Di (Chinese concept)

Not to be confused with di 帝, a title used singularly or in combination for various Chinese deities or royal monarchs, or with di the irregular plural of the Latin deus, or with 帝 (also pronounced Dì), the short form of the ancient Chinese sky god Shangdi.
The Chinese character for Dì.

Di (Chinese: 地; pinyin: dì; Wade–Giles: ti; lit. 'earth') is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the earth and a key concept or figure in Chinese philosophy and religion. It is widely considered to be one of three powers (sāncái, 三才) which are Heaven, Earth, and Humanity (tiān-dì-rén, 天地人).[1]

There is a significant belief in Taoism which focuses on tian, as well as the forces of di (earth) and water, which are held to be equally powerful,[2] instead of earth and humanity.

  1. ^ World Religions: Eastern Traditions (2nd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press. 2002. p. 169. ISBN 0-19-541521-3. OCLC 46661540.
  2. ^ "Sanguan". Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2023-04-30.