Tian (天 Pinyin Tiān) is the Chinese character for heaven or sky. As such, it holds an important place in many Chinese belief systems such as Mohism, Taoism and Confucianism. The ideograph itself suggests the expanse of sky above the earth on which humans dwell, thereby giving rise to the term "Tianxia" (天下 that which is below heaven); the phrase is often used to describe the earthly domicile in Chinese literature. Jump to: navigation, search Pinyin (Chinese: 拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to... Founded by Mozi, Mohism (墨家), or Moism, is a Chinese philosophy that evolved at the same time as Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism (Hundred Schools of Thought). ... Jump to: navigation, search The Yin-Yang or Taiji diagram, often used as a symbol in Taoism. ... Jump to: navigation, search Confucianism (Chinese: 儒家, Pinyin Rújiā, The School of the Scholars; or, less accurately, 孔教 Kŏng jiào, The Religion of Confucius) is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ...

Tian sometimes seems to be God itself, or Heaven, or the entire celestial bureaucracy. Therefore, it is often difficult to ascertain whether Tian is being used to mean a personal force or an impersonal one. The Outer Planes are the outermost planes of existence in the standard cosmology of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. ...

Although the Zhou Dynasty claimed that their deity, Tian, originated with the Xia Dynasty, modern historians believe that Tian was originally a deity worshipped only by the Zhou people. In the beginning, Tian likely referred to esteemed ancestors. After conquering the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty merged their deity, Tian, with that of the Shang, Di (Shangdi). By the time of the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, Tian acquired the ability to alter the Mandate of Heaven and was linked to the Zhou King, who was considered to be the "son of Heaven". The Zhou Dynasty (周朝; Wade-Giles: Chou Dynasty) (late 10th century BC or 9th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ... The Xia Dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hsia-chao), ca. ... Shang Dynasty (Chinese: 商朝) or Yin Dynasty Shang civilization. ... Shangdi or Shang Ti (Wade-Giles) (上帝, pinyin Shàngdì), literally translated, Lord Above or Sovreign Above, in Chinese culture, is the name used both in traditional Chinese religion as well as Christianity for a supreme deity. ... For the book of this title, see Mandate of Heaven (book) The Mandate of Heaven (天命 Pinyin: Tiānmìng) was a Chinese concept used to support the rule of the kings of the Zhou Dynasty and later the Emperors of China. ...

References

• Creel, Herrlee G., The Origins of Statecraft in China ISBN 0226120430

Tian (恬) is also Hanzi Smatter (www.hanzismatter.com) founder's name.