Chinese Thought and Culture

rénzhězì’ài 仁者自爱 A Man of Benevolence Cherishes Himself. 有仁德的人珍爱自己。这是孔子（前551—前479）的学生颜回提出的命题，为“仁者爱人”提供了主体性原点。依照儒家的逻辑，仁者必“自爱”，而后推己及人，达到“爱人”，也因此必然赢得他人的爱，形成人我之间爱的循环。此外，古来提倡“自爱”者不少，未必限于儒家，其意不是要人自私自利，而是要人自尊自立，为国为民有所作为。 This concept was first raised by Yan Hui, one of Confucius’ (551-479 BC) disciples. He provided a subjective source for benevolence. According to the Confucian School, a man of benevolence is sure to cherish himself and then extend his love to others. In return, he is […]

qínɡjiào 情教 Moral Instruction Carried Out with Emotion 指文学作品所具有的以情动人的教育功能，即文学作品可以通过描写男女爱情及人世间的真情感化读者、净化心灵，并最终影响、改变社会风气。由明末著名通俗文学家冯梦龙（1574—1646）提出。冯氏强调“情”是人的一种本能、天性，始于男女，而流注于君臣、父子、兄弟、朋友之间，小说要写真情，有真情才能感动人心，从而起到教化作用。冯梦龙倡立“情教”说，并不是要抛弃道德和说理，只是他认为情比道德和说理更本质、更真切，更贴近人的本性。“情教”说发展了明中叶以来重情尚真的思想，代表了冯梦龙的文学观与世界观。他用毕生精力加工整理并创作了大量通俗文学作品，也是对这一思想的实践。 The educational function of a literary work is best fulfilled through discreet emotional influence, based on the belief that a literary work can affect and purify the reader’s soul through descriptions of love between men and women and of true feeling available in the world to

qínɡ jiān yǎ yuàn 情兼雅怨 A Mixed Quality of Grace and Sorrow 诗歌既表达了诗人的怨苦情感，又不违背雅正的审美标准。这是南朝著名文学理论家钟嵘（468？—518）提出的评判诗歌好坏的标准之一。钟嵘从艺术角度评价曹植（192—232）的诗“情兼雅怨”，其意强调诗歌要抒发诗人内心的怨苦，但这种情感的宣泄一定要适度，符合雅正标准。对于“雅怨”的具体解释，则存在不同看法：一种认为“雅怨”就是“雅正之怨”，重心在“怨”，说曹植的诗虽然抒发了受压抑的怨苦，但诗风温厚平和，符合“雅”的要求；另一种认为“雅”“怨”是并立的概念，说曹植的诗同时兼有雅正与怨苦两种艺术特点。不管哪种理解，钟嵘的“情兼怨雅”说，既是对陆机（261—303）“诗缘情”理论的发展，也是对传统诗歌理论“发乎情，止乎礼义”所作的进一步说明。 Poetry should express a poet’s grief while not violating the aesthetic rule of proper grace. First raised by the renowned Southern Dynasties literary theorist Zhong Rong (468?-518), this is an important criterion used to judge the merit of poetry. Proceeding from an

qínɡ fā yú shēnɡ 情发于声 Feelings Find Expression in Musical Poetry. 当人们受到外界事物的触发，情感在心里激荡，就会用诗歌表现这种情感并用一定的音乐旋律咏唱出来。见于《毛诗序》。这是中国古代关于诗歌起源的一种说法，与《尚书》中的“诗言志”大体接近且一脉相承。在上古时代，诗歌、音乐、舞蹈三位一体，密不可分，“情发于声”体现了上古诗歌的主要特点。到了后来，诗歌逐渐成为单纯的语言艺术，与音乐、舞蹈脱节，“情发于声”的说法也就退出历史舞台了。 When feelings surge up in people’s hearts due to inspiration from external objects, they will find expression in poetry and music. This is stated in “Preface to Mao’s Version of The Book of Songs,” echoing the idea of “writing poetry to voice one’s

pútí 菩提 Bodhi 断除烦恼的智慧。意译为“觉”，指摆脱各种烦恼障碍的智慧。菩提是各种修行道路所追求的目标，但不同路径达到的菩提等级有别。中国佛教有本觉、真觉的思想倾向，认为修行所及的结果，其实是本来具备的本性智慧。 Bodhi refers to the noblest form of wisdom, which is capable of eliminating afflictions. The literal meaning of the term is “enlightenment” or “awakening.” It refers to the wisdom that can do away with afflictions of all kinds, which hinder the believer’s progress towards his or her ultimate enlightenment. Admittedly, bodhi

