Abstract

In contemporary educational theory, the concept of ‘nature’ has been restricted to the ‘inner nature’ of humans, reflecting Western philosophy’s focus on introspection and essence. This shift has excluded the ever-growing natural world from the realm of inner nature, relegating it to an external entity and creating a divide between human nature and the natural world. This division has led to educational challenges because of the lack of references for self-reflection and guidance from the spirit of naturalness. In contrast, traditional Chinese philosophy does not view ‘Ziran’ (often translated as ‘naturalness’) as a separate or dichotomous concept like Western ‘nature’. Instead, Ziran encompasses all things in the world as harmonious entities that embody the metaphysical Dao and spiritual essence. This holistic perspective represents the highest form of existential wisdom, bridging Dao’s realms and human experience and, guiding education toward spiritual transcendence. Ziran thus offers a fundamental value system for education, emphasizing relevance, process, and life-serving practices as essential models because of its enduring vitality.