天经地义

Natural Rules and Orderliness

天地的规则与秩序。据《左传》的记载，子产提出了“天经地义”之说，以解释礼的本质及依据。在子产看来，天地的运行遵循着恒常的规则，并呈现出稳定的秩序，具有最高的合理性。人应效法于天地，符合“天经地义”的言行与秩序即是合理的、正当的。礼对人的言行及人伦秩序的规定，正是“天经地义”的体现。“天经地义”一词后来被广泛地用以描述各种事物的正当性及不容置疑的道理。

Literally, this term means the rules and orderliness of heaven and earth. According to “Zuo’s Commentary on The Spring and Autumn Annals,” Zichan proposed the concept to explain the essence and justification of rites. Zichan believed that the movements of heaven and earth followed eternal rules that created a consistent and rational order. Man too should imitate this in word and deed in an orderly, rational, and proper way. The constraints that rites place on human behavior, and the resulting social ethics and harmony are all manifestations of these laws of nature. The expression later came to mean anything that is proper, or any reasoning that is justified.

引例 Citation：

◎夫礼，天之经也，地之义也，民之行也。（《左传•昭公二十五年》）

礼是天地运行的法则，民众行为的规范。

Rites represent the rules governing the movement of heaven and earth as well as the code of conduct for the people. (Zuo’s Commentary on The Spring and Autumn Annals)