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元和体 – Chinese philosophy and culture

Yuánhé tǐ 元和体 The Yuanhe Style of Poetry 指唐宪宗元和年间(806—820)开始流行的诗歌体式及风格。有广狭二义:广义的理解指元和以来的各种新体诗文,一般认为元和以后流行的新的文风、诗风,是由韩愈(768—824)、元稹(779—831)、白居易(772—846)、张籍(767?—830?)等元和年间的著名作家开创的;狭义的理解则是指元稹、白居易诗歌中的长篇排律和中短篇杂体诗。元稹、白居易的诗歌注重叙事,如《连昌宫词》《长恨歌》《琵琶行》都是长篇叙事诗的代表作;其次是注重诗歌形式的通俗化,具体说就是诗的语言明白晓畅,容易为读者理解记忆;注意诗歌与音乐的结合,韵律的优美和谐,便于唱诵。 This term refers to the poetic style most popular during the rule of Emperor Xianzong (806-820) of the Tang Dynasty under the reign title of Yuanhe. It can be understood either broadly or narrowly. In a broad sense, the Yuanhe style of poetry refers to all […]

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有病不治,常得中医 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yǒu bìng bù zhì, cháng dé zhōng yī 有病不治,常得中医 Self-treating an Illness Can Usually Get a Good Result. 有病不去就医,其结果如同请中等水平的医生诊治一样(与“久病成医”意思相近)。“不治”,不请大夫,不去医治;“得”,相当,能够;“中医”,中等水平的医生或疗效,有时作“合乎医理”解(“中”读zhònɡ)。这是《汉书·艺文志》记载的谚语,后来演变为“不服药胜中医”等说法。其本意是说,与其请来庸医治病,胡乱施治,非但没能将病治好,反而使病情更糟,还不如不请医生;况且有些疾病即使不治,也能自愈。此语表达了人们对庸医的拒斥和对良医的期盼,也隐含这样的观念:某些疾病可以自愈,无须施治。 The proverb, which is similar in meaning with the concept “prolonged suffering from an illness will turn a person into a doctor,” comes from The History of the Han Dynasty. It later changed into sayings like

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隐显 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yǐnxiǎn 隐显 Concealment and Revelation “隐”指隐讳含藏,“显”指鲜明显扬。作为文艺术语,它们指诗文创作过程中,有些事理须要隐讳含藏,有些事理须要鲜明显扬,体现在语义和文辞上,则或含蓄或显豁,理想的艺术境界是隐显有度。文辞含蓄,语义隐讳,并不是晦涩难懂,而是耐人寻味;文辞明白,语义显豁,也不是直白外露,而是明确清楚。从普遍意义来讲,“隐”与“显”并不是非此即彼的对立关系,而是可以互相转变流动的辩证关系,其间体现“道”的变化。 “Concealment” refers to keeping things hidden, whereas “revelation” means making things abundantly clear. As an artistic and literary term, this pair of opposites refers to a creative process in which some things need to be hidden and others abundantly clear. When applied to semantics or rhetoric, it refers to

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隐士 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yǐnshì 隐士 Hermit / Recluse 有能力为官或为君却选择隐居避世之人。在古代社会中,“隐士”做出隐居的选择有着不同的原因:其一,厌倦日常生活中繁文缛节的虚伪、浮华,而追求质朴、自然的生活。其二,不满于现实政治的昏乱,或不愿同流合污,或为避免迫害,而选择隐居避世。其三,甘愿更贤能之人取代自己为官、为君,而主动避让退隐。“隐士”往往具有高洁的品质,但并非社会的主流。刻意或过度追求隐逸的生活,反而会失于虚伪,或造成社会责任的缺失。 In ancient China, this term referred to those who were capable of being an official or even a ruler but who chose to live in seclusion. They had different reasons for this. One might be that they were tired of formalities and red tape and considered such a role

