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yīyán-xīngbāng 一言兴邦 A Single Remark Makes a Country Prosper. 一句话而使国家兴盛。治国理政是一项复杂的工作，不可能通过简单地依循一句话所表述的某个具体要求，就实现国家的兴盛。但如果执政者能够充分意识到治理天下的困难，并因此在为政中谨言慎行，始终不懈怠，那么凭借为政者的这种观念，则可能实现国家的兴盛。这种观念的作用即接近于“一言兴邦”。 A single remark can help a country thrive. As governance is a highly complex undertaking, it is impossible to make a country prosperous simply by following an idea expressed in a single remark. However, if a ruler thoroughly understands how difficult it is to run […]

yán bì xìn, xíng bì guǒ 言必信，行必果 Promises Must Be Kept; Actions Must Be Resolute. 说话一定要有诚信，做事一定要果断。语出《墨子》与《论语》。墨家与儒家都赞成一个人说话应讲诚信，做事应当果敢，言行必须一致。但是孔子（前551—前479）与孟子（前372？—前289）对“言必信，行必果”提出了更高的要求，即统治者需要言而有信、取信于民，才能得到百姓拥戴，百姓才敢于说出真话。但在现实中不可以一味固守“言必信，行必果”，而应当遵从道义的需要，在符合道义的前提下权衡利弊，根据具体情况而作适当变通。后世在运用这一术语时，多强调一个人应当讲诚信，做事果断，能兑现承诺并且言行一致。 The expression comes from Mozi and The Analects. Followers of Mozi and Confucian ethics admired those who could keep their promises and whose actions were resolute. They believed speech and action should match. However, Confucius (551-479BC) and Mencius (372?-289BC) took

xuánliáng-cìgǔ 悬梁刺股 Tie One’s Hair on the House Beam and Jab One’s Side with an Awl to Keep Oneself from Falling Asleep while Studying “头悬梁，锥刺股”的略语。字面意思是把头发拴在屋梁上，用锥子扎大腿。来源于古人刻苦读书的故事。东汉的孙敬经常关起门，独自一人从早到晚不停读书。疲倦和劳累时就将头发拴在屋梁上，只要一低头，头发就被拉住，人马上清醒，再接着读。战国时代的苏秦（？—前284），每当困乏欲睡的时候，就用锥子扎自己的大腿，以保持头脑清醒，继续苦读。后人常以这两个故事鼓励年轻人发愤读书，努力学习。今天，这种有损身体健康的极端方式已不再提倡，但其刻苦求知的精神仍广为称颂。 The term literally means to tie one’s hair on the house beam and jab one’s side with an awl. The idiom comes from the ancient story about how assiduously people

xuándé 玄德 Inconspicuous Virtue 隐晦而不彰显的德行。道家将“玄德”作为统治者的至高品德。道家认为，“道”作为万物的本原，其基本内容是以“无为”的方式顺应并发挥万物的本性。而“玄德”即是统治者效法于“道”的具体表现。“玄德”要求统治者在为政中节制自己所掌握的权力，避免对百姓的干预，顺应、保全百姓的自然状态。 This term refers to moral conduct that is discreet and unobtrusive. The Daoists believe this is the highest manifestation of morality in a ruler. Dao is the source of all beings and things, and is manifested through wuwei (无为) or non-action. By being discreet and unobtrusive in his moral conduct, the

xiū dé zhèn bīng 修德振兵 Cultivate Virtue and Strengthen the Army 修养德行而整顿军队。“修德”指执政者修养自身的德行，并按照道德的原则施行政事，安顿百姓。“振兵”即整顿军队、提升军力。但“振兵”的目的不在于以强大的武力威胁他人、谋取利益，而是要在道德的规范下，保持足够的武力以维护社会的秩序与百姓的利益，在“修德”的基础上，合理运用武力。 Those in power should cultivate their own virtue, thus improving their moral character, conduct government affairs according to moral principles, and arrange for the people to live in peace. Strengthening the army means enhancing military might through training and discipline. However, the aim

