Yuanling Theory: An Ontological Revolution of the Nature of Consciousness

The “hard problem” of consciousness remains unresolved because existing paradigms operate within the presupposition that “consciousness is a product of matter.” The Yuanling Theory proposed in this paper represents a fundamental ontological reconceptualization of the nature of consciousness. The ontological subject of consciousness is termed Yuanling, which is defined as an energy-information complex that exists independently as individual consciousness, born from the coupling event between Yuanling Particles and a specific life carrier at a vital energetic node. This paper systematically expounds the generative mechanism and seven core attributes of Yuanling, reveals its functional grounding and ontological foundation rooted in the Non-Spatiotemporal background, and constructs a preliminary framework of Yuanling Ecology. This paper argues that Yuanling Theory provides a novel value significance and cross-disciplinary implications for the ontological status of consciousness, and achieves a re-anchoring of human self-understanding across three dimensions: the view of life, the view of consciousness, and the view of cognition.