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典雅 – Chinese philosophy and culture

diǎnyǎ 典雅 Classical Elegance 指文章典范雅正。最初指写文章要有经典依据,文章的思想内容应纯正高尚,以经典文献特别是儒家的义理规章作为审美规范,后侧重指文章的文辞和风格高雅优美而不浅俗艳浮。其后,“典雅”这一术语又逐步融入道家自然恬淡、超尘出世的审美意蕴,如司空图在《二十四诗品》中用“落花无言,人淡如菊”来描述“典雅”,就很接近道家自然恬淡的风格。 This term refers to a type of writing that is classically elegant. Originally, it meant that a piece of writing should be modeled on ancient classics, express pure and noble ideas, and follow classical literary styles by using Confucian doctrines for aesthetic guidance. Later, the term shifted to emphasize elegant […]

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德性之知 – Chinese philosophy and culture

déxìnɡzhīzhī 德性之知 Knowledge from One’s Moral Nature 由心的作用而获得的超越于感官经验的认识,与“见闻之知”相对。张载最先区分了“见闻之知”与“德性之知”。宋儒认为,人对生活世界的认识是通过两种不同方式实现的。通过目见、耳闻所获得的认识,是“见闻之知”;通过内心的道德修养所获得的认识,则是“德性之知”。“德性之知”不依赖于感官见闻,并超越于“见闻之知”,是对于生活世界的根本认识。 The term refers to knowledge derived from the functioning of the mind, which, in contrast to “knowledge from one’s senses,” transcends knowledge obtained through the sensory organs. Zhang Zai was the first to differentiate between”knowledge from one’s senses” and “knowledge from one’s moral nature.”Confucian scholars of the

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得道多助,失道寡助 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dédào-duōzhù,shīdào-guǎzhù 得道多助,失道寡助 A Just Cause Enjoys Abundant Support While an Unjust Cause Finds Little Support. 奉行道义,支持的人就多;违背道义,支持的人就少。“道”即道义、正义。中国人自古推崇道义,认为道义是决定战争或事业成败的根本力量。只有奉行道义,才能赢得内部的团结一致、赢得民心,取得战争或事业的最后胜利;否则就将不得人心,从而陷入孤立无援的境地,归于失败。它是中华“德政”思想与“文明”精神的具体体现。 The Chinese phrase dedao (得道) or “obtaining Dao” here refers to having “a just cause.” Since ancient times Chinese people have had a high esteem for justice and have thought of justice as a decisive factor determining success or failure

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道济天下 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dàojìtiānxià 道济天下 Support All People by Upholding Truth and Justice 以“道”拯救、帮助天下的人。“道”指道理、道义,也可以是某种学说、思想等;“济”即救助,使人免于困苦;“天下”指世间所有的人。“道济天下”包含两层意思:其一,“道”的价值有无、大小就是看它于天下人是否有益。其二,君子特别是知识分子应该将自己所主张或掌握的“道”用于天下、用于经世济民。和“经世致用”一样,“道济天下”实质代表中国传统知识分子治学立世的终极目标与人格理想,体现了中国传统知识分子追求真理、坚持真理、关注社会民生以及“以天下为己任”的人文情怀和道德境界。 The term means to save and help all people through upholding truth and justice. Dao (道) here refers to truth and justice, and also to particular thought or doctrine. Ji (济) means relieving or helping people out of difficulties or sufferings. Tianxia (天下) refers to everything under

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当行 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dāngháng 当行 Professionalism 即内行、在行。最初用于诗歌评论,指诗歌创作完全契合诗歌的体制规范。后发展成为中国古典戏曲理论的重要术语。主要含义有二:其一,指戏曲语言质朴自然、浅显通俗,符合人物性格并适合舞台表演;其二,指戏曲中的角色创造及故事情景,真实传神,具有强烈的艺术感染力,能让观众沉浸其中。在明代戏曲理论中,“当行”经常与“本色”连用,能当行、具本色的戏曲作品就是上乘佳作。 The expression was first used in poetry criticism to mean that a poem fully met poetic stylistic standards. It later became an important term in Chinese classical operatic theory. It has two meanings. One is that the language used by a character in a play is simple, natural, easy to understand,

