Chinese Thought and Culture

gǔ, ròu 骨、肉 Bones and Flesh; Literary Framework and Nuanced Expressions 中国古代书画理论或文学批评中用来指称用笔或风格上的遒劲刚健与圆润妍美的一对术语。秦汉时代流行相面术，“骨”指人体骨骼，“肉”指皮肉。汉魏六朝时期，它们被用作文艺批评术语。在书画领域，“骨”指笔力直硬劲拔，“肉”指用墨或着色浓重圆润。在文学创作方面，“骨”侧重指风格上的遒劲刚健，“肉”侧重指辞采上的圆融妍美。这一对术语喻指文艺作品的体格骨力（思想内容、风格特点）与表现之美的关系，也蕴含着文艺作品思想情调与形式妍美的匹配。 These are terms that were traditionally used in painting and calligraphy theory and literary criticism to refer specifically to a vigorous and forceful manner or style of execution in combination with softer, more feminine touches. In physiognomy, which was popular during the Qin […]

gǒu lì guó jiā, bú qiú fù guì 苟利国家，不求富贵 Seek to Benefit the Country Rather than Personal Wealth and Position 只求有利国家，不图个人富贵。这是中国传统政治思想中对于为官理政者的基本要求，其要旨在于提倡那种不谋私利、一心为公、勇于担当、甘于奉献乃至自我牺牲的精神。 This is a basic requirement of officials in traditional Chinese political philosophy. Essentially it advocates the spirit of an official who does not abuse power to seek personal benefit, who works wholeheartedly for the

gòng míng 共名 General Name 用以概括同类事物的名称。“共名”是荀子（前313？—前238）所使用的一种名称类别，与“别名”相对。名用以指称实。具有相同属性的同一类事物，可以用一个“共名”来加以概括。具有不同“共名”的事物类别之间若具有相同属性，可以用更高层级的“共名”来加以概括。如此类推，最高层级的“共名”称为“大共名”。 A general name is used to refer to everything in the same category. It is a term used by Xunzi (313?-238 BC) and its opposite is “distinct name.” A name should denote the nature of a thing. Things with similar properties can be grouped together under a “general name.”

gōng gōng sī sī 公公私私 Public Property Belonging to the Public, Private Property to Individuals 以公为公，以私为私；将公共之物视为公共所有，将私人之物视为私人所有。列子认为，公共之物犹如自然生成的天地万物一样，是有机的整体，不能随意分割成为私物；公是公，私是私，公私分明，才是符合天地自然属性的正道。它是道家“无为”理念的发挥，既是国家治理的原则，也是个人修养的境界。 This term means that public property belongs to the public and private property belongs to individuals. Liezi held that public property, like anything naturally formed between heaven and earth, is an organic whole that cannot be divided and given

gōng ānpài 公安派 The Gong’an School of Literary Writing 明代后期以湖北公安作家袁宗道（1560—1600）、袁宏道（1568—1610）和袁中道（1570—1626）三兄弟为代表的文学流派。其中以袁宏道声誉最高、成绩最大，其次是袁中道，袁宗道又次之。他们提倡“独抒性灵”，反对明代前期一些文士的拟古风气，以“趣”作为文学作品的批评标准，主张文章写作发自内心真情，从胸臆自然流出，不必拘泥于特定的法则。他们的文学成就主要表现在散文、诗歌方面，擅长写闲情逸致。公安派对于民间文学持包容和肯定态度，主张从通俗文学中吸取营养。这一流派的文学主张，在一定程度上反映出明代中期兴起的市民阶层的审美趣味。 This was a literary school represented by three brothers, namely Yuan Zongdao(1560-1600), Yuan Hongdao (1568-1610) and Yuan Zhongdao (1570-1626), who lived in Gong’an, Hubei Province, in late Ming times. Of the trio, Yuan Hongdao was the most accomplished and renowned. Next was Yuan Zhongdao, who

gēxíngti 歌行体 Poetic Song 一种由汉魏六朝乐府诗发展而来的诗歌体裁，它的文体特点是篇幅较长，善于抒情写景，句式多变，没有严格的格律要求，形式采用五言、七言、杂言的古体，富于变化。南朝鲍照在学习民歌基础之上，创立了歌行体，唐代李白、白居易等也常用歌行体创作。 Poetic songs were developed from the officially collected folk ballads and songs of the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties. They are characterized by great length, bold expression of feeling, diverse sentence patterns and laxity of the requirements of metrical forms. They followed the classic forms of five characters to a

gāng yì 刚毅 Firm and Resolute 坚强而果决。“刚”指坚强而不屈，“毅”指果断而不犹豫。人们对于道义的遵守会受到各种干扰。“刚毅”即强调要破除这些干扰，既不为个人的私欲所影响，也不受暴力或强权的胁迫，让自己的言行始终符合道义的要求。儒家认为，“刚毅”作为一种重要的美德，接近于“仁”德。 The first of these two Chinese characters means firm and unyielding, the second one means resolute and decisive. As people often come under undue influences that affect their observance of moral standards, this term emphasizes the need to resist such influences by adhering to ethical rules in their

gǎi yì bú gǎi jǐng 改邑不改井 You Can Change a Town, But You Cannot Change the Wells. 改变城邑，不改变井。井即水井，也指古代社会的组织单位，八家为一井。人类的生存离不开水，聚集之地多有水井。而井为水脉所限，不能轻易变更，故无论人类的居所如何改造、迁徙，水井都是不动的参照点。其中隐含的智慧是：无论诸多事项如何变动，人类生存所必需的基本东西要保持稳定。 You can change a town, but you should not relocate the wells. Wells, where drinking water comes from, also refer to the social units of ancient China, where eight households shared one well. Humans cannot live without

fēnghuà 风化 The Influence of Moral Cultivation 统治者自身的德行对百姓的影响。“风化”的意思是像风吹万物一样影响、感化（民众），是教化的一种重要形式。儒家认为，统治者是百姓的榜样，对百姓有着潜移默化的影响。如果统治者能够使自身的言行符合道德、礼法的规范，那么不必对百姓做出强制的要求，百姓就会出于对统治者的效法，而自觉地遵守德礼的规范。“风化”也指在统治者的这种影响下所形成的风俗、风气。 This refers to the effect a ruler’s virtuous behavior has on his subjects, in the way the wind influences the myriad things. Moral cultivation is an important part of education. The Confucian view is that a ruler should set an example to the people, influencing them unobtrusively.

fǎ zhě tiān zǐ suǒ yǔ tiān xià gōng gòng yě 法者天子所与天下公共也 The Law Must Be Respected Equally by the Son of Heaven and All the People. 法律是天子和全国人民都要共同遵守的。亦即说，法律一经确定，任何人，无论其身份高低贵贱，都必须遵照施行；即便是国家最高统治者，也和天下所有人一样，不能对既定的法律随意改变。这一思想可以被认为是对于古代法家“法不阿贵”思想的进一步弘扬。它不仅强调了法律的刚性和平等性，而且强调了法律对于权力、政治的超越性。 Laws should be respected by the sovereign ruler and people equally. This means that once a law is promulgated, everyone, regardless of status or wealth, has to