Chinese Thought and Culture

xiǎokāng 小康 Modest Prosperity 作为一般古典词汇，指生活比较安乐、富裕。作为儒家重要政治概念，它是指夏禹、商汤、周文王、周武王、周成王和周公旦这样的杰出人物经过努力而达成的较好的治理状态：国家渐告安定，社会秩序良好，人们遵礼守法，人民生活安乐，是次于“大同”的理想社会。如今所说的“小康”，基本是指广大人民安居乐业，家庭经济生活比较宽裕的状态。而“全面建成小康社会”，则是指包括经济、政治、文化、社会、生态文明等五个方面的建设目标。作为中国式现代化建设的目标，“小康社会”是一个有着深厚历史文化渊源的新概念。 Since ancient times, the term xiaokang (小康) has been understood to mean a state of peace and moderate prosperity. As an important political concept of Confucianism, it has been used to refer to what was seen as the commendable political climate achieved through the efforts of outstanding rulers such as Yu […]

xiánrén 贤人 Person of Integrity 贤德之人。“贤人”是古人所推崇的理想人格之一。“贤人”能够践行并维护人伦生活的各种规则，其言行被作为人伦生活的典范。不过，不同学派对于“贤人”之德的具体内涵会有不同的理解。儒家所言“贤人”，即能够践行仁义等道德，是为政的重要人才。而墨家所言“贤人”，则要能够使治下的百姓以“兼爱”作为根本的行事原则。此外，如道家等学派则认为对“贤人”的推崇会导致无谓的纷争，不利于社会的治理。 A person of integrity is one with the ideal character championed by the ancient Chinese. A person of integrity practices and observes all the ethical rules and standards in life, and his behavior is revered as the model for such a way of life. However, different schools of thought

xíyí 檄移 Condemnation and Admonition 古代文体名称。“檄”即檄文，是战前誓师讨伐敌人的宣言；“移”即移文，多用于劝诫百姓移易不良风俗或不当言行的公告。南朝刘勰（465？—520）在《文心雕龙·檄移》中认为，檄文的作用是声讨敌人的罪过，鼓舞士气，赢得人民支持，打击敌人斗志，因此，在行文时一定要气势刚强，有理有据，表述清晰，可以运用夸饰、渲染甚至是诡诈的手法。而移文的作用是揭示内部存在的问题及危害，公开颁布命令要求改正，因为针对的是自己人，应该多一些宽容和理解；要就事论事，不要夸饰渲染；要直陈其事，不要拐弯抹角，更不要欺瞒。檄文和移文的共同点是在抨击罪恶现象和不良风气时均义正辞严，所持立场和态度是一致的。 This term means two types of imperial decrees in ancient times. Xi (檄) was an official condemnation of the enemy and an official rallying call to fight, whereas yi (移) was an admonition released to the public to advise people against improper speech and behavior. As Liu Xie (465?-520) remarked in

wùsè 物色 Physical Features 泛指各种自然事物的形貌。“物色”本义为牲畜的毛色，引申指物体的颜色，进而指景物、景色。南朝刘勰（465？—520）在《文心雕龙·物色》中专门对自然景物与文学创作的关系进行了讨论。他认为“情以物迁，辞以情发”，自然景物作为审美对象能够引发人们的创作冲动，从而发为文章。优秀的文学作品，既要做到“写气图貌，既随物以宛转”，细腻描摹景物；也要“属采附声，亦与心而徘徊”，情景交融。《昭明文选》中赋类有“物色”一目，专门收录写景出众的作品。 This term refers broadly to the appearances and patterns of everything in nature. It was originally used to describe the colors of animal furs; later it became associated with the colors of all physical objects, such as the splendor of scenery and landscape. Liu Xie (465?-520) of the Southern Dynasties

wǔlún 五伦 The Five Bonds 五种人与人的关系及其规范，亦称“人伦”。中国古人认为，父子、君臣、夫妇、长幼（兄弟姐妹）、朋友这五种关系是最基本的人与人之间的关系，每种关系须遵循相应的规范，如“父子有亲，君臣有义，夫妇有别，长幼有序，朋友有信”，处理好这五种关系是治理好国家社会的基础。它体现了中国人以人为本、注重秩序的精神。 Also known as the five human relationships, these refer to the relationships between father and son, between monarch and minister, between husband and wife, between siblings, and between friends. Ancient Chinese people believed that these were the most basic relationships between people. Each relationship had to follow the corresponding

