December 2022

上兵伐谋 – Chinese philosophy and culture

shàng bīng fá móu 上兵伐谋 The Best Strategy in Warfare is to Foil the Enemy’s Strategy. 用兵的上策是挫败敌方的计谋。“上兵伐谋”是孙子(前545?—前470?)提出的一条军事原则。在孙子看来,军事斗争是在不同层面展开的。不同层面的斗争都可以对战争胜败产生重要的影响。其中,武力攻伐对于双方都会造成极大的伤害,因此是不得已的选择。善于用兵之人应在武力斗争发动之前,运用谋略破除敌人的进攻威胁,或为己方的武力攻伐扫清障碍,以最小的代价实现战略目标。 Foiling the enemy’s strategy is an important principle proposed by Sunzi(545?-470?BC). In his view, war is waged at different levels, all of which have a significant impact on the outcome. Armed attacks will do great damage to both […]

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三省吾身 – Chinese philosophy and culture

sānxǐng-wúshēn 三省吾身 Reflect on Oneself Several Times a Day 多次反省自身。“三省吾身”是儒家所主张的一种道德修养方法。儒家认为,德行的确立取决于自身的追求与努力。因此应时时反省自己的言行与内心,并以此作为修养道德的基本方法。曾子特别提出,每日应从尽己为人、诚信待人、温习课业等方面多次反省自身是否存在不足,有则改之,无则加勉。 Reflecting often on what one does – this is a way of self-cultivation of virtue advocated by Confucianism. This school of thought holds that as moral integrity is established with one’s efforts of self-cultivation, one needs to constantly examine his words and deeds as well

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求同存异 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qiútóng-cúnyì 求同存异 Seek Common Ground While Setting Aside Differences 寻求共同点,保留不同点。战国时期的学者惠施(前370?—前310?)、庄子(前369?—前286)等人认为,一切事物的差别﹑对立都是相对的,差异性中包含着同一性。从辩证的观点看,一切事物的差异都是相对的,都存在相互转化的可能。以孔子(前551—前479)为代表的儒家文化则强调在处理人与人、国与国之间关系时,在承认彼此有差异的前提下,通过协调而达到一种“和而不同”的状态。承认差异的存在或者暂时搁置差异,承认文化和价值观的多元,不追求绝对的一致、苟同,尽量站在对方的立场去看问题,努力寻求彼此的共同点,最终达成各方最大的共识。这一思想后来成为中国处理对外关系的重要理念。 The term means to seek points of agreement while maintaining difference of opinion. Scholars of the Warring States Period such as Hui Shi (370?-310? BC) and Zhuangzi (369?-286BC) believed that differences and antitheses between all things are relative, and that commonalities exist within differences. From

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穷则变,变则通,通则久 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qióng zé biàn, biàn zé tōng, tōng zé jiǔ 穷则变,变则通,通则久 Extreme – Change – Continuity 事物达到极限则会发生变化,发生变化则能通顺,通顺则能长久。出自《周易·系辞下》,是对事物变化规律的一种认识。《系辞》认为,事物处于不断的变化之中,并且会在至极之时朝向对立面转化。人应把握《周易》所揭示出的这一事物变化规律,在穷极之时寻找变化的契机,促成事物的改变,以实现通顺而长久的发展。 When things reach their extreme, change occurs, after the change they evolve smoothly, and thus they continue for a long time. This notion comes from The Book of Changes and is a way of understanding the principles of change. According

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清明 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qīngmíng 清明 The Qingming Festival 中华民族四大传统节日(春节、清明节、端午节、中秋节)之一,是中国传统岁时体系中唯一与节气合一的节日,通常在4月4或5或6日。唐以前,清明主要作为二十四节气之一,反映自然时节的变化,与农事息息相关。唐宋以后,清明节取代寒食节而成为节日,寒食节原有的祭祖扫墓、吃冷食等成为清明节俗的内容。此时万物生气旺盛,人们顺应季节的变化,又有郊游踏青、插柳、放风筝、荡秋千等活动。时至今日,清明仍是中国人生活中具有特殊意义的节日。2006年5月20日,经国务院批准,清明节被列入中国第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。 It is one of the four major traditional festivals, namely, the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, that are celebrated by the Chinese. It is the only Chinese festival which occurs on one of the solar terms of the traditional calendar, usually

