December 2022

一阐提 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yīchǎntí 一阐提 Icchantika 字面意思为“有欲求的人”,指因为缺乏引生善果的根本条件,而无法成就觉悟、实现解脱的人。又称“断善根者”。关于一阐提的义理争论,主要集中在众生能否成佛的问题上。如唯识法相一系,就一阐提缺乏善因而言,主张必不得成就;如来藏、华严等系则认为一切众生皆有佛性,且待开显而已。前者将一阐提作为本性,后者似以其为暂时的状态。 Icchantika literally means one who desires. It refers to a person who is destitute of good conditions that lead to favorable results, such as awakening and liberation. Hence, it is also glossed as one deprived of merits. The major doctrinal debate over this concept is whether all sentient beings, including icchantikas, are […]

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言之无文,行而不远 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yán zhī wú wén, xíng ér bù yuǎn 言之无文,行而不远 Lackluster Wording Never Travels Far. 语言如果缺乏文采和技巧,就不可能流传广泛久远。孔子(前551—前479)原话的意思是说,在外交场合,使臣须要擅长辞令,讲究语言技巧,才能达成目标、建立功业。进而引申出,一种思想如果想久远传播,就必须借助于有章法、有文采的书面文字。南朝刘勰(465?—520)在《文心雕龙》中征引了孔子的话,一方面充分肯定文辞的功效,另一方面是为了强调文章形式与技巧的重要性。该语阐明了语文对于明道经世的工具性作用,提升了文艺批评在思想文化史上的地位。 Lackluster writing or speech never travels far. What Confucius (551-479 BC) meant when he said this is that, in foreign relations, a diplomat should be eloquent and persuasive to achieve goals and become meritorious. Likewise, if an idea is to

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言者无罪,闻者足戒 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yánzhě-wúzuì, wénzhě-zújiè 言者无罪,闻者足戒 Those Who Speak Shouldn’t Be Punished While Those Who Listen Should Take Warning. 无论意见是否正确,说的人没有罪责,而听的人足以获得警示。上到国家治理,下至组织、企业管理,执政者与管理者若要保障国家或组织、企业的良好运行,就必须充分了解下面的实际情况和群众意愿,调动各方面力量,发挥各方面作用。为此,必须造成一种健康和谐的人际环境,让人们畅所欲言,以便从各种言论中汲取有价值的意见。即便群众或下属所提意见不正确,领导者也不应责难,而要引以为戒。其中隐含有言论自由的思想和宽容精神。 Whether their opinions are correct or not, people who speak their minds should not be penalized and their messages should not be lost on their listeners. The term implies freedom of speech and a tolerant attitude towards criticism.

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悬壶济世 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xuánhú-jìshì 悬壶济世 Hang a Gourd (Practice Medicine) to Help the World 行医救助世人。“悬壶”即把装药的葫芦挂起来,作为行医卖药的招牌,泛指从事医疗职业;“济世”是对困苦之人提供救助。这一观念,使行医卖药超越了一般职业与谋生手段而被赋予了人文关怀的意义。它既是世人对于医者救死扶伤、治病救人行为的一种赞颂,也是医者用以自励的道德准则和价值判断。 This term means to help people by practicing medicine. “Hanging a gourd” refers to the tradition of using a gourd containing medications as a sign for those practicing and selling medicine; it is used more broadly to refer to those in the medical

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杏林- Chinese philosophy and culture

xìnglín 杏林 Apricot Trees / Venerable Doctors with Good Skills 杏树林,对德行高尚、医术精湛的医生的美称,亦指代医学医药界。据东晋葛洪(281?—341)《神仙传》记载,三国时期名医董奉隐居庐山,无偿给人治病,只要求重症治愈者种杏五棵,轻症治愈者种杏一棵。几年后,他的住处就有了大片茂盛的杏树林。他用杏子换粮食,储存起来,用于救济贫苦人及其他需要帮助的人。后来,人们用“杏林”代指医德高尚、医术精湛的医生,近代一些医药团体和专业报刊也常以“杏林”取名,“杏林”遂成为医学医药界的代名词。它是“悬壶济世”理念的另一种表达形式。 This term refers to venerable doctors with good skills and by extension the entire profession of Chinese medicine. According to Biographies of Deities and Immortals by Ge Hong (281?–341), the famous doctor Dong Feng of the Three Kingdoms period lived on Mount Lu where he

