This thesis attempts to explore the changing perspective of relationship between heaven and man in early China, with a comparison between two early Chinese works, the Zuozhuan and Shiji....[ Read more ]

This thesis attempts to explore the changing perspective of relationship between heaven and man in early China, with a comparison between two early Chinese works, the Zuozhuan and Shiji.

The thesis includes 9 chapters.

The first three chapters examine the problematic date of Zuozhuan's publication, as well as to summarize various viewpoints regarding the relationship between heaven and man among important philosophical schools during the periods. Then, a literature review is given to retrace contemporary scholars' studies and researches on this issue.

An in-depth analysis and comparison about the core concept regarding relationship between heaven and man in the two books, that is, the viewpoint of "heaven" and "man" and the relationship between celestial phenomena and human affairs, are discussed in the fourth, fifth and sixth chapters.

From chapter seven to chapter nine, other early notions that related to the relationship between heaven and man, such as views of ghost, spirits, dream interpretation, divination, omens and portents, have also been investigated.

I hope that this thesis will make a contribution to the study of the relationship of heaven and man of Zuozhuan and Shi ji.