{"id":7162,"date":"2025-11-16T21:06:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T05:06:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/?p=7162"},"modified":"2025-11-16T21:07:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T05:07:03","slug":"tian%e2%80%90yi%e2%80%90wufeng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troubadourworks.com\/tiandi\/meotw\/2025\/11\/16\/tian%e2%80%90yi%e2%80%90wufeng\/","title":{"rendered":"ti\u0101n\u2010y\u012b\u2010w\u00faf\u00e8ng"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\t\t\tti\u0101n\u2010y\u012b\u2010w\u00faf\u00e8ng<\/span>\n\t\t\t((ti\u0101n\n\t\t\t[(is)] heavenly<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5929)\u2010(y\u012b\n\t\t\tgarment<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8863)\u2010(w\u00fa\u00b7f\u00e8ng\n\t\t\twithout \u00b7 seams<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u65e0\u7f1d\n\t\t\t\u7121\u7e2b<\/span>)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [[is] flawless]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t \ud83d\udc48\ud83c\udffc Tap\/click to show\/hide the \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>\n<\/h3>\n\n

[Notes:<\/strong> Tap\/click on a P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to reveal its <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>; tap\/click on a <\/span>\u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span> or its P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> expression to hide the<\/span> \u201cflashcard\u201d<\/span>. \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8 icons mean \ud83d\udcd6<\/span> Reveal All<\/strong>, \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> Reveal Advanced<\/strong>, and \ud83d\udcd8 Reveal None<\/strong> re all the \u201cflashcards\u201d<\/span> in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]<\/p>\n

We in the Mandarin field should keep in mind that many Mandarin-speaking people were taught<\/a> to believe<\/a> in evolution<\/a>, and thus tend to not believe in God. The \n\t\t\tSh\u0113ngm\u00ecng L\u00e1iz\u00ec Chu\u00e0ngz\u00e0o Ma?<\/span>\n\t\t\t((Sh\u0113ngm\u00ecng\n\t\t\tLife<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u547d)\n\t\t\t(L\u00e1i\u00b7z\u00ec\n\t\t\tCame \u00b7 From<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6765\u81ea\n\t\t\t\u4f86\u81ea<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(Chu\u00e0ng\u00b7z\u00e0o\n\t\t\tInitiating \u00b7 {Making, Creating} \u2192 [Creating]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u521b\u9020\n\t\t\t\u5275\u9020<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(Ma\n\t\t\t[? ptcl for \u201cyes\/no\u201d questions]<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5417\n\t\t\t\u55ce<\/span>)?\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [Was Life Created? (lc)]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i> (Was Life Created? (lc))<\/i> brochure and the \n\t\t\tSh\u0113ngm\u00ecng de Q\u01d0yu\u00e1n\u2014Zh\u00edde S\u012bk\u01ceo de W\u01d4 Ge W\u00e8nt\u00ed<\/span>\n\t\t\t((Sh\u0113ngm\u00ecng\n\t\t\tLife<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u547d)\n\t\t\t(de\n\t\t\t\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7684)\n\t\t\t(Q\u01d0\u00b7yu\u00e1n\n\t\t\t{Rising \u2192 [Starting]} \u00b7 Source \u2192 [Origin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8d77\u6e90\/\u539f)\u2014(Zh\u00ed\u00b7de\n\t\t\tWorth \u00b7 Getting \u2192 [Worth]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u503c\u5f97)\n\t\t\t(S\u012b\u00b7k\u01ceo\n\t\t\t{Thinking About} \u00b7 Examining<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u601d\u8003)\n\t\t\t(de\n\t\t\t\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7684)\n\t\t\t(W\u01d4\n\t\t\tFive<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e94)\n\t\t\t(Ge\n\t\t\t[mw]<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e2a\n\t\t\t\u500b\/\u4e2a<\/span>)\n\t\t\t(W\u00e8n\u00b7t\u00ed\n\t\t\tAsking \u00b7 Subjects \u2192 [Questions]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u95ee\u9898\n\t\t\t\u554f\u984c<\/span>)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [The Origin of Life\u2014Five Questions Worth Asking (lf)]<\/span>)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/i> (The Origin of Life\u2014Five Questions Worth Asking (lf))<\/i> brochure were originally published back in 2010, but they are still considered current publications, and relatively recently, the English version of the Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure was updated to the December 2022 Printing, and the Mandarin version of it was updated to the February 2023 Printing. So, it would be good for us to consider some of the expressions used in the Mandarin versions of the Was Life Created?<\/i> and Origin of Life<\/i> brochures, which can be so helpful when discussing the fundamentally important question of whether life was created.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery Fortunate\u201d Indeed!<\/h4>\n