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亲亲 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qīnqīn 亲亲 Affection for One’s Kin 爱亲人,尤其是爱父母。“亲亲”既指一种自然的情感,同时也指这种情感在言行上的表现。儒家主张,应将对父母、对亲人的亲爱之情,推及他人,使之成为仁德的基础。但是,过度的“亲亲”,会导致行事上的偏私。因此,儒家提出了以“义”克服“亲亲”可能存在的局限。 This term refers to love for one’s kin and particularly for one’s parents. It is a natural affection, and it also refers to the way in which such feeling is expressed. Confucianism holds that such a love should also be extended to others so that it will foster

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迁想妙得 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qiān xiǎnɡ miào dé 迁想妙得 Inspirational Creation Based on Association in Thinking 指画家在艺术构思与创作过程中善于联想,将各种形象、素材通过画家的情感活动重新组织、构图,使画面形神兼备,如同妙手偶得。“迁想”重在想象、选择与构思,所创作的题材、素材来源于现实,却不是现实的完全复制。“迁想”是将画家的思想情感融进、移入作品的形象。“妙得”意思是精妙之得,是“迁想”的最终结果,重在作品的审美效果。它不仅要“得”物之形,还要“得”物之神,如此才称得上“妙”,因此,“妙得”也有妙得灵感的意思。“迁想”“妙得”是一个连贯的艺术创作过程,不可分割。这一术语是对艺术构思与审美活动特点的最早概括,后成为中国绘画理论中的一个重要原则。 This concept means a painter should be good at association in thinking in artistic conception and creation. He should give full rein to his imagination and connect and reconstruct a variety of source images and materials so as to create a great

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千里之行,始于足下 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià 千里之行,始于足下 A Journey of a Thousand Li Begins with the First Step. 千里远的行程,要从迈第一步开始。比喻远大目标的实现,要从小的、基础的事情做起。足下:脚所站立的地方。语出《老子》。《老子》以大树、高台、千里之行一方面说明在问题或祸乱发生之前一定要提前防范或处置妥当,以免量变引起质变;另一方面说明任何事情都需要从头做起,一个好的开始往往是事情成败的关键,远大的理想和抱负需要脚踏实地地推进,才能在一个个具体目标的实现中完成看似不可能完成的任务。 Any major undertaking must start small from the basics. The expression comes from Laozi. Zuxia (足下) means the place where one is standing. Laozi used the metaphors of a giant tree, a high platform, a long

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气韵 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qìyùn 气韵 Artistic Appeal 指绘画、书法、文学中所流露出的气势、韵致和生机,是文学艺术作品整体给人的审美感觉。最初仅用于绘画,指用墨、用笔恰当,作品就能表现出自然山水的意态,画幅上就会有流动的生机,令人体味到笔墨之外的精神、韵味。后来逐渐由绘画扩大到诗文、书法等领域。在实际应用中,与“风韵”“神韵”等术语近似,是需要借助经验、感悟来获得的审美感觉。气韵虽然通过作品呈现,却与艺术家本人的格调、心胸直接相关,属于自然天成,不能刻意获得。 This refers to the momentum, charm, and vitality in paintings as well as in calligraphic and literary works which together create artistic appeals. The term was first used to refer only to painting, meaning that the proper use of ink and the painting brush could vividly present natural landscape, make

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奇正 – Chinese philosophy and culture

qízhèng 奇正 Qi or Zheng / Unexpected or Frontal “奇”是反常的、出其不意的,“正”是正面的、正常的。最早由《老子》提出。主要含义有二:其一,作为军事用语,指两种不同的用兵应敌的方式:“正”指在了解敌方作战意图基础上的正面应敌,“奇”指隐蔽自己的作战意图,灵活地运用偷袭、设伏等手段,以达到出其不意的效果。“奇”与“正”的运用需要相互配合。“奇正”有时也被用来处理、应对日常事务。其二,作为文艺批评术语,用来称说文章思想内容上的纯正与奇诡以及文辞上的典雅与巧丽。南朝刘勰(465?—520)为了矫正齐梁时期的文坛过于重形式、片面追求新奇的弊病,将“奇正”引入文学批评。他认为,文学创作应当在思想内容上以儒家经典为依归,以文辞上的巧丽奇异为配合,只有执“正”(思想纯正)以驭“奇”(文辞巧丽),才能使文章的主旨新颖而不邪乱,词采美丽而不浮夸。后世诗歌评论及戏曲批评也用到这一术语。 Qi (奇) means surprise while zheng (正) means direct and normal. First advanced by Laozi, the concept has two main meanings. First, it is a military term about two opposing ways of fighting. Zheng means meeting the enemy head-on based on an understanding of its intention, while Qi means keeping

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