píngděng 平等 Equality 相同，没有差别。本是梵语sama的译词。作为佛教的基本观念，它最初是指各种姓之间没有差别，后来大乘佛教及中国化的佛教——禅宗等佛教派别认为一切法、一切众生之间在佛性与终极意义上没有差别。佛教的平等观有多种，其中影响最为普及深远的是“众生平等”（一切有情有识的生物无差别），一般被理解为人人平等。近代以降，它用以翻译西方的equality，主要指每个人作为社会主体在社会关系和社会生活中具有同等的地位、机会和权利。 As the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit word “sama,” pingdeng (平等) means the same level with no difference. As a fundamental concept of Buddhism, it originally meant that there was no difference between the various castes. Later on, in Mahayana Buddhism and Buddhism adapted to the Chinese conditions, such as Zen Buddhism,

pànjiào 判教 Classification of Teachings 指佛教各宗为了消除分歧、树立本派的正宗地位和权威而对佛教各类经典的意义和地位所进行的分类排序。也称“教判”。各宗派的判教不同，一般由低到高、由浅入深，将本宗的经典教义视为最高的教法。在印度佛教中已有运用，隋唐时期的各宗均有自己的判教，比如天台宗的“五时八教”，将佛陀传法分为五个时期，以华严为首，依次为阿含、方等、般若、法华涅槃；从教化方法上分为顿、渐、秘密、不定四类，从理论性质上分为藏、通、别、圆四类。这是一种带有强烈宗派意识的理论整合方法，对佛教在中国的本土化产生了深远影响。 The term refers to an exegetical classification in which a Buddhist school, in order to bridge theological differences of various teachings or establish its own position and authority, ranks the significance and status of various scriptures. It is also known as jiao pan (classification of the tenets). Different schools and

nièpán 涅槃 Nirvana 出离轮回的状态。涅槃的字面意思是熄灭，与烦恼炽盛相对，指达到觉悟、断灭一切烦恼生死的清净状态，是佛教修行的基本目标。涅槃又分有余、无余两种：有余涅槃指觉悟后，肉身仍因前世因缘持续未灭；无余涅槃指所有业力全部消耗殆尽，生身不复，彻底从轮回状态中解脱。大乘经典拓展了涅槃的观念，以现见实相为涅槃，主张涅槃与世间的相即关系。 This term refers to the state of having left samsara, the circle of rebirth. The literal meaning of nirvana is extinction or blowing off, in contrast to affliction, which is burning like fire. It refers to the attainment of a purified state where one attains enlightenment and eradicates affliction, birth, and

niánhào 年号 Reign Title 中国古代用来纪年的一种名号，也可用来表示年份。一般由君主发起。新帝王即位后，为了与上一任帝王相区别，都要改元（更改年号）以重新纪年。年号的真正确立始于汉武帝刘彻（前156—前87），他首创年号“建元”（前140—前135），此后形成制度。帝王在位期间如遇有祥瑞或重大事情，常更改年号。一个皇帝所用年号少则一个，多则十几个。人们把这记录年代的起始之年称作“纪元”，改换年号称作“改元”。1912年中华民国成立后，废除年号，改用民国纪年。1949年中华人民共和国成立后，采用西方公元纪年。受古代中国影响，朝鲜、日本、越南也先后采用年号制度，日本至今仍在沿用。 This term refers to the name of a period given by the ruling emperor to indicate and record the years of his period of rule in ancient China. When a new emperor ascended the throne, he would replace the reign title of his predecessor with a new one so as

miàohào 庙号 Temple Titles of Emperors 古代帝王死后被追加的在庙中被供奉、祭祀时所用的敬称。一般认为起源于商朝。常用“祖”字或“宗”字，如“太祖”“高祖”“太宗”“高宗”等。庙号的选定有着严格的制度规定，如有功者称“祖”，有德者称“宗”，创立基业者称“太”，功勋卓著者称“高”等。和谥号制度一样，庙号制度也是中国传统政治中的重要制度文化。它通过对死者的评价垂范后人。受中国影响，朝鲜、越南也曾实行这项制度。 Temple titles (miaohao 庙号) were accorded to deceased emperors for use at ancestral sacrifices. This practice is believed to have originated in the Shang Dynasty. The last character of such names were customarily zu (祖 progenitor) or zong (宗 ancestor). The temple names were given according to strict rules. Those with