Chinese Thought and Culture

xiūyǎng-shēngxī 休养生息 Recover from a Social Upheaval and Restore Production / Develop Economy and Increase Population 休息保养，繁殖人口。指在战争或社会大动荡之后，执政者减少徭役和征税，重视农业发展，减轻人民负担，安定人民生活，恢复社会元气。“休养生息”作为治国方略，产生于汉初，时历秦末战乱，民生凋敝，百废待举，它有效恢复了国家和社会的元气。自此之后，“休养生息”作为一种重要的治国理念和政策，贯穿于中国历史的不同时期，或是执政者迫于社会现实不得已而为之，或是出于让民众休息的仁政实践，或是两者兼而有之。这一政策是“民惟邦本”理念的具体体现。 The term means that in a period of peace after war or social upheaval, the economy and population can recover and multiply. In practice it means the sovereign shall reduce taxes and conscript labor, support agriculture, allowing the […]

xìnɡfèn 性分 Natural Attributes 万物的本性所规定的内容与限度。郭象（252—312）提出，每个人或每一事物都有各自的本性，且本性有着具体的内容与限度，如事物的大小、形状，人的年寿、智愚等。人和事物的本性是天生所具、不得不然的，因此也是不能改变的。万物都应该安于自身的“性分”。人和事物如果能够按照本性的要求，在“性分”的范围内活动行事，就是自由、逍遥的。 This term refers to the features and limitations determined by the intrinsic nature of all things. Guo Xiang (252-312), a scholar in the Western Jin Dynasty, pointed out that each person or object has his or its own intrinsic natural attributes, such as size and shape of an object, or

xínɡ jù shén shēnɡ 形具神生 Physical Form Gives Birth to Spirit. 人的形体具备以后精神活动随之产生。“形”指人的形体，“神”指包括情感、意识在内的各种精神活动。荀子（前313？—前238）提出，人的形体和精神，与万物一样，都是在天道的运行中自然生成的。人的形体先于精神而生成，形体的具备构成了精神产生的条件。人的精神依存于形体之中。 When a person’s physical form has fully developed, he will develop spiritual activity accordingly. Here “form” refers to the physical form of a human being, and “spiritual” refers to various mental activities, including emotions and consciousness. Xunzi (313?-238BC) pointed out that a person’s

xìn 信 Good Faith “信”的基本含义是恪守信诺、诚实不欺。“信”是为人立身需要遵守的基本道德。守信必须符合道义的原则，如果信约有悖于道义，则不能盲目追求信诺的履行。儒家特别强调两个方面的“信”：其一，是执政者应信守对百姓的承诺，百姓才会信服于政令。其二，是朋友之间应守信不欺。 This term means acting in good faith. Good faith is one of the principal ethical standards one should observe in order to establish oneself in society. However, one must comply with ethical principles in honoring a promise. If a promise goes against ethical principles, one should not blindly deliver it.

xīnyuè-chénɡfú 心悦诚服 Be Completely Convinced and Follow Willingly 心中喜悦而诚心服从。“心悦诚服”是以德服人的结果或表现。孟子认为，令他人服从于自己，不能依赖于对他人的强制要求，而应通过提升自身的道德修养来实现。一个人如果具有崇高的品德，那么他者出于对德行的认同与喜悦，自然会服从于有德者在思想或政治上的主张。 This term means to gladly and willingly follow someone by virtue of their moral character and conduct. Mencius believed that the proper way to convince others was not by forcing them to do something, but by demonstrating a high level of self-cultivation and morality. A person

xīntóng-lǐtóng 心同理同 People of Similar Natures and Emotions Will Have Similar Understanding. 即“人同此心，心同此理”的简称。由南宋心学大家陆九渊（1139—1193）提出。陆王心学认为，人内在的心灵与外在的宇宙具有同等价值，真理是超越时空的，心和道是全人类共同的。只要是人，无论是古今东西，都会有同一的价值观念、同一的真理和道德认知，而人类认同的基础就在于此。明末清初之后，随着中西文化之间的大规模交流，心同理同这一观念被用来理解东西方学术文化上的共通与差异，认为西方舶来的异域新知虽然在形式上与中国既有的知识体系有差异，但根本思想是可以会通的。 The term, a shortened version of ren tong ci xin, xin tong ci li (人同此心，心同此理), was first proposed by Lu Jiuyuan (1139-1193). Xinxue (心学), the NeoConfucian philosophy of Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Yangming (1472-1529), teaches that the innate knowledge of the human mind and

xiāo sǎn jiǎn yuǎn 萧散简远 Natural, Leisurely, Simple yet Profound 指书法、诗歌、文章等艺术作品的风格天然浑成、淡泊随意，而意蕴简古高远。“萧散”指自然闲适，没有刻意繁琐的修饰，不拘泥于法度规则。作为文艺批评术语，由宋代苏轼（1037—1101）提出，对明清时期的文艺创作与批评影响较大。它以庄子的思想为基础，又融入了禅宗的思想，强调自在散淡，心中不存执念，超越一切秩序与法度的羁绊，无往而不适，追求作品的疏朗、散淡、自由之美和合乎天然之趣。 This concept refers to those calligraphic works, poems, essays, and other literary and artistic works that are natural, leisurely and simple in style but have profound implications. A natural and leisurely style rejects excessive embellishment and is not bound by any particular forms. Created

  xiànsù-bàopǔ 见素抱朴 Maintain Originality and Embrace Simplicity 关注、保持素朴的状态。出自《老子》。“素”本指未经染色的丝，“朴”本指未经加工的木材，老子以“素、朴”指称人或事物未受外界干预时的自然状态。老子认为，执政者应摒弃有悖于人或事物自然本性的各种主张和诉求，引导百姓回复到素朴的自然状态。后用“见素抱朴”形容不为外物牵累、保持本真纯朴的秉性。 The term means to observe and maintain the natural state of things. This notion first appeared in the book Laozi. The original meaning of su (素) is undyed silk; pu (朴) is unworked wood or timber. Laozi used these terms as analogies for people and objects in their

xǐ mù lì xìn 徙木立信 Establish One’s Credibility by Rewarding People for Moving a Log 通过让人搬动大木头（兑现赏金）来树立威信。据《史记》记载，商鞅（前390？—前338）变法之前，为了取信于民，命人在都城集市南门立一根三丈长的大木头，宣布无论是谁，只要把木头搬到集市北门，就会得到丰厚的赏金。有人壮着胆子做了，商鞅立刻赏了重金。人们由此确信商鞅说到做到，因而新法颁布后得以畅行无阻。其中最重要的是“立信”——取信于民：若要国家政令畅通无阻，首先必须取信，令出必行，这样才能得到百姓的支持和拥戴。 According to Records of the Historian, in order to gain the people’s trust before initiating his political reforms, Shang Yang (390?-338 BC) announced that, regardless of whoever it might be, if anyone was able to move a huge log

tuījǐ-jírén 推己及人 Put Oneself in Another’s Place 以自己的心思推测别人的心思。亦即儒家所说的“恕道”，是实现仁民爱物的重要原则和方法。它首先承认人类在精神上的根本一致，进而以此为原点，弘扬宽和、仁爱精神，设身处地为他人着想，以自身的所思所欲去理解别人：自己不希望的，不要强加给别人；自己所希望的，也要帮助别人实现。 This term means to infer others’ thoughts with one’s own. It is exactly what Confucianism advocates as tolerance toward others, which is an important principle or method of caring for the people and cherishing all things. In the first place, such thinking believes that people basically share