The Concept of "Sky" as a Set of Collective Representations in Chinese Linguoculturology

Van I Postgraduate student, Department of Russian Language and its Teaching Methodology, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 117198, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 10 yi.wang@bk.ru Other publications by this author

Mitrofanova Irina Igorevna PhD in Sociology PhD. in Sociology, Associate Professor, the department of Russian Language and Its Teaching Methodology, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 117198, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 10 mitrofanova-ii@rudn.ru

"Sky" is one of the fundamental categories of Chinese culture. In Chinese, the concept of "sky" it is very rich in semantic meaning, and is often used in everyday communication. Speaking of classical Chinese philosophy, the relationship between heaven and man is a central issue in the study of ancient Chinese philosophy. It is obvious that "heaven" as one of the most important concepts in Chinese linguoculturology is closely connected not only with people's lives, but also with the fields of literature, history and philosophy of China.

This article applies a linguoculturological approach to the description of the term "concept". We present the concept as an important part of the linguistic picture of the world, on the one hand, realizing the experience of a particular native speaker, on the other, reflecting the knowledge of the surrounding reality of the whole language collective. 

The term "concept" has become widely used in various humanities: cognitive linguistics, semantics, linguoculturology. Most studies of certain concepts are aimed at creating a basis for understanding the specifics of linguistic thinking and perception of the world as a whole linguistic community and an individual linguistic personality.

In the understanding of the concept of V. A. Maslova, the directions of linguoculturology and cognitive linguistics intersect. The proposed integrated approach to the reconstruction of the concept implies field structuring. The core includes dictionary meanings of keywords ^[1]. Explanatory, word-forming, etymological, encyclopedic dictionaries help the researcher in revealing the content of the concept and forming its core. The periphery is represented by subjective experience, various pragmatic components, connotations and associations.

In cognitive research, the concept of "concept" is associated with the representation of the subjective experience of both an individual and a linguistic collective. The concept, as a unit of thinking, is formed on the basis of reflection and generalization by consciousness of the properties and features of the object that it conceptualizes ^[2]. 

The study of concepts is based on the study of knowledge about the world stored in the human mind and in the collective consciousness of the people. Researchers are most interested in the "key concepts" that determine the constants of human life and the basis of ideas about being in general, within a specific national culture ^[3]. Such concepts include the concept of "sky".

The image of "heaven" exists in the understanding and representation of people of different linguistic and ethnic groups. A number of researchers O. V. Krivaleva, E. N. Afanasyeva and others note the importance of such concepts as "heaven" and "earth" in the processes of cognition and evaluation of human activity. 

The word "sky" is found everywhere in the Chinese language, and its metaphorical meanings are wide and varied. The meaning of words is often determined by the original meaning, which is the result of an interconceptual comparison of human cognition. The main semantic connection between the original and metaphorical meaning is determined by the peculiarities of people's imaginative thinking. Linguists believe that the relationship between multiple meanings of polysemous words is not arbitrary, but develops from a typical one with the help of a specific semantic expansion mechanism, and each relationship between different meanings is justified.

The Japanese character is one of the most polysemous in the Chinese language. According to the Dictionary of Modern Chinese ^{[4, p. 1290]}, it has the following meanings:

1) the sky, the firmament, the heavens; (in ancient cosmogony, it is contrasted with the earth as a male force of nature, associated with the sun, light, heat); celestial, astronomical; under the open sky; When the sun comes out, the sky turns red. It is as wide as the sea and as vast as the sky. The water and the sky have merged together (on the horizon, about the big water).  clearing after rain (mod. in value.: the situation has improved). The heart is above the clouds (mod.: ambitious). The sky and the earth can be witnesses;2) the sky (as the seat of God); God, the deity (originally: the deified ancestor); the divine is high to the sky, far to the king? Thank God.

 A chosen man by heaven. Heaven is jealous of geniuses; great people have a hard life. Trouble has fallen from the sky. The bad weather may come unexpectedly (for example, some things cannot be predicted; we all walk under God). The sky does not follow the desires of man. One must not violate the order of heaven. And God takes care of everything. Hard work will be rewarded by heaven;3) an unshakable beginning; supreme authority; unquestionable authority; a solid foundation.

