T'ien

Confucius had a lively faith in T’ien and that faith was the ultimate source of his greatness. For one thing, that faith convinced him that one’s happiness depends upon the approval of T’ien rather than the praises of men, upon one’s interior qualities rather than external things. Once he said, “I do not murmur against T’ien, nor grumble against men. My studies lie low, but my penetration rises high. T’ien alone knows me.”²⁰

As we have seen, the Taipings thought of God as having emotions. He loves his sons and becomes angry when the people forsake him and take to the way of the devil. The Taipings thought of God as kind and compassionate but jealous. T’ien in the minds of the ancient Chinese exhibits the same emotions: Tien^([sic – meaning T'ien]) is said to be compassionate and to love the people.⁵¹ T’ien so loves the people that he grants them their wishes.⁵² The sovereign T’ien is often angry when the people are misruled.⁵³ This anger finds vent in the punishment of the wicked. Tung Chung-shu of the Han describes the emotional nature of T’ien in the following words: “Heaven has its own feelings of joy and anger and a mind which experiences sadness and pleasure, analogous to those of man.”⁵⁴