Chinese Thought and Culture

lùnshuō 论说 Writings of Argument and Persuasion 古代文体名称，泛指古代各种论说文体。“论”是就某一理论问题进行深入研讨的文章，“说”指让人接受某一道理、主张的口头或书面说辞。南朝刘勰（465？—520）主张，论说文不要依傍前人成说立论，而应有自己的独立见解，须围绕一种理论、一个主题，依据经典和相关材料，综合概括各家见解，周密、深入地思考分析，得出严谨可靠、圆满通达的结论。而对于以说服人为目的的说辞，则要充满诚意，阐明正理和大义，要善于运用典型事例和美好言辞，增强其说服力与感染力，但不能虚假迎合、欺骗诱导。他还指出，论说者要以独立思考去抵达真理，做到师法自心、有创见，笔锋锐利，持论精密。这些见解成为衡量文章优劣的基本标准和文章写作的重要法则。 This term refers to writings of argument and persuasion in ancient times. An essay of argument and persuasion was written to explore a theoretical issue in an in-depth way (lun) and make an argument about it to persuade people (shuo). According to Liu Xie (465?-520) of the […]

lúnlǐ 伦理 Ethics 本义指事物的条理，引申指人伦道德之理，即人与人之间的关系以及处理这些关系的基本道理、原则和规范。中国人自古注重人与人之间关系的处理，儒家认为人伦规范是人之所以为人的主要根据，因而伦理思想十分发达。此为中华传统思想文化一大特点。近代以降，“伦理”被确定为ethics的译词，事物条理之义隐去，专指人和人相处的各种道德准则。 Originally, the term referred to the natural order of things. Gradually its meaning was transformed into ethical principles, i.e., relationships between human beings, and fundamental rules, principles and norms regulating such relationships. Since ancient times, the Chinese people have continuously valued highly proper relationships between people. The Confucian School believed that

lí 离 Li (The Fire Symbol) “八卦”之一，画为“”。“离”又为“六十四卦”之一，由两个三画的“离”卦组成，画为“”。在“八卦”系统中，“离”卦的基本象征意义是火，有干燥万物之义。又因火必附着于物而可燃烧，而有附着之义。“离”卦由一个阴爻和两个阳爻组成，属于阴卦，在人伦领域象征女性。“离”卦中的阴爻居于中位，故象征家中诸女中居长幼之间者。 Li (离) is one of the eight trigrams, represented by the diagram . It is also one of the 64 hexagrams and composed of two trigrams like this . Li symbolizes fire, which implies drying up all things. Since fire depends on combustible material to spread, it implies a relationship of

kǎn 坎 Kan (The Water Symbol) “八卦”之一，画为“”。“坎”又为“六十四卦”之一，由两个三画的“坎”卦组成，画为“”。在“八卦”系统中，“坎”卦的基本象征意义是水，有润泽万物之义。又因水流存于洼陷之处，而有陷泥、凶险之义。“坎”卦由一个阳爻和两个阴爻组成，属于阳卦，在人伦领域象征男性。“坎”卦中的阳爻居于中位，故象征家中诸子中居长幼之间者。 Kan (坎) is one of the eight trigrams, represented by the diagram . It is also one of the 64 hexagrams and composed of two trigrams like this . Kan symbolizes water, which moistens all things on earth. Since water always flows toward or deposits in a lower place, it also

jùnxiàn 郡县 Prefectures and Counties 春秋末年至秦代逐渐形成的以郡统县的两级地方行政制度。春秋战国时期，就有一些诸侯国在新兼并的地区设置郡或县，当时郡县之间并无统属关系。秦始皇（前259—前210）统一中国后，废除了与宗法制互为表里的封建制（也称分封制），在全国范围内实行从中央到地方垂直管理的郡县制：中央统郡，郡统县；郡县的主要官员由中央直接任免；郡之长官称“守”（汉景帝更名为“太守”），县之长官称“令”或“长”。汉初实行封建制与郡县制并行，其后郡县成为常制，后来的州县制实由郡县制脱胎而来。这种行政制度强化了专制帝制，是中央集权体制的有机组成部分。 The two-tier local government administration of prefectures and counties took shape between the late Spring and Autumn Period and the early Qin Dynasty. Back in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, some kingdoms established county or prefectural administration in newly annexed areas, but the two were separate

