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尽忠报国 – Chinese philosophy and culture

jìnzhōng-bàoguó 尽忠报国 Be as Loyal as One Can Be and Serve One’s Own Country 竭尽忠诚,报效国家。亦作“精忠报国”。唐初编撰的《周书》《北史》已见“尽忠报国”一语。这一词语还与南宋抗金名将岳飞(1103—1142)相关联。元人所修《宋史》记载了岳飞后背刺有“尽忠报国”四字,但未说明何人所刺,至清代始有岳母刺字的说法,遂演绎为岳飞遵母命而尽忠报国、至死不渝的故事。它蕴含了忠孝合一的儒家理念,至今仍是中国人爱国精神的典型表达。 Be as loyal as one can be and serve one’s own country. The term “be loyal and serve the country” first appeared in The History of Zhou of the Northern Dynasties and The History of the Northern Dynasties compiled during the early […]

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节气 – Chinese philosophy and culture

jiéqì 节气 The Twenty-four Solar Terms 二十四节气的简称,是中国传统农历中特有的现象。古人为了能更好地进行农事活动,从长期的农业实践中总结出了一套用于指导农耕的补充历法。根据太阳一年内在黄道的位置变化以及地面相应发生的气候、物候变化情况,把一年分成二十四段,每一段起始于一个节气,分列于十二个月,这就是二十四节气。二十四节气通常均匀分布于每月,月首的叫“节”,月中的叫“气”(每三年会出现有“节”无“气”或有“气”无“节”的情况,这时需设闰月进行调节)。节气的命名反映了季节、物候、气候三方面的变化。反映季节变化的是立春、春分、立夏、夏至、立秋、秋分、立冬、冬至八个节气;反映物候变化的是惊蛰、清明、小满、芒种四个节气;反映气候变化的有雨水、谷雨、小暑、大暑、处暑、白露、寒露、霜降、小雪、大雪、小寒、大寒十二个节气。二十四节气在秦汉时期就已形成,两千多年来,既有辅助农业生产的实际功效,也成为中国人所特有的时间观念。 “The twenty-four solar terms” is a unique phenomenon on the traditional lunar calendar. To facilitate agricultural production, ancient Chinese people summarized a supplementary calendar that divides a year into 24 segments according to the sun’s movement on the ecliptic and seasonal changes in weather and other natural phenomena,

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讲信修睦 – Chinese philosophy and culture

jiǎngxìn-xiūmù 讲信修睦 Keep Good Faith and Pursue Harmony 崇尚诚信,谋求和睦。语出《礼记·礼运》。它是战国至秦汉之际儒家学者所描述的“大同”社会的重要特征之一。儒家认为最理想的社会应当是,天下是天下人的天下,人与人之间、国与国之间应彼此信任合作,和睦相处。后“讲信修睦”不仅成为儒家所提倡的一种伦理规范,而且成为中国文化中处理人际关系和国家关系的一个重要准则。 This term, from The Book of Rites, means attaching great value to good faith and seeking harmonious relations, which was a key feature of the society of “universal harmony” envisioned by Confucian scholars from the Warring States Period through the Qin and Han dynasties. They believed

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集思广益 – Chinese philosophy and culture

jísī-guǎngyì 集思广益 Pool Wisdom of the People 指汇集众人的思考与智慧,广泛吸取有益意见,以获得更好的效果。由三国时期的诸葛亮(181-234)提出。它要求领导者一定要广开言路,虚心听取各方意见,特别是那些与自己政见不合的意见,综合考虑,正确决策,绝不能自以为是、专断独行。这不仅是汇集智慧的过程,也是调动众人积极性、达成行动一致性的过程。 This means to work more effectively by extensively drawing on ideas and wisdom from many people. Proposed by Zhuge Liang (181-234) during the period of the Three Kingdoms, it meant that a leader should offer many opportunities for others to speak up and listen humbly to all

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积善成德 – Chinese philosophy and culture

jīshàn-chénɡdé 积善成德 Moral Character Can Be Built by Accumulating Goodness. 积累善行以养成德性。“积善成德”是荀子所提出的一种德性养成方式。荀子认为,仅仅依循于人的本性,只能导致对外物无休止的争夺,并使群体陷入无秩序的混乱之中。而人的道德的确立有赖于后天的教化。人需要在言行表现上符合礼法的要求,并经过长期的积累,逐渐形成对道德、礼法的认同,确立起内在的道德意识。 Xunzi first proposed this idea as a way to cultivate rectitude. He believed that following human nature alone leads to endless contention over external objects, resulting in disruption and discord within communities. Ethics and morals are instilled in a person through nurture and education.

