Unified Field Theory
中文

The Nature of Time

Time is not an independently existing entity, but rather the feeling observers have of surrounding space diverging outward at the speed of light.

Definition of Time

Time = the feeling/perception observers have of space diverging outward at light speed in a cylindrical helix from all matter. Time is not independently real — it requires an observer. Without an observer, there is no concept of time.

Space itself is in constant motion, diverging outward from matter at the speed of light. This motion is objective, but the concept of “time” is the observer's subjective perception of this motion.

Thought Experiment

Imagine a person thrown to the far reaches of the universe, with no stars, planets, or other matter anywhere nearby. Would this person still feel time passing? The answer is yes — because the space surrounding their own body is still moving outward at the speed of light. As long as matter exists (including the observer themselves), space is in motion, and the observer can perceive time.

The Zhang Fei / Zhang Yide Analogy — Why the Speed of Light Is Constant

Zhang Xiangqian uses a clever analogy to explain why the speed of light remains constant:

Spatial displacement rr and time tt are two names for the same thing, just like Zhang Fei and Zhang Yide are two names for the same person.

  • If Zhang Fei gains 5 jin of weight, then Zhang Yide must also gain 5 jin — because they are the same person.
  • Similarly, if the motion of a light source causes spatial displacement rr to change, time tt changes equally.
  • Therefore c=r/tc = r / t always remains constant — the numerator and denominator change in sync, keeping the ratio fixed.

This is why no matter how the observer moves, the measured speed of light is always c. Not because of some mysterious spacetime transformation, but because spatial displacement and time are fundamentally the same thing.

Spacetime Unification Equation

R⃗=C⃗ t\vec{R} = \vec{C} \, t
R⃗(t)=C⃗ t=xi+yj+zk\vec{R}(t) = \vec{C} \, t = x\mathbf{i} + y\mathbf{j} + z\mathbf{k}

Scalar form: r2=c2t2r^2 = c^2 t^2

Differential form: dR⃗=C⃗(t) dtd\vec{R} = \vec{C}(t) \, dt

This equation expresses the unified relationship between space and time: the spatial displacement vector R⃗\vec{R} equals the vector speed of light C⃗\vec{C} times time tt. Spatial displacement can be decomposed into three orthogonal directions (x, y, z), while time is simply another measure of spatial motion.

Note: The theoretical framework above has not undergone academic peer review. This site presents Zhang Xiangqian's theoretical system for reference and independent verification by interested researchers. We make no judgment on the correctness of the theory.

Continue Reading

The Nature of Mass →
Learn how mass is defined by the density of spatial displacement lines
The Nature of Fields →
Explore how fields are the motion of space itself