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和出于适 – Chinese philosophy and culture

hé chūyú shì 和出于适 Harmony Comes from Appropriateness. 音乐的和谐来自音乐的适度及音乐与平和心灵的契合。“和”,和谐,首先指不同声音之间的协调配合。“适”,适度,既指音乐本身高低、清浊的适度,亦指欣赏者对于音乐对象的适度接受。这一术语突出了音乐欣赏过程中作为客观对象的音乐必须与主体心灵的和谐相一致,音乐美感是主客体和谐的产物。 The harmony of music comes from its appropriateness and its concordance with the soul. “Harmony” refers to how different sounds are combined and attuned to each other. “Appropriateness” refers to the pitch and timbre of the music itself, as well as to the degree to which […]

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合同异 – Chinese philosophy and culture

hé tóngyì 合同异 Unify Similarity and Difference 把事物的同和异合而为一。“合同异”是惠施提出的看待事物同异的一种方式。惠施认为,事物的同异是相对而言的。两个具体事物之间会有或大或小的相同或相异之处。从“同”的角度来看,万物有共同之处,因此可以说万物是相同的;而从“异”的角度来看,则没有完全相同的两个事物,万物是不同的。事物的同异取决于看待事物的角度,因此惠施主张打破同异的界限,也即是“合同异”。 The philosopher Hui Shi’s approach to similarity and difference among things was to unite them, regarding similarities and differences as relative. There are bound to be small or great similarities and differences between any two concrete things. If we look at them from the point of view

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光而不耀 – Chinese philosophy and culture

ɡuānɡ ér bù yào 光而不耀 Bright but Not Dazzling 光明而不刺眼。老子用“光而不耀”来形容执政者对百姓的影响。在老子看来,执政者具有显赫的地位,并且掌握着足以影响百姓生活的权力与资源。从这个意义上来说,执政者对百姓的影响如同光照一样,是显明而不容回避的。但老子同时强调,执政者不应将自己的意志强加给百姓,而应因循、保全百姓的自然状态。百姓受到影响却不被伤害,如同在光明之中而不感到刺眼。“光而不耀”也可用于形容强者对待他人的方式。 This term means to be bright without being dazzling. Laozi used the term to describe the influence of those in power on ordinary people. High status, authority and resources enable them to have a great impact on people’s lives, just like a bright light that

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感物 – Chinese philosophy and culture

ɡǎnwù 感物 Sensed Externalities 指人为外物所触动产生了创作冲动,经过构思与艺术加工,形成为文艺作品。“物”指直观可感的自然景物、生活场景。古人认为创作缘起于外界事物的感召而激起了创作欲望,文艺作品是外物与主观相结合的产物。这一术语强调了文艺创作源于生活的基本理念。 A person’s creative impulse is triggered by one or more externalities, and after conceptualization and artistic treatment, this results in a work of art. Such externalities include both natural sights and scenes from life which can be directly sensed. Ancient Chinese believed that creation resulted from externalities which evoked a

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丰肉微骨 – Chinese philosophy and culture

fēng ròu wēi gǔ 丰肉微骨 Fleshy Body and Soft Bone Structure 原指女性身材娇小、肌肉丰腴而身段柔软,后用于书画品评,指运笔丰肥、媚浮而骨力纤弱。“骨”即骨法,指笔势或结构上的清劲雄健;“肉”指线条的丰肥、妍媚无力或浓墨重彩。古人强调书画创作应有骨有肉、骨肉匀称,既不失妍美而又雄健有力。因此,“丰肉微骨”是差评,而“丰骨微肉”或“骨丰肉润”则各有千秋。这一术语从人物的鉴赏延伸到艺术作品鉴赏,体现了中国美学概念“近取诸身”的特点。 Originally this term indicated that a woman had a delicate figure, that she was fleshy and limber. Later it was used to judge calligraphy and painting, indicating that the circulation of the writing brush was lavish and vigorous, but that the strength of

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反求诸己 – Chinese philosophy and culture

fǎnqiúzhūjǐ 反求诸己 Introspection 反省自己的言行与内心。“反求诸己”是孟子提出的一种道德修养方法。孟子秉承了儒家的主张,认为人的德行与功业的确立,从根本上取决于自身的修养。因此,如果自己的言语行事不能获得认可与赞赏,不应归咎于他人的误解,而应反省自己的言行与内心是否符合道德、礼法的要求。 This term refers to self-examination of one’s own words, deeds, and inner thoughts. Introspection is a way of moral cultivation put forward by Mencius. Mencius inherited the Confucian belief that one’s moral integrity and meritorious deeds are determined by his own ethical cultivation. If his words or deeds fail to gain

