Chinese Thought and Culture

shěn yīn zhī zhèng 审音知政 Assess Governance by Listening to Music 通过审察音乐了解一个国家的政治教化情况。是儒家文艺观的具体体现。儒家认为，乐为心声，能传达人的情感和感受，因此，国家政治是否清明、百姓生活是否富足、社会风气是否淳厚，往往会通过音乐表现出来。《左传》记载，春秋时期吴国公子季札出使鲁国，观赏鲁国人演奏的周代不同国家或地区的音乐，并据此评析音乐中所反映出的各国治政状况。这应该是审音知政的源头。这一思想方式产生于秦汉时期，它打通了艺术和政治的界限，将艺术审美活动导向社会现实生活，体现出儒家文艺观以政教为本的特点，使中国古代文艺理论染上了浓郁的政治伦理色彩。 This term is an example of Confucian literary thinking. Confucian scholars believed that music gave expression to people’s thinking and emotions, so a country’s music reflected whether government integrity was upheld, whether people enjoyed prosperity, and whether the social atmosphere was amiable and […]

shěshēng-qǔyì 舍生取义 Give One’s Life to Uphold Righteousness 舍弃生命以保全道义。“舍生取义”这一主张出自《孟子》。孟子（前372—前289）认为，“义”是人之所以为人的本质特征之一，舍“义”而不足以为人。生命固然可贵，但生存却并不是人之所以为人的目的或意义。因此，当保全生命与坚守道义发生冲突的时候，人不应背义苟活，而应牺牲生命以捍卫道义。 This belief is advocated by Mencius (372-289BC). He holds that upholding righteousness is an essential attribute of a dignified man, and without it one would lose his moral standing. Life is precious, but survival should not be the only thing that is important in life. When

shàng bīng fá móu 上兵伐谋 The Best Strategy in Warfare is to Foil the Enemy’s Strategy. 用兵的上策是挫败敌方的计谋。“上兵伐谋”是孙子（前545？—前470？）提出的一条军事原则。在孙子看来，军事斗争是在不同层面展开的。不同层面的斗争都可以对战争胜败产生重要的影响。其中，武力攻伐对于双方都会造成极大的伤害，因此是不得已的选择。善于用兵之人应在武力斗争发动之前，运用谋略破除敌人的进攻威胁，或为己方的武力攻伐扫清障碍，以最小的代价实现战略目标。 Foiling the enemy’s strategy is an important principle proposed by Sunzi(545?-470?BC). In his view, war is waged at different levels, all of which have a significant impact on the outcome. Armed attacks will do great damage to both

sānxǐng-wúshēn 三省吾身 Reflect on Oneself Several Times a Day 多次反省自身。“三省吾身”是儒家所主张的一种道德修养方法。儒家认为，德行的确立取决于自身的追求与努力。因此应时时反省自己的言行与内心，并以此作为修养道德的基本方法。曾子特别提出，每日应从尽己为人、诚信待人、温习课业等方面多次反省自身是否存在不足，有则改之，无则加勉。 Reflecting often on what one does – this is a way of self-cultivation of virtue advocated by Confucianism. This school of thought holds that as moral integrity is established with one’s efforts of self-cultivation, one needs to constantly examine his words and deeds as well

qiútóng-cúnyì 求同存异 Seek Common Ground While Setting Aside Differences 寻求共同点，保留不同点。战国时期的学者惠施（前370？—前310？）、庄子（前369？—前286）等人认为，一切事物的差别﹑对立都是相对的，差异性中包含着同一性。从辩证的观点看，一切事物的差异都是相对的，都存在相互转化的可能。以孔子（前551—前479）为代表的儒家文化则强调在处理人与人、国与国之间关系时，在承认彼此有差异的前提下，通过协调而达到一种“和而不同”的状态。承认差异的存在或者暂时搁置差异，承认文化和价值观的多元，不追求绝对的一致、苟同，尽量站在对方的立场去看问题，努力寻求彼此的共同点，最终达成各方最大的共识。这一思想后来成为中国处理对外关系的重要理念。 The term means to seek points of agreement while maintaining difference of opinion. Scholars of the Warring States Period such as Hui Shi (370?-310? BC) and Zhuangzi (369?-286BC) believed that differences and antitheses between all things are relative, and that commonalities exist within differences. From