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形名 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xíngmíng 形名 Form and Name “形”指事物的形体,“名”指事物的名称。古人认为事物是有形的,有形之物具有自身的规定性,并与他者相区别。而“名”则用以指称这些有形之物。由“名”所构成的秩序,明确了有形之物彼此间的关系及其在整体秩序中的地位。有学派认为,事物固有的“形名”即已包含某种合理的秩序,为政者应遵循并维护这一“形名”秩序。也有学派认为,可以通过后天的刑罚、教化来塑造“形名”秩序。在强调刑罚所需的对事物、行事的分辨、判断时,“形名”又作“刑名”。 Xing (形) refers to the form of an object, and ming (名) refers to its name. The ancient Chinese believed that objects have forms, and that each formed object has its own specific nature which distinguishes it from other objects, whereas its name specifies the object. An order comprised of names

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心术 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xīnshù 心术 The Art of the Mind 心的运作规则。最早见于《管子》《荀子》《礼记》等典籍。古人认为,心的作用的发挥遵循着一定的规则,这一规则即被称为“心术”。不过,各家对于“心术”具体内容的认识有所不同。“心术”或指心任使五官的原则,也指心与外物交接、认知外物的方式或态度。 This refers to the workings of the mind or heart, a term which first appeared in such classics as Guanzi, Xunzi, and The Book of Rites. In ancient times it was believed that a person’s mind or heart played out its role in accordance with certain laws,

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絜矩之道 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xiéjǔzhīdào 絜矩之道 Principle for the Application of Rules and Norms 执掌法度的原则。出自《礼记·大学》。《大学》主张,为政者在执政、处事时应以“絜矩之道”对待他人。“絜”本指量物体粗细的绳子,“矩”是画方形或直角的曲尺,“絜矩”连用,意为所执持的规矩、法度。这里的规矩、法度即是要求为政者推己及人,以自身所好所恶体察他人的诉求,不以己所不欲强加于人,并以此作为政治、行事的法度。 This is a principle for the application of rules and norms, first cited in The Great Learning, a section of The Book of Rites. The book advocates the use of xieju by administrators in governance when dealing with people. Xie (絜) originally meant a string used

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乡饮酒礼 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xiāngyǐnjiǔlǐ 乡饮酒礼 Banquet for Community Leaders and Rural Elders 于乡间设酒宴酬宾之礼,是古代人伦生活中的一项重要礼仪。“乡”是古代的基层行政区划单位。“乡饮酒礼”在“乡”间举行,因其用意的不同,可大体分为两类:一类是宴请乡中德行贤良之士,以彰显对贤者的尊崇;另一类则由基层行政长官主持,宴请乡中年长之人,以表达对长者的尊敬与关爱。“乡饮酒礼”对于维护、调和基层的人伦秩序具有重要意义。 This was an important social function in ancient China. On the basis of their purpose, such banquets can generally be divided into two kinds: one was to entertain virtuous people in the locality in a display of respect for them; the other was hosted by

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洗炼 – Chinese philosophy and culture

xǐliàn 洗炼 Make Writing Succinct 精简词句,提炼要义。洗炼是一种文字干净、主旨鲜明的文学风格。“洗”指清洗矿石、去除杂质,喻指删除芜杂文字;“炼”指金属的冶炼提纯,喻指提炼文章的精义或本真性情。作为一种写作方式,它包括炼意和炼辞两个方面,较之南朝刘勰(465?—520)的“熔裁”有更明确的要求;作为一种文学风格,它要求文章的词句必须与情志理高度配合而又简明扼要。 This term means that wording should be refined to highlight the essential message. Terseness is a mark of neat and thematically explicit writing. The idea originates from the process of cleansing metal ores for the removal of impurities, or from that of smelting metals. Figuratively, it refers to an

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