Chinese Thought and Culture

qìyùn 气韵 Artistic Appeal 指绘画、书法、文学中所流露出的气势、韵致和生机，是文学艺术作品整体给人的审美感觉。最初仅用于绘画，指用墨、用笔恰当，作品就能表现出自然山水的意态，画幅上就会有流动的生机，令人体味到笔墨之外的精神、韵味。后来逐渐由绘画扩大到诗文、书法等领域。在实际应用中，与“风韵”“神韵”等术语近似，是需要借助经验、感悟来获得的审美感觉。气韵虽然通过作品呈现，却与艺术家本人的格调、心胸直接相关，属于自然天成，不能刻意获得。 This refers to the momentum, charm, and vitality in paintings as well as in calligraphic and literary works which together create artistic appeals. The term was first used to refer only to painting, meaning that the proper use of ink and the painting brush could vividly present natural landscape, make […]

qízhèng 奇正 Qi or Zheng / Unexpected or Frontal “奇”是反常的、出其不意的，“正”是正面的、正常的。最早由《老子》提出。主要含义有二：其一，作为军事用语，指两种不同的用兵应敌的方式：“正”指在了解敌方作战意图基础上的正面应敌，“奇”指隐蔽自己的作战意图，灵活地运用偷袭、设伏等手段，以达到出其不意的效果。“奇”与“正”的运用需要相互配合。“奇正”有时也被用来处理、应对日常事务。其二，作为文艺批评术语，用来称说文章思想内容上的纯正与奇诡以及文辞上的典雅与巧丽。南朝刘勰（465？—520）为了矫正齐梁时期的文坛过于重形式、片面追求新奇的弊病，将“奇正”引入文学批评。他认为，文学创作应当在思想内容上以儒家经典为依归，以文辞上的巧丽奇异为配合，只有执“正”（思想纯正）以驭“奇”（文辞巧丽），才能使文章的主旨新颖而不邪乱，词采美丽而不浮夸。后世诗歌评论及戏曲批评也用到这一术语。 Qi (奇) means surprise while zheng (正) means direct and normal. First advanced by Laozi, the concept has two main meanings. First, it is a military term about two opposing ways of fighting. Zheng means meeting the enemy head-on based on an understanding of its intention, while Qi means keeping

pǐntí 品题 Make Appraisals 对人的品行、才干、风貌等进行品评，判断其高下。盛行于汉末魏晋时期。品题在初兴时具有一定的进步意义，看人不论出身，只论德行才华，是鉴别人才、量才授官的重要手段。魏晋人士清谈的内容之一就是对于人物的识鉴和品藻，当时称为“题目”。但自魏末晋初开始，对人物的品评逐渐倾向于门第权势，九品中正制的形成与此有关。另一方面，品题由对人物的品评转向对于诗文书画的品评，选拔人才的功用削弱，艺术审美的意义凸显，这种风尚影响到南北朝的文学批评，催生了各种诗品、画品、书品等批评著作的出现。 This concept means appraising someone’s character, ability, conduct and approach, which was a common practice from the late Han through the Jin and Wei dynasties. The practice was considered a good one when it was first introduced, as people were judged by their moral character and ability, not their family

nián 年 Nian / Year 在文字学意义上，“年”的本义指庄稼成熟，即年成。因庄稼大都一岁一熟，“年”渐等同于“岁”，成为历法上的时间单位（一年），后又引申指年节（春节）。在历法意义上，它是指中国传统农历（阴阳合历）的一个时间周期，平年12个月，大月30天，小月29天，全年354或355天；闰年13个月，全年383、384或385天。作为一个时间周期，它与中国古代的农业生产密切相关，反映农耕社会的时间意识和思想观念。近代以来，西方的历法（公历）传入中国，1912年为中华民国正式采用，形成了公历与农历并行的双历法系统，所以“年”现在既指农历的时间周期，也指公历的时间周期，视具体的语境而定。 In the literal sense, the Chinese character nian (年) means the ripening of crops. As crops are mostly harvested annually, the Chinese character nian has gradually come to refer to the period of one year, and later it is used to refer to the annual Spring Festival. When it comes to the

