Reference

Wang Chong criticized the belief in shijie immortality for several reasons. He was dismissive of the belief that "ghosts and deities can bring about misfortunes and fortunes" and was skeptical of the notion of disembodied spirits. Wang Chong offered a materialist and skeptical philosophical system, often interpreting natural phenomena in a way that did not require supernatural explanations. He was one of the first philosophers to criticize the anthropomorphization of Heaven, viewing it as not intentional or capable of intervention in human affairs. His essays covered a wide range of topics including physics, astronomy, ethics, methodology, and criticism, where he often took a stance against popular beliefs that lacked empirical evidence. Wang Chong's approach was to argue against beliefs in immortality by focusing on the natural order and the absence of credible proof for supernatural phenomena, promoting a more rational and empirically grounded worldview.