 , for the sovereign of a solid Foundation is the people, for the people, the food. the brotherhood's most important. The cause of the people is a matter of great importance. To dare to be ahead of others. No matter what difficulties there are, you can always find a way to overcome them;4) day; day in a couple of days.

 It's going to rain for the next two days;5) in ancient times, it referred to emperors, kings, sovereigns,, ^[5]. 

The duke said that the sea was far from the king and that his subjects should not be deceived. Remove the emperor and command the appanage princes on his behalf. The emperor is formidable and imposing without showing anger and anger;6) season, season of the year; summer,, to experience four seasons in one day, different seasons within ten miles;

7) nature; higher (natural) laws of nature; corresponding to the laws of nature; things of natural origin ^[6] natural selection. A natural enemy, a natural enemy. Heaven takes care of every living being. To do justice;8) nature, nature, character, qualities; from nature, innate, it is impossible to change the character with the help of a person.

 to possess by right of birth. - Innate abilities. Bestowed by heaven (nature). ^[10] rich in natural resources, have a natural advantage. To transform nature, to radically change;9) fate, destiny, destiny, to rejoice in fate, to know the dictates of heaven. The darling of fate. 

Fate is predetermined by heaven. To rely on fate. To violate the laws of nature and change fate. The sky has rewarded me with talents, so they will come in handy somewhere.  to impress with talent. I can't help, I can't fix it anymore;10) oral emperor; imperial, supreme; consecrated, divine, virtuous (as applied to the emperor)

 The imperial throne. The heavenly mandate (as a source of legitimacy of power).  The Temple of Heaven is the natural human rights. Let's pay attention to the fact that in the linguistic picture of the Chinese world, the concept of "sky" is not just accepted as a cosmonym, it is a reflection of natural phenomena, an abstract concept in religious and historical aspects.

Such semantic diversity makes it possible to create a broader semantic field in Chinese linguoculturology.    

The sky in Chinese philosophy symbolizes the supreme central deity. It differs from the concept of God in the Abrahamic religions, where God is represented as a person, heaven in Chinese philosophy implies an impersonal category. This is the highest power in the world order, with the help of which the seasons change, day and night come, it rains, the harvest ripens. Peace and tranquility on earth, a plentiful harvest are proofs of the goodness of Heaven. Conversely, floods, earthquakes, famines, riots, epidemics are harbingers of "heavenly wrath".  Heaven spared neither the rulers nor their subjects, it could punish anyone ^[6]. 

Before proceeding to the analysis of the lexical compatibility of the word sky in Chinese, let's focus on its two meanings, which largely reflect the features of the concept of "sky" in Chinese linguoculture, and often become a special marker of the perception of China for foreigners.

The first word is the Celestial Empire, the literal meaning is "under all the heavens" without geographical, temporal or spatial restrictions, although it is also used to describe a certain geographical concept ^{[7, p.88]}. This term can be expanded in context, and is accompanied by a certain principle of order, as a cosmic view of one's own desires, which are vast and boundless. Thus, the word was used to refer to the whole world, and later to the territory over which the power of the Chinese emperor extended. However, in modern Chinese, a different name for China is used (Zhongguo). Chinese researcher Zhao Xiuqing notes that, naming his country By the Celestial Empire, the Chinese did not mean the firmament, but the abode of the gods ^[8].

Word The Celestial Empire is often found in the expressions of Chinese authors: ???,????— be the first to grieve over the grief of China, and after all to enjoy its pleasures; the first to meet the difficulty, and the last to benefit. (Fan Zhongyan) Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the country (Gu Yan).The word Celestial Empire is often used in Russia as the second name of China, it is pronounced more often than the official name of the country ?

People's Republic of China. Zhao Xiuqing notes that for Russians this word is more figurative and expressive ^[8]. At the same time, foreigners rarely think about why this particular name of the country was used by the Chinese, and do not correlate it with the philosophy of Ancient China.

