The idea that heaven and earth are kings and teachers originated from Guoyu and was formed in Xunzi. In the Taiping Jing of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it is said in an orderly way that "heaven and earth are kings and fathers are teachers". At the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, the expression "Heaven and Earth as a Master" had formally appeared. Since the late Ming Dynasty, the worship of "heaven, earth, king and teacher" has been widely popular among the people, and it is more common to take it as the object of sacrifice. In the early years of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty, the order of "heaven and earth as teachers" was determined for the first time in the name of the emperor and the country, and its significance was interpreted, especially highlighting the status and role of "teachers". Since then, "heaven, earth, king and teacher" have become popular national sacrificial objects.
The word "heaven and earth monarch" has long been the object of worship, which fully shows the Confucian gratitude for heaven and earth, respect for monarch and teacher, and nostalgia for elders. At the same time, it also embodies the value orientation of "China people respect heaven and law, be filial to their parents, be loyal to the monarch and patriotism, and respect teachers and attach importance to education". These words reflect the ultimate concern of China people and are the basis of the legitimacy and rationality of traditional social ethics. Because of their popularity, it has a great influence on people's material life and spiritual life.
Among the four ancient civilizations, only China's Chinese characters have been circulated for the longest time. As a hieroglyphic, they have profound meanings. China's calligraphy enjoys a high reputation all over the world. The writing of the word "heaven and earth" here is also very particular. "heaven and earth" is written widely, which means that heaven and earth are vast; The word "mouth" under the word "jun" must be sealed, which means that the king keeps his word and does not speak; The' eye' in the word '(pro' can't be sealed, which means that the pro doesn't close his eyes; The word' teacher' (teacher) is not written in the short corner on the left, which means that the teacher should not stay (leave). In addition, there is a saying that' people don't take the sky, the earth doesn't leave the soil, the gentleman doesn't leave his mouth, the kiss doesn't close his eyes, and the teacher doesn't lose his towel'. "This writing vividly embodies the profound symbolic meaning of China's Chinese characters, and at the same time, this symbolic meaning also shows the profound influence of Confucian ethics, awe of the majesty of kings, wishes for parents' longevity, attention to the role of teachers, and gratitude for the nature of heaven and earth, which fully embodies the Confucian concepts of benevolence and filial piety. Obviously, people's worship of "heaven, earth, king and teacher" reflects people's spiritual belief, that is, the concept of benevolence and filial piety, as well as their positive attitude and respect for the law of entering the WTO. The phenomenon that people burn incense to worship the memorial tablet of "Heaven and Earth Master" is different from religious worship. Over time, this behavior has become a folk custom.