运行。那么，人为什么不能掌握自己的命运？按自己的意愿去追求幸福？自由选择生活方式？
这世间既没有凌驾于道之上的神，也没有神圣不可侵犯的王，更不存在无可质疑的权威，没有绝对正确的标准答案，不会有千篇一律的生活方式。
每个人都是熠熠生辉的存在，你就是你理想生活的创造者！
作为一种独具慧眼的哲学思辨，宣夜说起点很高，富于洞见，对古代占据政、学两界的主流宇宙学说进行质疑，但发展艰难，以至失传。
由于历史的原因，这一宇宙学说的传承中断了，没有完善，没有成为一套完整的科学理论，更没有引领古代中国走向现代化。
但宇宙规律客观存在。道无处不在，不遵循天道，不能长久。违背自然规律，必遭大自然的惩罚。
在这一意义上，我们还应天人合一，像宣夜说一样，通过正确认知宇宙规律而建设人间秩序；而不是像盖天说一样，程序颠倒，用帝制秩序去篡改大自然秩序。
历史已经发展到了现代社会，新的宇宙学说与宣夜说高度相像，但更为科学，并在不断发展。
与之相适应，社会应该促成人的身心和谐，人与人的关系和谐，人与自然的关系和谐。
人是平等的，独立的，自主的。社会是去中心化的，多元的，充满活力的。
也就是老子在《道德经》中描绘的，天地无为而万物自化、君王无为而百姓自化的景象。
这是宇宙的客观实况，也是人类社会的理想前景。
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