Pollution and Man-Nature

relationship
- SHASWATA ROY
(PH14B007)
Virtually all the countries of the world have rich traditions embedded in the
ethics of protecting nature. Many ancient cultures tell us how people in
communities lived in harmony with nature, with a tradition of reverence for
the elements that constitute their ecosystems, drawing their sustenance
from natural resources and at the same time protecting the environment that
sustains them. Modern man tends to look down upon indigenous people as
primitive, backward and superstitious. They may be poor, illiterate, and
disadvantaged in many other ways, but they have a tremendous
understanding of ecosystems and the factors that sustain them. They could
bind to nature and its ways. In the modern world, pollution and urbanization
among many other factor has allowed man to dominate over nature. China
and India serve as a good example which highlights the differences of early
nature loving communities and the communities after industrialization.

Man-Nature Relation in China:

According to Ji Xianlin, a famous scholar, each of the four Chinese
characters tian ren he yi respectively means nature, human beings, mutual
understanding and oneness. It forms the basis of the relation between man
and nature. Traditional Chinese tea sets always have three parts: the lid, cup,

and tray, respectively symbolizing heaven, people, and earth. It symbolizes

the unity of the three.
Human beings are an integral part of nature. According to Zhang Zai, human
beings are a component of heaven and earth, or nature which can be clearly
seen in the tea set example. Thus, human beings should also obey the laws
of nature. The theory also holds the view that ethical principles are
consistent with natural rules and the ideal of life is to attain harmony
between man and nature.
In ancient China, there are three typical kinds of theories concerning
relationships between man and nature:
Zhuangzi's theory of conforming to nature :
His all-in-one theory marks a big advance in people's efforts of trying to
know the world. He argued that judgment can't be made subjectively,
because while the world is infinite, the cognitive ability of an individual is
finite; it is impossible for human being to know completely about the world.
Xunzi's theory of transforming nature :
Xunzi saw people as perfectible through education and through
application of the proper rules of conduct.
Harmonious relationship between humans and nature advocated in Yijing
Since the Western notion of "conquering nature" spread to China, Xunzi's
positive theory, by contrast with Zhuangzi's pessimistic views, has been
highly valued.
But perhaps that hardly matters now. It seems that in contemporary
China tian ren he yi is more often overwhelmed by frenzied development and
construction. The concept of conquering nature has taken a toll on the
morals and ethics of the people.
Xu Bing, an artist went to a construction site and was shocked to see so
many modern buildings in China. However the working conditions and living
situations of the poor was in stark contrast to it. Xu Bing decided to depict
this idea in one of his art works. He created his art from the waste materials
of building sites and named it phoenix.
Pollution seems to be the most important issue which disrupts the balance
between man and nature.

Man-Nature Relation in INDIA:

India ,like China ,is known for having a rich biodiversity and this has been the
case since ancient times. Historically, conservation of nature and natural
resources was an innate aspect of the Indian psyche and faith, reflected in
religious practices, folklore, art and culture permeating every aspect of the
daily lives of people. Scriptures and preachings that exhort reverence for
nature and relate to conservation can be found in most of the religions that
have flourished in the Indian subcontinent.
Some of the fundamental principles of ecology-the interrelationship and
interdependence of all life-were conceptualized in the Indian ethos and
reflected in the ancient scriptural text, the Isopanishad, over 2000 years ago.
It mentions that this universe is the creation of the Supreme Power meant for
the benefit of all his creation. Each individual life-form must, therefore, learn
to enjoy its benefits by forming a part of the system in close relation with
other species. Let not anyone species encroach upon the other's rights. This
concept is related to the Chinese concept of tian ren he yi which sees nature
and man as one and strikes a balance between the two.
This relation between the people and their environment can be seen in the
following areas:

 Sacred Groves:
In many village and forest areas people used to practice their religious
faith by protecting a certain part of the forest and worshipping it. In Kerala
(a state in India) there are hundreds of small jungles dedicated to
snakes (Sarpakavu, Sarpa meaning snake, kavu meaning jungle). There
are also Ayyappan kavus dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, the most famous of
which, visited by millions of devotees every year.
Sacred flora and fauna:
Many animals are considered sacred and worshipped by several Hindu
and other communities, and have thus received protection for centuries.
The peafowl, sacred to lord Karttikeya is never hunted, the blue rock
pigeon is considered sacred to Saint Hazrat Shah lalal and is protected in
the Bengal region. Snake worship has been an established cult among the
Nairs of Kerala. In India Hindus consider cows to be sacred while Muslims
consider pigs to be sacred.
It is often a common practice in forest areas to worship a mangrove tree
or a banyan tree.
Nature in Indian Art:
Indian painting, sculpture, architecture, and the decorative arts is known
for depictions of wildlife and people interacting with nature. A wide range
of images of forests, plants, and animals are to be found in Indian
miniature paintings and sculpture. The theme of the Hindu god Krishna's
life depicted in miniature paintings underlines an appreciation of
ecological balance. He is shown persuading people to worship the
mountain in order to ensure rainfall. Krishna swallowing the forest fire also
signifies a concern for the protection of forests and wildlife.
Impact of Religion:
Religions in India are mostly inspired by nature. Hindu gods and
goddesses are usually based on the elements of nature. Most Gods
represent certain aspects of nature. Hinduism ,for example,has often been
coined as a "environmental friendly" religion. Hindus regard everything
around them as pervaded by a subtle divine presence, may it be rivers,
mountains, lakes, animals, flora, the mineral world, as well as the stars
and planets.
Finally , people in India have been known for involving in various protests
and activities to protect environmental rights since ancestral times. One
of the most successful conservation movements in India today is the
Chipko movement spearheaded by the womenfolk of Gopeswar village in
Garhwal in the Himalaya. Commercial felling of trees was effectively

