The macrocosm-microcosm theory lies at the core of correlative cosmology. See an article on the Taoist views of the human body In Taoism, however, numbers and images also perform an even more important function, as they serve to express both the different stages of the self-manifestation of Dao into the macrocosm, and the reverse process of return to the Dao, which is often performed with the support of a microcosmic framework. Symbolic numbers and images ( xiang) play a central role in establishing these relationships. Emblems and gods are closely related to each other, as several divinities correspond to cosmological notions. In many cases, the conduits linking each domain to the others are either the abstract emblems of correlative cosmology or the gods of the outer and the inner pantheons. On the other hand, a ruler who ignores Heaven's omens brings about natural calamities and social disturbances. Ritual, for instance, reestablishes the original bond between humans and gods, and the Realized Persons ( zhenren) or the Saints ( shengren) benefit the whole human community in which they live by aligning themselves with the forces that rule the cosmos. "impulse and response"), by which things belonging to the same class or category ( lei) influence each other. This is determined by the principle of "resonance" ( ganying, lit. Other environments and surroundings, including gardens and gourds, are also said to represent a "cosmos in miniature." Cosmos, human being, society, and ritual area are analogically related to each other, so that an event or an action that occurs within any of these domains can be relevant for the others. The second is the ritual area, whose altars correspond to the cosmos and its temporal and spatial configurations. Reciprocally, Heaven is an administrative system managed through bureaucratic procedures similar to those performed at court and in government offices. The first is the state: the human community with its codes, hierarchies, and physical seats of power ideally mirrors the configuration and order of Heaven. These multiple formulations are not restricted to the universe and the human being. Taoism has borrowed some of them and has elaborated others. Like several other cultures, China has developed the macrocosm-microcosm theory in different forms.
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