The peculiarity of Chinese writing has become the reason for the development of a specific symbolic orientation of Chinese thinking. Hieroglyphics is more focused on the perception and reflection of concrete forms and concepts ^{[9, p.13]}. While the development of abstract conceptual thinking, which is the basis of alphabetic writing and aimed at the development of imaginative perception and imagination, is characteristic of Western philosophical thought and Western perception of the world. If we analyze the components of the word Celestial Empire, then there is a special hieroglyph for the name of China, the middle / central power: the middle / central power (Zhong xin Guo Jia)). At the same time, there is no hieroglyph in the word Zhonggo itself.

The second word combination is: "Son of Heaven/Emperor". Only he had the right to make sacrifices in the Temple of Heaven. In the Chinese tradition, the emperor supports the interaction between heaven, earth and people, only he could make sacrifices to heaven and earth. His sacrifices ensured the repeatability and changeability of the seasons and the prosperity of the state ^{[11, p.4]}. The emperor's sacrifices to the spirits of Heaven and Earth brought prosperity to the whole of China. Such values are included in expressions: The rulers (ministers) Son of heaven; to assert the power of the son of heaven; rules of etiquette (cultural behavior), none but the son of heaven, not sets; , ^[6] at the top, he does not consider the son of heaven in any way, at the bottom he completely neglects the local princes.

It was believed that Heaven gave the emperor a Heavenly mandate to rule. Only the most worthy could become the Son of Heaven, i.e. personal merits were the main condition for conferring the title of emperor. Such an image of the sky determined the principle of succession of power: if the head of the rebels could conquer the capital, then Heaven handed him a mandate to rule, and the new government was considered legitimate. If the rebels failed to occupy the capital, they were executed ^[12]. Here we see that the concept of "sky" in the thinking of the Chinese, the role of the supreme deity plays and it is he who gives the right to establish both new laws and new power.   

The concept of "sky" can be traced in stable phrases and phraseological units of the Chinese language. Here are some examples:  look at the sky from the bottom of the well (to have a limited horizon); there are new circumstances (opening new perspectives); head back to the sky, feet stand on the ground (the great; mighty); ^[10] a strange imagination; absurd idea, took it into his head.

Also in the Chinese language there are idioms with the word heaven, which have a religious or metaphysical meaning ^[13]. For example, to accept the will of heaven (mandate for the kingdom); to accept divine protection; to accept, The heavenly order is above all, which can never be violated; The Lord watches over everything that a person does.

Chinese researchers Luo Xiaoxia and Yang Xuan note that the long-standing Chinese tradition of associating the successful completion of a case with the blessing of Heaven is also reflected in some national expressions ^[14]: A heaven-given chance (a very good opportunity). Good ties are sent down by heaven (a happy marriage is destined by fate).

The concept of "sky" in Chinese idioms expresses a metaphorical meaning. Along with understanding this concept as a virtue, there are also expressions where understanding is presented as "the action of heavenly forces to punish crimes, deception or violations of the will of Heaven." For example: the sky is executed, and the earth will be destroyed (severe to punish, not to give mercy); natural and man-made disasters, cataclysms; , ^[10] the heavenly network scattered everywhere, and although the cells are rare, no one is unworthy of a fit (to avoid retribution; not escape just punishment; everyone will get what they deserve).

Understanding of the concept of "sky" in Chinese linguoculture It is closely connected with the religious component in the culture of ancient China. Heaven gives the right to change dynasties (power) if some rule does not correspond to the good of the people. The sky sends signs in the form of crop failures, earthquakes, floods and other troubles, warning that the actions of people, especially the emperor and his officials, negatively affect the development of the state. In the collective consciousness of the Chinese, fate is always connected with the will of Heaven, a person's luck not only depends on his talent, ability, but also blessings. Such ideas are passed down from generation to generation in the Chinese language picture of the world.  

At the same time, heaven is not equated with the concept of "God", it has no personal realization and only points out to a person his mistakes, punishes for them or encourages for good deeds. Such an understanding of the concept of "sky" to a large extent, it distinguishes it from similar in Western culture. 

Thus, the concept of "sky" It reflects the national Chinese culture and, having received a certain refraction in ancient Chinese religious teachings, gradually lost its main religious significance. The unique Chinese language picture of the world has undergone certain changes in relation to the concept of "sky" in the direction of its formation of new meanings and values, in particular, in the definition of heaven as part of the harmonizing principle in human life.

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