Chinese Thought and Culture

shàng xià tóng yù zhě shèng 上下同欲者胜 Triumph Comes When Leaders and Followers Share the Same Goal. 上下齐心协力，才能取得胜利。是由中国古代军事家孙武提出的重要思想。大到国家、军队，小到一个单位，无论职位高低，都应该抱持同样的愿望、意志和目标，这样就能凝聚众人的智慧、发挥最大的战力。它强调人的精神作用和团结之力，体现“以人为本”的中华思维特质。 This is an important concept put forward by Sun Wu, the great strategist of ancient China. No matter what their position or level, the people in a state, an army or even a work unit should share […]

rén zhě wú dí 仁者无敌 The Benevolent Person Is Invincible. 具有仁德的人是无敌于天下的。“仁者”指具有“仁德”的君主或施行仁政的国家。“仁德”在政治层面表现为“仁政”，以仁爱作为施政的依据和出发点，善待民众，慎用刑罚，减轻赋税，最大限度地惠及百姓。如此才能赢得民众的拥护，上下一心，众志成城，无敌于天下。其基本原理是：国家强盛的深厚源泉，在于赢得民心；只有善待百姓，才能获取这一源泉，充满力量。 The one who is benevolent has no enemy. The benevolent refers to a ruler who has the virtue of benevolence or to a state with benevolent rule. In terms of political affairs, benevolence manifests itself as benevolent governance based on love and care for

rén fù tiān shù 人副天数 Humanity Should Be Aligned with Nature. 人的身体结构、情感、伦理等符合天的结构与秩序。“人副天数”之说是由董仲舒（前179—前104）提出的。他认为，天地万物及其运行有其自身的结构和秩序。而人的身体、情感、思虑以及行事、伦理，都与天地的结构与秩序相合，特别在数量上有某种对应关系。根据“人副天数”之说，人不过是天的一个副本。这一思想构成了天人之间相互感应、作用的基础。 People’s physical constitution, emotions and ethics should closely correspond with the structure and order of Nature. The theory of “Humanity Should Be Aligned with Nature” was put forward by Dong Zhongshu (179-104 BC). He believed that all things between heaven and earth and

rén 人 Human Being; Humanity “人”字自创生时起，即被注入了中华人文精神。字形上像人侧身垂手侍立，含谦逊之意。因为人懂得思考，明白个体力量的不足，需要与他人合作。古代思想家认为，人是与天、地并立的生命存在（合称“三才”），人是天地的心灵、宇宙之精华，因此最为尊贵。中国古人的许多思想尤其是政治、伦理思想，都基于“人”提出故而闪耀着人文的光辉。 The Chinese character for human being (人) has been imbued with Chinese humanistic spirit since it was created. In its ancient form, it resembled a man standing with his body slightly bending forward, his hands on his sides, looking modest and polite. Because humans have the ability to think,

Qū Sòng 屈宋 The Qu-Song Duo 战国时期楚国诗人屈原（前340？—前278）和宋玉。屈原是“楚辞文学”的开创者和伟大的浪漫主义诗人，代表作有《离骚》等。宋玉相传是屈原的学生，是屈原之后楚国著名的辞赋作家，代表作有《九辨》等，后世因以“屈宋”合称，但是宋玉名望和成就远不如屈原。 Qu and Song here refer respectively to Qu Yuan (340?-278 BC) and Song Yu, both being poets of the State of Chu of the Warring States Period. The former was the pioneer of Chuci (The Odes of Chu or The Songs of the South) poetry and a great romantic

mù nè 木讷 Simple and Sparing of Words 质朴而少言。“木”指为人质朴，“讷”指言语少而迟缓。人们对于道义的持守应发自内心的认同与追求，而不是为了以外在的表现去获取名声与利益。“木讷”即强调舍弃对名利的追求，避免浮华不实的行为与言语，专注于自身的德行修养。儒家认为，“木讷”作为一种重要的美德，接近于“仁”的要求。在这个意义上，“木讷”并不同于日常语用中的呆板迟钝之义。 The first of these two Chinese characters means simple and honest. The second one means sparing of words. People should embrace moral standards with all their hearts rather than cultivate an ostentatious appearance in an attempt to seek fame and gain. To be simple and sparing

mín wú xìn bú lì 民无信不立 Without People’s Trust the State Will Not Survive. 若是得不到百姓的信任，国家政权就不会稳固。中国人自古重“信”（诚信、信任）；孔子把它放在了官民关系上，并提到了事关政权稳固与否的高度。其意为：国家或国家的治理者要对百姓讲诚信，不倚仗权势而妄为，以使百姓信任自己，而百姓对自己也因此讲诚信。这是政权建立、坚固的基础和保障。它也是“民惟邦本”思想的引申表达。 Without the trust of the people, the government will not be stable. Chinese people have since antiquity put high value on “trust” (good faith). Confucius applied it to the relationship between officials and the people and saw it as a

lì 丽 Enthralling Charm “丽”有成对、美丽、绮丽、附丽等多种意涵，彰显华美、绮靡、艳丽等形式美感，是中国古典美学重要范畴之一。从风格而言，它既可表优美，亦可表壮美。就书法而言，它指字的结体之外有余味、余韵，让人兴发美感。就音乐而言，它表现为从清静中发出美妙声音，给人以古淡、素雅之美。 The notion of enthralling charm carries a variety of meanings, such as symmetry, beauty, splendor, and attachment. It highlights the formal aesthetic features of magnificence, intricate beauty, and colorfulness, thus forming a major component of classical Chinese aesthetics. Stylistically, this term indicates elegance and majestic beauty. When referring to calligraphy,

lì 力 Strength; Capability 人为的力量或能力。“力”既指一人之力，也可指团体、国家之力。“力”表现为施用者对自身及外在事物的控制与影响。“力”不应成为强者胁迫弱者的手段，“力”的施用应符合道德、礼法的要求。在力所能及的范围内，人们应克服外在条件所造成的阻碍与困难，尽力去达成合乎德礼的目标。不过，人力也有一定的限度。超出人力限度的事情即归之于“命”，不必强求。 The term means human strength or capability. Strength refers to the power of one person, an organization or a country. Strength represents control or influence one exercises over oneself or something outside oneself. It should not be used as a tool by the strong to threaten the weak; rather, it

Kǒnɡ Yán zhī lè 孔颜之乐 The Happiness of Confucius and Yanhui 孔子（前551—前479）、颜回（前521—前490）的自得之乐。“孔颜之乐”是儒家尤其是宋明理学家所推崇的一种精神境界。常人往往不堪忍受贫困的生活，但孔子、颜回却能不受简陋的物质条件的困扰，而保持一种快乐的精神境界。”孔颜之乐”体现着对物质欲求的超越，是在对天理、人伦的深刻体认与追求中所获得的一种内在的快乐与幸福。 This term means the happiness and contentment of Confucius (551-479 BC) and Yanhui (a disciple of Confucius, 521-490 BCa disciple of Confucius). The happiness of Confucius and Yanhui is a mental outlook admired and advocated by Confucian scholars, especially by Song and Ming