This week\u2019s MEotW, which appears in the first paragraph of the section of the Mandarin Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure entitled \u201cSh\u0113ngj\u012b<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(Sh\u0113ng\u00b7j\u012b\n\t\t\tLife \u00b7 {Mechanism \u2192 [Being Organic]} \u2192<\/span> [Life]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u673a\n\t\t\t\u751f\u6a5f<\/span>)<\/span>\u2010B\u00f3b\u00f3<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(B\u00f3\u00b7b\u00f3\n\t\t\tFlourishing \u00b7 Flourishing<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u52c3\u52c3)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tde<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u7684)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tD\u00ecqi\u00fa<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(D\u00ec\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\tEarth \u00b7 Globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730\u7403)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> (\u201cThe Living Planet\u201d), is \u201cti\u0101n\u2010y\u012b\u2010w\u00faf\u00e8ng<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t((ti\u0101n\n\t\t\t[(is)] heavenly<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5929)\u2010(y\u012b\n\t\t\tgarment<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8863)\u2010(w\u00fa\u00b7f\u00e8ng\n\t\t\twithout \u00b7 seams<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u65e0\u7f1d\n\t\t\t\u7121\u7e2b<\/span>)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [[is] flawless]<\/span>)<\/span>\u201d:<\/i><\/p>\n

English<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\nLife on earth could never exist were it not for a series of very fortunate<\/strong> \u201ccoincidences,\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mandarin (WOL<\/a>; P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\n\n\t\t\t\ud83d\udcd6<\/span> \ud83d\udcc4<\/span> \ud83d\udcd8<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tD\u00ecqi\u00fa<\/span>\n\t\t\t(D\u00ec\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\tearth \u00b7 globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730\u7403)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tz\u00e0i<\/span>\n\t\t\t(in<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5728)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\th\u011bn<\/span>\n\t\t\t(very<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5f88)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tdu\u014d<\/span>\n\t\t\t(many<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u591a)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tf\u0101ngmi\u00e0n<\/span>\n\t\t\t(f\u0101ng\u00b7mi\u00e0n\n\t\t\t{directions \u2192 [sides]} \u00b7 faces \u2192<\/span> [aspects]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u65b9\u9762)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\td\u014du<\/span>\n\t\t\t({all of them}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u90fd)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\u201cqi\u01ceoh\u00e9<\/span>\n\t\t\t(qi\u01ceo\u00b7h\u00e9\n\t\t\t{being coincidental \u2192 [coincidentally]} \u00b7 {closing \u2192 [matching]} \u2192<\/span> [coincidental]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5de7\u5408)<\/span>\u201d\n\n\t\t\tde<\/span>\n\t\t\t(-ly<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tp\u00e8ihe<\/span>\n\t\t\t(p\u00e8i\u00b7he\n\t\t\tmatches \u00b7 {closes \u2192 [accords]} \u2192<\/span> [is suitable]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u914d\u5408)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tde<\/span>\n\t\t\t(getting<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5f97)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tti\u0101n\u2010y\u012b\u2010w\u00faf\u00e8ng<\/span>\n\t\t\t((ti\u0101n\n\t\t\t(to be) heavenly<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5929)\u2010(y\u012b\n\t\t\tgarment<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8863)\u2010(w\u00fa\u00b7f\u00e8ng\n\t\t\twithout \u00b7 seams<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u65e0\u7f1d\n\t\t\t\u7121\u7e2b<\/span>)\n\t\t\t\u2192<\/span> [to be flawless]<\/span>)<\/span>,\n\t\t\t<\/strong>\n\n\t\t\ty\u00e0o<\/span>\n\t\t\t(if<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8981)<\/span>\u2010bu<\/span>\n\t\t\t((it) not<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e0d)<\/span>\u2010sh\u00ec<\/span>\n\t\t\t({would be}<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u662f)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tzh\u00e8y\u00e0ng<\/span>\n\t\t\t(zh\u00e8\u00b7y\u00e0ng\n\t\t\tthis \u00b7 {form \u2192<\/span> [way]}<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\u8fd9\u6837\n\t\t\t\u9019\u6a23<\/span>)<\/span>,\n\n\t\t\td\u00ecqi\u00fa<\/span>\n\t\t\t(d\u00ec\u00b7qi\u00fa\n\t\t\tearth \u00b7 globe<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5730\u7403)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tshang<\/span>\n\t\t\t(upon<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e0a)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tg\u0113nb\u011bn<\/span>\n\t\t\t(g\u0113n\u00b7b\u011bn\n\t\t\t{root (of a plant)} \u00b7 {root or stem of a plant} \u2192<\/span> [basically]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6839\u672c)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tji\u00f9<\/span>\n\t\t\t(then<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5c31)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tb\u00f9<\/span>\n\t\t\t(not<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u4e0d)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tk\u011bn\u00e9ng<\/span>\n\t\t\t(could<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u53ef\u80fd)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\ty\u01d2u<\/span>\n\t\t\t(have<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u6709)<\/span>\n\n\t\t\tsh\u0113ngm\u00ecng<\/span>\n\t\t\t(life<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u751f\u547d)<\/span>.\n\n\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Where the English Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure speaks of the \u201ccoincidences\u201d that made life possible on earth as \u201cvery fortunate\u201d (a bit of British understatement<\/a>?), the Mandarin Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure effectively says these \u201ccoincidences\u201d made earth \u201csuitable for life to a miraculously\/superhumanly flawless extent\u201d. In the process of doing so, it evokes the long-standing Chinese cultural concept of \u201cTi\u0101n<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(Heaven [\u2192 [God]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5929)<\/span>,\u201d<\/i> or Heaven<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet Me Reintroduce You to\u2026\u201d<\/h4>\n