jūnzǐ-bùqì 君子不器 A Gentleman Is Not an Implement. 君子不能像某种器物一样，只限于特定的形态和功能。出自《论语·为政》。孔子（前551—前479）原话有两层含义：其一，每种器物都有自己特定的形态和功用，但君子的目标不能囿于具体的器物形态或仅限于某一方面的功用，而是通达其基本原理，尽可能成为通才；其二，君子不能满足于制作器物这样的一技之长，而是致力于事物基本规律的探究也即超越有形的器物而去把握无形的“道”。后世学者主要发挥后一含义。“君子不器”在当今仍有普适意义，即君子不应拘于本职事务的处理，而应有全局观念，致力于对基本原则和普遍规律的体认与遵循。 A true gentleman is not like an implement that has a fixed form and its operation subject to its properties. This term originates from The Analects by Confucius (551-479 BC). What Confucius meant was: first, an implement has its fixed form and properties. However, a gentleman’s

jìngtǔ 净土 Sukhāvatīvyūha / Pure Land 诸佛所居处的远离烦恼的地方。净土的概念从“佛国”（buddhakṣetra）而来，指某一成道者所在的世界。一佛一化土，是大乘佛教思想的重要标志。由于佛心清净，他所处的世界亦清净庄严，与凡夫所处的被烦恼染污的世界相对。净土宗的重要法门是通过念诵净土中的某一佛陀名号，如“阿弥陀佛”，然后通过后者的誓愿而得往生其国。 Pure land refers to a buddha’s field free of contamination and suffering. The idea derives from the notion of buddhakṣetra (literally buddha-field), which is the dwelling place of an Enlightened One. That the multiple worlds each shelters a buddha is a key doctrine in Mahayana Buddhism. Such a pure and

jīngxué 经学 Classics Scholarship 研究儒家经典的学问。“经学”也称“六艺之学”，是围绕《诗》《书》《礼》《乐》《易》《春秋》等儒家经典展开的学问，包含对经典的训诂注疏、义理阐释以及对文本传承、学派源流等问题的讨论。“经学”的核心是通过对经典义理的不断阐释，表达阐释者对生活世界的秩序与价值的根本理解。 It refers to the study of Confucian classics. Classics scholarship is also called “studies of the six arts,” namely, the scholarship on The Book of Songs, The Book of History, The Book of Rites, The Book of Music, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals, encompassing annotations

jiànyì-yǒngwéi 见义勇为 Act Bravely for a Just Cause 遇见合乎道义的事情，就勇敢地去做。它是坚持道义和勇于担当的奉献精神的有机统一，是中华民族自古崇尚的优良品格和行为。如今，见义勇为受到法律保护，依相关条例规定，它是指公民为保护国家利益、社会公共利益或者他人的人身财产安全，不顾个人安危，挺身而出，同正在实施的违法犯罪行为作斗争，或者抢险、救灾、救人的行为。无论古今，见义勇为都是一种良好的社会道德风尚，是社会文明进步的重要标志。 This term refers to a person acting courageously to do what is righteous. This fine tradition hailed by the Chinese nation since ancient times establishes that a man should be committed to upholding justice and shouldering social responsibility. Today, such acts are protected by law. Some

jiǎn 俭 Thriftiness 俭朴，古人倡导的一种美德。在不同学派的思想中，“俭”的含义会有所区别。在儒家看来，“俭”是对奢侈浪费的克服。儒家认为，行礼、行事应避免奢侈。奢侈会带来对物质财富的浪费，同时也会使人们竞逐于物质的富足，从而丧失行礼、行事的初衷与本质。在道家看来，“俭”特指统治者的俭朴。统治者不应为了满足自己的欲求而耗费民财，应以俭朴的行事避免对百姓生活的干扰。 Thriftiness is a virtue espoused by ancient Chinese. However, its meaning varies somewhat among different schools of thought. According to the Confucian school, thriftiness meant rejecting extravagance and waste. One should practice no extravagance in holding a ceremony or in daily life. Extravagance causes waste of things. Moreover, it would lead