Final answer:
The expression "eye of heaven" most commonly refers to the sun or a divine omnipresent force, representing a powerful and celestial entity in different cultures and literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression "eye of heaven" often refers to the sun or to a higher spiritual power, as depicted in various cultures and literature. In early Chinese writings, the term heaven could mean the sky, the emperor, fate, nature, or a moral guiding principle. Similarly, ancient cultures such as Egypt and Babylon, with their clear skies, held a deep fascination for the heavens, and attributed divine qualities to celestial bodies like the sun, seeing it as a supernatural, all-seeing entity. Christian imagery also connects with this theme, where divine light, like that surrounding a halo, suggests a heavenly authority or presence. Therefore, the "eye of heaven" symbolizes a powerful, omnipresent force, often connected with divinity and the cosmos.