Abstract:  The doctrine“observing nature and understanding the manifestations of its lifegiving principle”was derived from the cultural tradition of “abstracting forms from nature observing”and has acquired diverse cultural connotations due to its potential as a unifying principle.“Observing”is both a means and an end itself, with its basic essence and function developed from the Confucian instead of Buddhist concept of“observing”. The concepts of “lifegiving”and“manifestations”as well as the whole idea of“observing nature and understanding the manifestations of its lifegiving principle”have gradually emerged and developed in the history of NeoConfucianism. Based on the ideas developed by Shao Yong and Zhou Dunyi, Cheng Hao and his younger brother Cheng Yi, often referred to as“the two Chengs”by later Confucians, offered a more comprehensive treatment of this doctrine, elaborating on its“essence”,“function”and“law”. Zhu Xi concentrated on the essence, function and their relationship and explored the doctrine's implications in a more systematic manner. His philosophical interpretation includes more specific concerns and also introduces a transcendental dimension. Eventually, the NeoConfucian doctrine has acquired important cultural values as it unifies the natural and ethical world in terms of essence and function.
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Key words: the Northern Song and the Southern Song dynasties, NeoConfucianism, observing nature and understanding the manifestations of its lifegiving principle, unify