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淡泊明志,宁静致远 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dànbó-míngzhì,níngjìng-zhìyuǎn 淡泊明志,宁静致远 Indifference to Fame and Fortune Characterizes a High Aim in Life, and Leading a Quiet Life Helps One Accomplish Something Lasting. 淡泊名利才能明确自己的志向,心神宁静才能达到远大的目标。淡泊:恬淡寡欲,不重名利;宁静:安宁恬静,不为外物所动;致远:到达远处,即实现远大目标。这是古代中国人所追求的自我修养的一种境界,其核心是对待名利的态度。它希望人们不要贪图名利,为名利所累;要始终胸怀远大理想,专心一意地为实现远大理想而努力。 This saying, with the attitude to fame and fortune at its core, refers to a way in which people in ancient China sought to practice self-cultivation. People should not be greedy

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淡泊 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dànbó 淡泊 Quiet Living with No Worldly Desire 恬淡宁静。最初指清心寡欲、平和恬淡的一种人生态度。道家主张“淡”,认为淡而无味才是至味,这种思想对于“淡泊”审美观念的形成有较大影响。从魏晋时代开始,淡泊被运用于审美领域,指平和清淡的艺术美感与风格,与浓艳富丽相对。淡泊不是淡而无味,是指经过了提纯、熔炼,宁静而空灵,平淡而有深远的韵味。 This term was first used to mean to lead a quiet, peaceful life with few worldly desires. Daoism advocates blandness, believing that lack of flavor is the best possible flavor. It was highly influential in the creation of the aesthetic concept of blandness and quiet living.

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丹青 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dānqīng 丹青 Painting in Colors 丹和青是中国古代绘画常用的两种颜色,早期中国画常用丹砂、青雘(huò)一类矿物颜料“勾线填色”,因而用“丹青”代指绘画。代表性的丹青作品有西汉马王堆一号墓帛画,北魏、隋唐时期的敦煌壁画等。后丹青逐渐为水墨所代替。由于丹青颜色鲜艳绚丽,且不易褪色,古代用丹册纪勋、青史纪事。史家多以丹青比喻一个人功勋卓著,永载史册,不会磨灭。 Dan (丹 cinnabar) and qing (青 cyan) were two colors frequently applied in traditional Chinese painting. Cinnabar is red and cyan is bluish green. In early times, Chinese paintings often used minerals such as cinnabar and cyan to draw lines or fill in colors. Hence the term danqing (丹青) made from the

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大用 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dàyòng 大用 Maximal Functioning 最大的运用,本义指道在外部世界的各种呈现即是道之最大的显现和运用。道家认为内在的道是主宰外部世界变化的根本,客观世界的各种形态都由作为内在本质的道所造成,是体用统一的结果。唐代司空图《二十四诗品》将这一术语引入文学评论,目的是强调诗歌意象丰富多彩的美实际上是作品内在精神与外在形态的统一。人们进行诗歌创作与鉴赏时必须领略现象与本质之美的和谐一致。 Maximal functioning means that all kinds of appearances of Dao in the external world are the greatest manifestation and functioning of Dao. Daoist scholars believe that the internal Dao determines the basis for changes in the external world, and that all kinds of forms in the objective world derive from

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大体、小体 – Chinese philosophy and culture

dàtǐ,xiǎotǐ 大体、小体 The Major Organ and the Minor Organs 孟子对心与感觉器官的称谓,用于对大人与小人的区分。耳、目等感觉器官为“小体”,耳目之官不具备思考与辨别的能力,因此在与外物的接触中易受外物牵引。人如果仅仅依循于“小体”,则会陷于物欲,是为小人。心为“大体”,心天生具有思考与辨别的能力。人如果能够确立“大体”的主导性,则可以通过心的作用,发现并不断扩充心中固有的善端,不为物欲所蒙蔽,是为大人。 Referring to the heart and the sensory organs, this term was used by Mencius to differentiate between men of virtue and petty men. Sensory organs such as the ears and eyes are called “minor organs” because they lack a capacity for thought and for cognition,

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