Beyond anthropocentrism and ecocentrism: Reimagining sustainability education through relational value, Mind-Heart Theory, and Tianrenheyi

Amid escalating ecological crises, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) stands at a conceptual crossroads. Prevailing frameworks anchored in anthropocentrism or ecocentrism struggle to provide a coherent ethical foundation: dominant anthropocentric approaches often instrumentalize nature in service of human-centered goals, while ecocentric perspectives, though ethically rigorous, can abstract moral obligation from lived cultural and pedagogical contexts. Relational values have emerged as a promising alternative, emphasizing reciprocity, care, and interdependence, yet they risk remaining conceptually underdeveloped without clearer philosophical grounding. This article advances an integrative framework that situates relational values within Confucian philosophy, specifically Tianrenheyi (unity of Heaven and humanity) and Mind-Heart Theory (Xinxue). Interpreted through contemporary process-relational scholarship, Tianrenheyi does not posit a metaphysical fusion of humanity and nature, but articulates an orientation of participatory attunement through which ethical cultivation and ecological responsiveness co-develop. These traditions reframe sustainability not as technocratic management or abstract moral prescription, but as a relational process of moral learning within socio-ecological contexts. For ESD, this synthesis offers both critique and reconstruction. It affirms the holistic and transformational aspirations of ESD while addressing persistent shortcomings—including tendencies toward instrumentalism, ethical ambiguity, and superficial implementation. By grounding education in relational frameworks of practice and responsibility, this paper proposes a pedagogy of interbeing that fosters ecological responsibility as eudaimonic flourishing. Looking forward, as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes education, ESD must ensure that technological tools are embedded within relational ethical frameworks that cultivate discernment, reciprocity, and justice across human and more-than-human communities.