stopped by them by hugging the trees when lumbermen arrived to cut

them.
However like China , the morals and ethics of Indian citizens as well as their
relationship with their surrounding environment has changed due to
industrialization. Rapid industrialization, growing urbanization and other
developmental activities has had a very adverse impact on India's
environment. The major areas of environmental concern today include,
Deforestation,
Egradation of land resources,
Pollution of air and water,
Threat to natural living resources
Problems associated with urbanization - slums, sanitation, pollution
Pollution is one of the major causes due to which this man-nature relation
has weakened in India.

POLLUTION IN CHINA:

In an article in New York Times the following points were made regarding
pollution in China and its adverse effects:
1. According to the Chinese Ministry of Health, industrial pollution has
made cancer Chinas leading cause of death
2. Every year, air pollution like smog that is caused due to factories kill
hundreds of thousands of people. Citizens living in Beijing are most
prone to respiratory diseases since the level of air pollution here is 40
times over the limit set according to international standards.
3. Almost half a billion people living in China do not have access to clean
drinking water
4. Only 1% of city dwellers in China breathe air that is clean according to
European Union. The skies above cities are toxic grey and during the
Beijing Summer Olympics the people this raised a lot of issues.
5. Due to dumping of wastes in the ocean the water bodies have
developed an excess of algal bloom due to which the marine life is fast
depleting
6. The Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning in 2003 estimated
that 300,000 people die each year from ambient air pollution, mostly of
heart disease and lung cancer.
Several instances of pollution can be observed in China. Some of these have
been discussed in class. These include:

Batou, the largest industrial city in Inner Mongolia is known for

manufacturing smartphones. However it has come at a price. The lakes
in this city are covered with black sludge.
Due to illegal dumping of red dye in Jiang He river the colour of the
river water has turned red.
In Beijing many citizens have to wear masks when they are near any
factory since the air pollution is 40 times more that the limit set by the
international laws.
There has been 28 laws, 49 administrative laws and 170 regulations
regarding
environmental protection, wildlife protection, saving forests etc.
Although the government is trying to come up with new policies, rapid
industrialization is causing more pollution than ever.

SIMILARITIES IN ISSUES BEING DEALT BY

CHINA AND INDIA REGARDING POLLUTION:

E-WASTE:
E-waste comprises of all forms of waste that are involved in the process of
manufacturing electronic devices. China happens to be second largest
producer of this form of waste. India on the other hand also happens to be
one of the leading producers in the world. The production of e-waste marks
the gradually changing temperament of people who are preferring the
gadget world more than maintaining a good relation with their ecosystem
which use to be the primary objective in life before.
DEFORESTATION:
Although China's forest cover is only 20%,[16][17] the country has some of the
largest expanses of forested land in the world, making it a top target for
forest preservation efforts. Chinas vast forest cover has reduced over the

years. Similarly India used to have 80% of its land under forest cover
initially. Now it has reduced to less than 20%.
POPULATION:
The population of China and India seems to be one of the most important
environmental issue. Although it doesnt have any direct impact on the
environment, indirectly it is the root cause for most problems. However China
introduced the one-child to control the population. India on the other hand
has an ever increasing population.
WATER RESOURCES:
The water resources of China are affected by both severe water quantity
shortages and severe water quality pollution. An increasing population and
rapid economic growth as well as lax environmental oversight have
increased water demand and pollution.
Similarly in India more than 680,000 deaths take place per annum due to
lack of clean water.

CONCLUSION

The Western culture embraces the concept of Man's "natural rights," a

concept that has been taken as the theoretical basis for studies of human
rights in the West. This concept of "natural rights" is closely associated with
a philosophical proposition that features centralism of the human race. The
Chinese culture, however, refuses to take the human race as the center of
the natural world. Profound in connotation, it may well be called an ecologyoriented culture. Confucianism, the core of the traditional Chinese culture,
does attach great importance to the position of people in the natural world
and the role they play. In a certain sense, the formulation "people," or
"humanity," is the core of Confucianism. Nevertheless, taking people as the
center does not necessarily mean taking the human race as the center.
Study of the relations between people and nature is the central theme of the
Chinese culture, and harmony between people and nature is the basic
concept it embraces.
However with the advent of industrialization China has imbibed the Western
views into their culture and have rejected the Confucius ideology. However
this scenario can be changed.
China now has a dual task to fulfill. On the one hand, the country needs to
develop a legal framework to govern its social and political life. This is meant
to protect the rights of the Chinese people. On the other, it needs to rethink
and re-interpret its traditional culture in the current era of globalization. As
the process of economic globalization gathers momentum, dialogue between
different cultures has become extremely important. There should be dialogue
between the Chinese and Western cultures under the principle of equality
and mutual respect and understanding to increase consensus for mutual
development.