As the Lasting Peace<\/i> brochure (English<\/a>, Mandarin<\/a>) helps us understand, this concept of \u201cTi\u0101n<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(Heaven [\u2192 [God]]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u5929)<\/span>\u201d<\/i> is a kind of conceptual bridge back to a time when historical records show that the Chinese worshipped one supreme deity:<\/p>\n

\n

WHO IS GOD?<\/h3>\n

TO THE Chinese, the concept of God, or Shang-di<\/i> (literally \u201cEmperor above\u201d), is both foreign and abstract. Most people worship heaven and earth, spirits and demons, ancestors and other humans. Interestingly, however, according to Chinese historical records, between three and four thousand years ago, during the Xia and Shang dynasties, the Chinese were already worshipping one supreme deity. The book The Religious History of China<\/i> explains that they \u201creckoned that between heaven and earth there was a principal God who stood supreme and had absolute control over all things. . . . This supreme deity came to be called Di,<\/i> or Shang-di,<\/i> during the Shang Dynasty, and was known as Tien<\/i> [heaven], or Tien-di<\/i> [Emperor in Heaven], during the Zhou Dynasty [11th century to 256 B.C.E.].\u201d Thus, the ancient Chinese believed in the existence of a Supreme Sovereign of the universe.<\/p>\n

During the Spring and Autumn period (c. 722-481 B.C.E.) and the Warring States period (c. 480-221 B.C.E.), Confucianism and Taoism gained ascendancy. Influenced by these two schools of thought, the worship of Shang-di<\/i> was gradually replaced by the abstract idea of reverence for Tien.<\/i> By the Han dynasty (202 B.C.E.\u2013221 C.E.), under the dominance of Confucianism, the Chinese became engrossed in moral culture and social order, and the concept of Shang-di<\/i> suffered another setback. With the spread of Buddhism into China, the Chinese no longer held to the belief of a Creator who is in control of the universe, but they accepted Heaven, or Providence, as the first cause of all things. Since then, the concept of God, or Shang-di,<\/i> has become something completely foreign to most Chinese.<\/p>\n

Who, then, really is God? The Bible shows that God is not a force or law of nature that governs the operation of all things in the universe. Nor is he Tien,<\/i> which is venerated by many Chinese. Rather, God is a living spirit who has feelings and personality traits. He is the almighty and omniscient Sovereign of the Universe, and his love is boundless. Not only has he created all things but he also has a definite purpose for mankind\u2014that we worship him with love and live forever on this beautiful earth in lasting peace and happiness.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(PDF files with 3-line material covering the Mandarin version of the above quotation from the Lasting Peace<\/i> brochure can be downloaded from here (iPad-Letter-A4)<\/a> or here (XLP-iPhone-A5)<\/a>. (P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus material for the Lasting Peace<\/i> brochure is in the works, but is not quite ready to be posted yet.) The short link for Chinese field language-learning links for the Lasting Peace<\/i> brochure is: Lasting Peace<\/i> Brochure Links (tiandi.info\/pc<\/strong>)<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Use of this week\u2019s MEotW in the Mandarin Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure reflects good insight into what can help us to reach the hearts of the Chinese people we meet in the Mandarin field, as we reintroduce them to the \u201cSupreme Sovereign of the universe\u201d whom they once recognized and worshipped.<\/p>\n

\n

For convenience:<\/p>\n

The direct link for the current-generation P\u012bny\u012bn<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t(P\u012bn\u00b7y\u012bn\n\t\t\t{Piecing Together of} \u00b7 Sounds \u2192<\/span> [Pinyin]<\/span>\n\t\t\t\u62fc\u97f3)<\/span> Plus resource for the Was Life Created?<\/i> brochure is:<\/p>\n