The order of rites are particularly austere in regard to man’s birth and death. The harmonious nature of rites ensure that “the root and the branch are put in proper order; beginning and end are justified” (94). Hsun Tzu believed that the beginning and end of a life should both be treated …show more content…
The difference between heaven and nature is comparative to the separation of the religious from the non-religious. Religious people bring in the higher power of Heaven, while non-religious people do not. Confucians view nature, or the sky, as the top, humans as the middle, and earth as the bottom. They believe that nothing is infinite, which opposes the Western views of never-ending heaven and hell. These non-religious views are more practical and realistic, as they are observational instead of faith-based. This is why Confucians are considered to have the religious views which are those of the intellectual