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绘事后素 – Chinese philosophy and culture

huì shì hòu sù 绘事后素 The White Silk First, the Painting Afterwards 原指绘画须先有白绢作底,引申为美感源于自然质朴。孔子由此阐发仁义为本、礼教为辅的理念,强调礼的教育起源于人的自然本性。后来这一术语引入文艺创作与批评,它倡导雕饰起源于质素,文质相符,彰显天然之美。 The original meaning of this phrase is that a piece of white silk must be prepared before one can paint. The concept was then extended to mean that beauty comes from natural simplicity. From this, Confucius put forward the notion that benevolence

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绘画六法 – Chinese philosophy and culture

huìhuà liù fǎ 绘画六法 Six Rules of Painting 中国古代关于绘画创作的六种手法与美学原则。南朝齐梁画家谢赫通过品鉴历代名家画作,总结出气韵生动、骨法用笔、应物象形、随类赋彩、经营位置、传移模写等六种基本方法与原则,初步建构起传统绘画理论体系。“气韵生动”是要求画作具有被观者真切感觉到的生气与神韵,是立足审美效果的总体原则。以下五方面是绘画的具体技法要求:“骨法用笔”是指运笔能自如呈现人物的各种线条变化,“应物象形”是指造型要顺应对象的外形特征,“随类赋彩”是根据人物对象的特征进行着色,“经营位置”是指构图要合理搭配而呈现整体效果,“传移模写”是通过临摹佳作来掌握绘画技艺。后人据此品评画作,并就五方面技法要求展开论述、总结经验,丰富画论体系。“绘画六法”揭示了中国古代绘画的基本手法与美学原则,也是从事绘画批评的标准,它影响了六朝之后的中国绘画批评与创作实践。 The term refers to six techniques and aesthetic principles for painting formulated by Xie He, a painter of the Southern Qi and Liang dynasties. After studying famous painters of the previous age, he summarized his views on painting in six basic rules: dynamic style, forceful brush

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幻中有真 – Chinese philosophy and culture

huàn zhōng yǒu zhēn 幻中有真 Truth in Imagination 指文艺作品的情节与景象虽是通过想象与虚构写成但却具有内在的真实,可以折射社会现实。佛教与道家思想认为,现实社会是变幻不定的,人们不可执迷于这种幻象,而应当超越这种幻象,认识事物的真谛。文艺批评家提出,人们认识文艺作品与生活现实,应当善于透过幻象而把握作品的真实,获取美感。“幻中有真”作为一个文学批评术语,不仅揭示了文艺的审美特征和意义,也揭示了文艺创作的基本规律,即艺术形象的创造须以现实生活为依据,但又不能拘泥于现实生活,而应达到生活真实与艺术真实的高度统一。 The term means that the plot of scenes in a literary work, while imaginary, nonetheless have inner force and reflect reality in society. According to Buddhist and Daoist thought, society is transitory and shifting and people should not hold on to something unreal; rather, they should

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化性起伪 – Chinese philosophy and culture

huà xìnɡ qǐ wěi 化性起伪 Transform Intrinsic Evil Nature to Develop Acquired Nature of Goodness 改变人的本性的恶而兴起人为的善。伪:人为。“化性起伪”是荀子在“性恶”论基础上提出的一种道德教化的主张。荀子认为,人天生的本性中包含着对外物的欲求。如果放纵本性中的欲望,就会导致人与人之间的纷争,社会将陷入混乱。因此,需要通过后天的教化,在恰当安顿人的欲望的同时,确立起对道德、礼法的认同与遵守。 This term means changing element of evil in one’s intrinsic nature and developing acquired nature of goodness. This ethical principle is put forward by Xunzi based on his belief that human nature is evil. Xunzi believes that the desire

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厚积薄发 – Chinese philosophy and culture

hòujī-bófā 厚积薄发 Build Up Fully and Release Sparingly 充分地积累,少量地释放。多指学术研究或文艺创作等先要广泛汲取前人已有的知识和成果,待有了深厚的积累和坚实的基础,再一点儿一点儿地从事学术研究或文艺创作,尝试提出独到见解或在前人的基础上有所创造。也指一个国家、一个企业在某一领域或某一方面等经过长期的积累,开始逐步展现其实力、创新力及开拓新的局面等。其核心内涵是,凡事不可急于求成,应注重积累,充分准备,才能把事情做好。 The term means to accumulate as much as possible but to release a little at a time. This often refers to the process of scholarly research or artistic creation, in which one should first extensively absorb the knowledge and results of others to acquire a wealth

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