nǐ róng qǔ xīn 拟容取心 Compare Appearances to Grasp the Essence 指诗人在采取比兴手法的时候，通过类比、描摹事物的形象外貌，摄取事物内在的意蕴和义理，从而将原本不同的事物联系、结合在一起。“拟容”说的是重视“比兴”的具体形象；“取心”说的是摄取事物的精神实质，即重视事物形象所包含的内在意蕴和理趣。合起来的意思是，借助能表达一定意义的事物形象，来寄寓、抒写作者的思想感情。见于《文心雕龙·比兴》，由《周易·系辞上》中的“拟物立象”发展而来。刘勰（465？—520）提出这一术语，主要用以阐释比、兴都是由彼及此，二者又有不同：比为“拟容”，贴合事理最重要，忌不伦不类；兴为“取心”，感发幽微，以意相联。 This term means a poet uses the techniques of analogy and stimulation to depict the form and the external appearance of things. He takes in internal connotations and the principles of things, thus linking originally different things and combining them. Nirong (拟容 comparing appearances)

nánxì 南戏 Southern Opera 指北宋末年至明末清初流行于南方的汉族戏文。其源头是宋室南渡之时，产生于温州地区的戏种，在当时被称作传奇、戏文等，又被称为温州杂剧、永嘉杂剧、永嘉戏曲等。其特点是将民间唱腔引入杂剧，在村坊小曲的基础上发展起来，起初没有宫调、节奏方面的讲究，只是顺口可歌而已。元代高明（1301？—1370？）创作的《琵琶记》，标志着南戏体制的完备。南戏继承了宋代杂剧，开启明代传奇，篇幅长，角色丰富，而且各种角色都可演唱。《荆钗记》《刘知远白兔记》《拜月亭》《杀狗记》是南戏代表作。我国南方戏曲中有多种声腔都是在南戏基础上发展起来的。 Nanxi (南戏), the Southern Opera, refers to the Han ethnic opera from the late Northern Song to the late Ming and the early Qing dynasties. The opera was created in the Wenzhou region when the Song government fled south. At the time, it was also known as chuanqi (传奇 drama), xiwen (戏文 play)

mù jī dào cún 目击道存 See the Way with One’s Own Eyes 视野所及而瞬时感悟到“道”的存在。源自《庄子》。庄子（前369？—前286）强调人可以直观感悟到“道”的存在，而无需依赖语言说明和逻辑思辨。后被用于文学创作与鉴赏领域，强调超越耳目感知和逻辑思辨，在涤除一切杂念和外物干扰的心境中领悟并臻于最高的艺术境界。这一术语意在彰显文艺审美中直观感悟与超越功利的特性。 The term, which first appeared in the Chinese classic writing Zhuangzi (Zhuangzi 369 ?-286 BC), means that one can easily see the existence of the Dao with no need to rely on verbal explanation or on logical analysis. Later it was used for

mínɡ fèn shǐ qún 明分使群 Proper Ranking Leads to Collaboration. 明确个人的职分差等以组成能够相互协作的群体。荀子将“能群”看作是人区别于禽兽的重要特征。而人在没有约束的情况下，会出于自身对外物的欲求，与人争夺，进而导致群体的混乱。因此，在群体之中必须依据道义的原则，明确个人分位的差等以及与之相应的职责、权益，并以此作为人与人相处的规范，从而约束彼此间的纷争，实现相互协作。 Group collaboration is possible only when the individuals within it are clearly ranked and there is a social order. For Xunzi, the ability to “work together” is what distinguishes humans from animals. Without social restraints, humans will follow their innate desires and fight over

mínɡdé 明德 Illustrious Virtue 彰显美德或纯明的德行。“明德”最初是对为政者的一种要求。“德”特指为政者在照顾百姓、任用官吏、施加赏罚等方面的良好品行。“明德”即是在施政中遵循并彰显这些德行。后世用“明德”指称为政者应该具备的显明的品德。而在儒家看来，为政之德是人的内在德性的扩充，因此为政者的“明德”即体现着至高的道德。 This term means to manifest rectitude or upright conduct. The term was originally used to describe qualities expected of the sovereign. De (德) specifically meant fairness and decency towards the populace, in the appointment of officials, and the bestowing of rewards and punishments. Mingde (明德) as a verb was to govern in

miàosuàn 庙算 Court Calculation 朝廷对军国大事的谋算。“庙”为庙堂，是古代朝廷议事之所。“庙算”即是于战争开始之前，在庙堂之上郑重地谋算战争中己方的优势、劣势，从而决定应对策略。孙子认为，战争不只是战场上的争斗，还受到政治、经济等不同因素的影响。因此“庙算”需要结合可能的战争态势，对国家各方面的情况进行综合评判与谋算。“庙算”是战争准备的必要环节。 This term means court calculation on major military and state affairs. The imperial court here refers to the place for officials to deliberate on affairs of state in ancient China. The purpose of calculation prior to war was to work out a strategy based on the state’s strengths and weaknesses.