xiūcí-lìchéng 修辞立诚 Establish Credibility Through Careful Choice of Words 修撰文辞，确立诚信。“修”指修撰、修饰，也有人认为指内心的修养省察。“辞”指言辞、文辞，是所说的话语；也有人认为指文治教化。“立”，建立，确立。“诚”是诚信，包含文辞真实、内容信实、感情诚挚、恭敬守信等多重含义。因文字训诂的不同及对“修辞”“立诚”二者关系的认识不同，对“修辞立诚”的含义主要有两种理解：其一，整顿礼乐法度，确立诚信。意思是治国者要以诚信之心撰写文辞，将自己的治国原则和规范注入其中；通过文辞的表达、流布，使这种原则和规范在民众中得以确立，并内化为人们的诚信品格。“立诚”是“修辞”的出发点，也是“修辞”的最终归宿。其二，撰写文章要表达作者真实的思想情感，不可浮文虚饰。儒家认为，文辞是传达思想感情的，思想感情、道德品质的差异，必然最终表现为文章的优劣。无论作何解释，“修辞立诚”都反映出中国人对于名实相副、言行一致、表里如一等诚实、诚信品格的崇尚。 This term means to establish credibility by careful use of language. The Chinese character xiu (修) refers to the careful selection of words and phrases as well as logical arrangement of text in writing a story, and some believe that it also refers to the cultivation

xiūyǎng-shēngxī 休养生息 Recover from a Social Upheaval and Restore Production / Develop Economy and Increase Population 休息保养，繁殖人口。指在战争或社会大动荡之后，执政者减少徭役和征税，重视农业发展，减轻人民负担，安定人民生活，恢复社会元气。“休养生息”作为治国方略，产生于汉初，时历秦末战乱，民生凋敝，百废待举，它有效恢复了国家和社会的元气。自此之后，“休养生息”作为一种重要的治国理念和政策，贯穿于中国历史的不同时期，或是执政者迫于社会现实不得已而为之，或是出于让民众休息的仁政实践，或是两者兼而有之。这一政策是“民惟邦本”理念的具体体现。 The term means that in a period of peace after war or social upheaval, the economy and population can recover and multiply. In practice it means the sovereign shall reduce taxes and conscript labor, support agriculture, allowing the

xìnɡfèn 性分 Natural Attributes 万物的本性所规定的内容与限度。郭象（252—312）提出，每个人或每一事物都有各自的本性，且本性有着具体的内容与限度，如事物的大小、形状，人的年寿、智愚等。人和事物的本性是天生所具、不得不然的，因此也是不能改变的。万物都应该安于自身的“性分”。人和事物如果能够按照本性的要求，在“性分”的范围内活动行事，就是自由、逍遥的。 This term refers to the features and limitations determined by the intrinsic nature of all things. Guo Xiang (252-312), a scholar in the Western Jin Dynasty, pointed out that each person or object has his or its own intrinsic natural attributes, such as size and shape of an object, or

xínɡ jù shén shēnɡ 形具神生 Physical Form Gives Birth to Spirit. 人的形体具备以后精神活动随之产生。“形”指人的形体，“神”指包括情感、意识在内的各种精神活动。荀子（前313？—前238）提出，人的形体和精神，与万物一样，都是在天道的运行中自然生成的。人的形体先于精神而生成，形体的具备构成了精神产生的条件。人的精神依存于形体之中。 When a person’s physical form has fully developed, he will develop spiritual activity accordingly. Here “form” refers to the physical form of a human being, and “spiritual” refers to various mental activities, including emotions and consciousness. Xunzi (313?-238BC) pointed out that a person’s

xìn 信 Good Faith “信”的基本含义是恪守信诺、诚实不欺。“信”是为人立身需要遵守的基本道德。守信必须符合道义的原则，如果信约有悖于道义，则不能盲目追求信诺的履行。儒家特别强调两个方面的“信”：其一，是执政者应信守对百姓的承诺，百姓才会信服于政令。其二，是朋友之间应守信不欺。 This term means acting in good faith. Good faith is one of the principal ethical standards one should observe in order to establish oneself in society. However, one must comply with ethical principles in honoring a promise. If a promise goes against ethical principles, one should not blindly deliver it.