wúcháng 无常 Anitya / Impermanent 缺乏恒常性。世间万物皆因缘和合而生、离散而灭，并不存在一个恒常不变的本质，可以作为其同一性的根据。佛教又将“无常”分为两个层次：一个叫“相续无常”，指生命个体缺乏诸如灵魂等不随生死变异的本质，仅有表面上的相续相似性；一个叫“念念无常”，指一切缘起的事物随心念刹那间生灭变化。 This term means lack of permanence. Everything in the world comes into being through a combination of causes and conditions. It perishes without them. There is no permanent, unchanging essence which one may see as the basis of its identity. Buddhism distinguishes two levels of impermanence. First, impermanence of successive

wén yǐ yì wéi zhǔ 文以意为主 The Message Matters More than the Rhetoric. 写文章要以立意为主导。“意”就是文章的思想内容。这是中国古代重要的文学理论命题，在宋、金、元、明文论中，多次被强调，并为后世学者所接受。这一理论认为，在立意与辞章文采两者中要把立意放在首要地位。这一观点与唐宋时人提出的“文以明道”说和“文以载道”说有密切的关联，是中国古代文学理论优良传统的一脉传承，但这里的“意”，远比“道”的内涵要宽泛。 Writing is done mainly to convey a meaning. Here, “meaning” refers to what an article is essentially about. This is an important theoretic notion in ancient Chinese literary theory. It was often emphasized in essays of the Song, Jin, Yuan and

wéi xué rì yì, wéi dào rì sǔn 为学日益，为道日损 Pursue Knowledge by Adding; Pursue Dao by Subtracting 追求知识要一天比一天增加，探求“道”要一天比一天减少（偏见和欲望）。“为学”是指知识和学问的积累，因此要做加法，以求广博丰富；“为道”则是对世界普遍法则的领悟，因此要做减法，去除一切世俗偏见和个人欲望，做到无知无欲，进而达到“无为”。“为道日损”也是老子所主张的治国理政的基本原则，即制定政策必须简化易行，尽可能不干扰民众的自然生活。这是道家“无为”理念的体现。 Pursue knowledge by adding more each day. Pursue Dao by subtracting some (bias and desires) each day. “Pursuing knowledge” refers to the accumulation of knowledge and wisdom, hence it uses addition to broaden and enrich. “Pursuing Dao”

wéi rén yóu jǐ 为仁由己 Readily Practice Benevolence and Virtue 践行仁德取决于自己。孔子（前551—前479）在向弟子讲解仁德之义时，提出了“为仁由己”的观念。孔子强调，仁德的实现并不依赖于外在的规范。虽然仁德要求人们克制自己的言行以符合礼的要求，但对仁德的践行根本上还是取决于人们自身对仁德的认同与追求，并自觉地按照仁德的标准行事。 When explaining benevolence and virtue to his disciples, Confucius (551-479 BC) put forward the concept that “one should readily practice benevolence and virtue.” He stressed that the accomplishment of benevolence and virtue was not driven by external norms. Rather, one should restrain himself and

sòngzàn 颂赞 Extolment and Commendation 歌颂、赞扬美好的人物、事物、功德、品行等，并弘扬其积极意义和正面价值的文体。“颂”本指仪容，作为文体名称，有“描摹仪容”“颂扬”双重含义，意思是通过描写仪容状貌颂扬人的德行；“赞”是赞美，用于对人的功德或美好事物的赞美与评价。二者的共同点都是以歌颂赞美为宗旨，篇幅简短，句式整齐，多用韵文。南朝刘勰（465？—520）高度推崇颂赞文学的思想性和教化功能，认为“颂”的对象已由神明、帝王扩展到普通人，“颂”的范围已由国家大事扩展到一切美好事物；“赞”同时有评价的功用，通过积极、肯定的评价可以提升赞美的意义。在中国文学中，“颂”“赞”不仅可以独立成文，而且常常附着于各类文艺、新闻作品，这些作品以歌颂或正面评价的方式，在中华思想文化系统中传播着正能量。 Essays of extolment and commendation were written to pay tribute to laudable persons, things, merits and virtues, thus promoting their positive influence. The purpose of both an extolment and a commendation is to exalt good persons and things. Such essays are short, neatly patterned and rhymed. Liu Xie (465?-520)