The basic idea is that societal phenomena such as physiology, ethics, and politics of humanity are direct reflections of Tian, "heaven" or "nature."
The idea finds its origins in ancient Chinese religion, in which humans were possessed by spirits and in a trance.
The notion was discussed as early as the Spring and Autumn Warring States period,[1] but was later elaborated within Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.
[2] It was cited by Dong Zhongshu in the Han Dynasty as heaven and mankind induction, and by Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism is derived from the theory of the Divine Principle.
[3] The traditional Chinese medicine text Huangdi Neijing advocates the unity of Heaven and humanity.