生態倫理以及由它而引發的生態批評，所研究的對象並不僅限於當代的意義上。在中國古典文學的創作和批評中，「人」與「非人」的關係，是詩人與文藝理論研究者都不可迴避的問題。他們從各個角度，例如晴雨景、人與物、主體與客體的關係等，提出了自己的見解。《二十四詩品》就是其中的表表者。司空圖分別就人」與「非人」相處的原則、人的修養、「人」與「自然」在理解中的交往、人的精神品格、可循而不可逆的自然之理、「道」是自然萬物生生變化的本源等方面，概括了詩歌創作中人與自然的關係。他一改以詩論詩的做法，以詩人的修養而論詩。他以「道」為最高境界，主張從「道」本體的高度實現人與自然的和諧統一。司空圖認為這種統一是體現宇宙和諧的、本然的、最理想的創作。

The object of eco-ethics and eco-criticism studies should oot be only restricted to the contemporary sense. In Chinese classical literary creations and criticisms, the relationship between human being and inhuman is an unavoidable issue which has been long explored by poets and critics. They put forward their views through different angles, such as the relation of emotion and scenery, human and substance, subject and object. Sikong Tu' Twenty-Four Grades of Poetry is one of the best representatives. By interpreting the principle human being and inhuman getting along with, human's self-cu1tivation, the interaction of human being and nature, human 's spiritual characters, etc; he generalized the relationship between human being and nature within poetry creations. Different from the former approaching of poetic discussions,Sikong Tu studies poems by analyzing poets' self-cultivation. He bel ieved that poets should follow the guide of Dao by which a great harmony of human being and nature could be reached. Those poems which have been united in the universe of poetry should be the best and most ideal creations.