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因革 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yīngé 因革 Inheritance and Innovation 既有所继承又有所创革。“因”是继承、沿袭,“革”是革新、改变。这一思想可溯源到孔子(前551—前479)。在孔子看来,夏商周三代礼制都是在前代基础上根据当时的历史条件有所损益的。所谓“损益”就蕴含了因革的观念。汉代扬雄(前53—公元18)对“因革”作了比较系统的阐发。这一思想后来被南朝刘勰(465?—520)用于文论,进而衍生出“通变”概念。“因革”“通变”体现的都是继承与创新的对立统一,强调基于历史与传统的变化,在继承前人经验、成果的基础上进行创新,既不是泥古不化,也不是追新逐异。不仅是文艺创作,其他如学术发展乃至国家治理,皆同此理。 This term highlights the relationship between inheritance and innovation. Yin (因) implies inheritance or adoption, whereas ge (革) means reform or innovation. The whole notion can be traced back to Confucius (551-479 BC). In his view, the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties had all modified their respective codes of etiquette in

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因材施教 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yīncái-shījiào 因材施教 Audience-based Education 根据人的资质、志趣等实施教育、教学。“材”指人的资质、志趣、受教育程度等因素。这是孔子(前551—前479)最早实践、经后人总结概括而确立的教育、教学原则。《礼记·中庸》所说的“率性”(遵循人的天性)、《周易》所说的“尽性”(充分发挥天性),可以说是这一原则的基础理念,它至今仍被广为提倡,其要旨是:教育、教学在内容选择、方法运用、目标设定等方面,要适应受教育者的个体差异,以期达到更好效果。这一原则得到心理学、教育学的论证,已经成为现代教育科学的基本理念。 This term means to educate and teach according to people’s caliber and their interests. Cai (材) refers to factors such as people’s caliber and interests, and their level of education. This is an educational and pedagogical principle first practiced by Confucius (551-479 BC), and later summarized and established by others. We

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意不称物,文不逮意- Chinese philosophy and culture

yì bù chèn wù, wén bù dài yì 意不称物,文不逮意 Ideas Cannot Match Actual Things and Words Cannot Fully Express Ideas. 人的心意或文章的构意不能完全反映事物的情状,而文章的语言或文辞又无法完全表达内心的想法。这是西晋陆机(261—303)《文赋》中对创作心理的描述和分析,具体所指是:由外物激发的意念或创作想法丰富而不明确,作者难以完全把握由外物所激发的全部心意,所捕捉到的可能只是其中一部分;而语言又难以将它们完全表达出来,更不可能穷尽由外物激发或与外物关联的全部意蕴。在认识及实践领域,主体对外物产生明确的认识或意愿,语言能够比较明确地记录认识并表达意愿,而文学创作则常常存在词不达意、言不尽意的难题。这也表明文学阐释较之学术经典解释具有更大的空间。陆机揭示了文学创作与接受的特征,推动了文学自觉。 This happens when inner thoughts or a written text’s general idea cannot fully reflect the actual state of things, and when diction cannot fully express inner thoughts. It is a description and analysis of

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医者仁心 – Chinese philosophy and culture

yīzhě-rénxīn 医者仁心 The Caring Heart of a Physician 医者要有仁爱之心。其基本精神,古已有之。唐朝著名医学家孙思邈(581—682)在《千金方·论大医精诚》中,已经有医者应存有恻隐之心也即“仁心”的相关论述。它要求医者对患者要有大爱之心、悲悯之情、救苦之志,不计个人得失,一心治病救人,而医者也因此成为“苍生大医”(众生景仰的伟大医者)。此语可谓中华医学人文精神的典型表达。 A physician must have a caring heart. This essential spirit has existed since ancient times. In the chapter “On the Skill and Sincerity of a Master Physician” of his work Essential Formulas for Emergencies, the famous Tang Dynasty physician Sun Simiao (581-682) discussed how a physician

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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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