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法与时变,礼与俗化 – Chinese philosophy and culture

fǎ yǔ shí biàn,lǐ yǔ sú huà 法与时变,礼与俗化 Laws Change Along with Evolving Times; Rites Shift Along with Changing Customs. 国家的制度和法令随时代而改变,社会的礼义随风俗而变化。法:既指制度和律法,还包括由统治者颁布的各种政令。时:指时代、时势。礼:主要指社会的道德规范和行为准则。俗:除了习俗、风气,还包括国情民意。它认为一切都是变化发展的,制度、法令与礼义也应随着时代的发展而做出相应的调整。它反对因循守旧,主张创新变革,一切以顺应时势和国情民意为治国理政的根本原则。它是《周易》“与时偕行”这一思想的发挥,也蕴含儒家所倡导的“民本”思想。 In the context of this term, “laws” refer to the administrative edicts of a ruler as well as institutions and laws. “Times” refer primarily to the prevailing social conditions. “Rites” mainly refer to a

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夺胎换骨 – Chinese philosophy and culture

duó tāi huàn ɡǔ 夺胎换骨 Replace the Flesh and Bones of a Human Being with Those of an Immortal / Express the Ideas in Earlier Literary Works in a New Way 原意为脱去凡胎俗骨而换为圣胎仙骨,后比喻在诗文创作中援用前人作品的意思但能用自己的语言另立新意的一种技法。强调师法前人而不露痕迹并能有所创新。在诗歌创作中主要通过换字、换意凸显主旨、生成新意、造就佳句。“夺胎”是发现前人作品中具有某种意味,而予以阐扬、深化、拓展,乃至生成新意。“换骨”是发现前人作品中具有某种高妙的思想、情意但表现不够充分,而用更为恰切的语言予以重新表现,使之更完善、更鲜明。这一技巧体现文艺创作的传承、流变关系,在作品中可以看到很多具体运用的实例。文化学术的继承和发展也可以借鉴这一策略。 This term, which figuratively means to replace the flesh and bones of an ordinary human being with those of an immortal, is used

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大学 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dàxué 大学 Daxue / Great Learning 人们在不同意义上使用“大学”的概念。其一,从学校制度而言,“大学”指由国家设立的最高等级的学校,即“太学”,有别于地方设立的“塾”、“庠(xiánɡ)”、“序”等。其二,从教学内容而言,“大学”即所谓成人之学,主要讲授为人处事、治国理政的道理与原则,有别于学习文字或具体礼仪、技艺的“小学”。其三,从教学目标而言,“大学”旨在帮助学生确立健全的人格与德性,培养治国理政的人才。 The concept means different things in different contexts. In terms of institutions of learning, it refers to the institution of highest learning established by the state, which is different from local schools. When it comes to content of learning, it refers to what adults should learn, namely, general rules

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春节 – Chinese philosophy and culture

chūnjié 春节 Spring Festival 中华民族及海外华人最重要的传统节日。狭义的春节指农历新年第一个月的第一天,广义的春节是指从农历最后一个月的23日(祭灶)到新年第一个月的15日(元宵节)这一段时间。现代意义的春节实际上是古代一年之始与立春节气两者的混合。春节期间,人们会祭拜神灵和祖先,张贴春联和年画,置办年货,吃团圆饭,给压岁钱,除夕守岁,燃放爆竹,走亲访友,等等。它凝结着中国人的伦理情感、宗教情怀、生命意识,具有深厚的历史内涵和丰富的节俗内容。在伦理与宗教层面,除了祭祀,祈求祖先和神灵对家人的庇佑,春节更多体现了中国人对家族团圆、和睦及亲情的重视;在时间与生命意识上,在辞旧迎新、驱除邪祟的同时,表达人们对新年的祝福及对未来生活的美好期待。受中华文化影响,中国周边一些国家和民族也有庆祝春节的习俗。 This is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese nation and overseas Chinese. In the narrow sense, it is the first day of the Lunar New Year. In a broader sense, it refers to the festival that occurs between the 23rd day of the last lunar month (the day

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