Q0162
“Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven; heaven on the Way;…” — Laozi (Daodejing, Ch. 25)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Daodejing, Ch. 25. Theme: nature.
English
Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven; heaven on the Way; and the Way on what is naturally so.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Daodejing, Ch. 25 and files it under Daoism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Laozi
Laozi is the traditional sage-author of the Daodejing, though historical identity and textual formation remain contested. Early tradition places him in the sixth century BCE as an older contemporary of Confucius; many scholars see the received text as composite and later.
How to read this passage
Nature may mean physical cosmos, living world, human nature, or a normative standard of what ought to be. Presocratics, Daoists, Stoics, and modern environmental thinkers share the word while disagreeing about its force. This passage enters that discussion through nature.
Concepts in this quote
- Nature
- Philosophy quotes about nature ask what the cosmos is, how humans belong in it, and whether “natural” can guide ethics or politics.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Laozi. (n.d.). Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven; heaven on the Way; and the Way on what is naturally so. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0162
MLA: Laozi. “Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven;….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0162.
Chicago: Laozi. “Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven;….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0162.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Humans model themselves on earth; earth on heaven;…”?
The passage is attributed to Laozi, Daodejing, Ch. 25. The archive attributes this English wording to Daodejing, Ch. 25 and files it under Daoism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Laozi mean by nature?
Nature may mean physical cosmos, living world, human nature, or a normative standard of what ought to be. Presocratics, Daoists, Stoics, and modern environmental thinkers share the word while disagreeing about its force. This passage enters that discussion through nature.