qióng zé biàn, biàn zé tōng, tōng zé jiǔ 穷则变，变则通，通则久 Extreme – Change – Continuity 事物达到极限则会发生变化，发生变化则能通顺，通顺则能长久。出自《周易·系辞下》，是对事物变化规律的一种认识。《系辞》认为，事物处于不断的变化之中，并且会在至极之时朝向对立面转化。人应把握《周易》所揭示出的这一事物变化规律，在穷极之时寻找变化的契机，促成事物的改变，以实现通顺而长久的发展。 When things reach their extreme, change occurs, after the change they evolve smoothly, and thus they continue for a long time. This notion comes from The Book of Changes and is a way of understanding the principles of change. According

qīngmíng 清明 The Qingming Festival 中华民族四大传统节日（春节、清明节、端午节、中秋节）之一，是中国传统岁时体系中唯一与节气合一的节日，通常在4月4或5或6日。唐以前，清明主要作为二十四节气之一，反映自然时节的变化，与农事息息相关。唐宋以后，清明节取代寒食节而成为节日，寒食节原有的祭祖扫墓、吃冷食等成为清明节俗的内容。此时万物生气旺盛，人们顺应季节的变化，又有郊游踏青、插柳、放风筝、荡秋千等活动。时至今日，清明仍是中国人生活中具有特殊意义的节日。2006年5月20日，经国务院批准，清明节被列入中国第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。 It is one of the four major traditional festivals, namely, the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, that are celebrated by the Chinese. It is the only Chinese festival which occurs on one of the solar terms of the traditional calendar, usually

qīnqīn 亲亲 Affection for One’s Kin 爱亲人，尤其是爱父母。“亲亲”既指一种自然的情感，同时也指这种情感在言行上的表现。儒家主张，应将对父母、对亲人的亲爱之情，推及他人，使之成为仁德的基础。但是，过度的“亲亲”，会导致行事上的偏私。因此，儒家提出了以“义”克服“亲亲”可能存在的局限。 This term refers to love for one’s kin and particularly for one’s parents. It is a natural affection, and it also refers to the way in which such feeling is expressed. Confucianism holds that such a love should also be extended to others so that it will foster

qiān xiǎnɡ miào dé 迁想妙得 Inspirational Creation Based on Association in Thinking 指画家在艺术构思与创作过程中善于联想，将各种形象、素材通过画家的情感活动重新组织、构图，使画面形神兼备，如同妙手偶得。“迁想”重在想象、选择与构思，所创作的题材、素材来源于现实，却不是现实的完全复制。“迁想”是将画家的思想情感融进、移入作品的形象。“妙得”意思是精妙之得，是“迁想”的最终结果，重在作品的审美效果。它不仅要“得”物之形，还要“得”物之神，如此才称得上“妙”，因此，“妙得”也有妙得灵感的意思。“迁想”“妙得”是一个连贯的艺术创作过程，不可分割。这一术语是对艺术构思与审美活动特点的最早概括，后成为中国绘画理论中的一个重要原则。 This concept means a painter should be good at association in thinking in artistic conception and creation. He should give full rein to his imagination and connect and reconstruct a variety of source images and materials so as to create a great

qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià 千里之行，始于足下 A Journey of a Thousand Li Begins with the First Step. 千里远的行程，要从迈第一步开始。比喻远大目标的实现，要从小的、基础的事情做起。足下：脚所站立的地方。语出《老子》。《老子》以大树、高台、千里之行一方面说明在问题或祸乱发生之前一定要提前防范或处置妥当，以免量变引起质变；另一方面说明任何事情都需要从头做起，一个好的开始往往是事情成败的关键，远大的理想和抱负需要脚踏实地地推进，才能在一个个具体目标的实现中完成看似不可能完成的任务。 Any major undertaking must start small from the basics. The expression comes from Laozi. Zuxia (足下) means the place where one is standing. Laozi used the metaphors of a giant tree, a high platform, a long