Chinese Thought and Culture

huìhuà liù fǎ 绘画六法 Six Rules of Painting 中国古代关于绘画创作的六种手法与美学原则。南朝齐梁画家谢赫通过品鉴历代名家画作，总结出气韵生动、骨法用笔、应物象形、随类赋彩、经营位置、传移模写等六种基本方法与原则，初步建构起传统绘画理论体系。“气韵生动”是要求画作具有被观者真切感觉到的生气与神韵，是立足审美效果的总体原则。以下五方面是绘画的具体技法要求：“骨法用笔”是指运笔能自如呈现人物的各种线条变化，“应物象形”是指造型要顺应对象的外形特征，“随类赋彩”是根据人物对象的特征进行着色，“经营位置”是指构图要合理搭配而呈现整体效果，“传移模写”是通过临摹佳作来掌握绘画技艺。后人据此品评画作，并就五方面技法要求展开论述、总结经验，丰富画论体系。“绘画六法”揭示了中国古代绘画的基本手法与美学原则，也是从事绘画批评的标准，它影响了六朝之后的中国绘画批评与创作实践。 The term refers to six techniques and aesthetic principles for painting formulated by Xie He, a painter of the Southern Qi and Liang dynasties. After studying famous painters of the previous age, he summarized his views on painting in six basic rules: dynamic style, forceful brush […]

huàn zhōng yǒu zhēn 幻中有真 Truth in Imagination 指文艺作品的情节与景象虽是通过想象与虚构写成但却具有内在的真实，可以折射社会现实。佛教与道家思想认为，现实社会是变幻不定的，人们不可执迷于这种幻象，而应当超越这种幻象，认识事物的真谛。文艺批评家提出，人们认识文艺作品与生活现实，应当善于透过幻象而把握作品的真实，获取美感。“幻中有真”作为一个文学批评术语，不仅揭示了文艺的审美特征和意义，也揭示了文艺创作的基本规律，即艺术形象的创造须以现实生活为依据，但又不能拘泥于现实生活，而应达到生活真实与艺术真实的高度统一。 The term means that the plot of scenes in a literary work, while imaginary, nonetheless have inner force and reflect reality in society. According to Buddhist and Daoist thought, society is transitory and shifting and people should not hold on to something unreal; rather, they should

huà xìnɡ qǐ wěi 化性起伪 Transform Intrinsic Evil Nature to Develop Acquired Nature of Goodness 改变人的本性的恶而兴起人为的善。伪：人为。“化性起伪”是荀子在“性恶”论基础上提出的一种道德教化的主张。荀子认为，人天生的本性中包含着对外物的欲求。如果放纵本性中的欲望，就会导致人与人之间的纷争，社会将陷入混乱。因此，需要通过后天的教化，在恰当安顿人的欲望的同时，确立起对道德、礼法的认同与遵守。 This term means changing element of evil in one’s intrinsic nature and developing acquired nature of goodness. This ethical principle is put forward by Xunzi based on his belief that human nature is evil. Xunzi believes that the desire

hòujī-bófā 厚积薄发 Build Up Fully and Release Sparingly 充分地积累，少量地释放。多指学术研究或文艺创作等先要广泛汲取前人已有的知识和成果，待有了深厚的积累和坚实的基础，再一点儿一点儿地从事学术研究或文艺创作，尝试提出独到见解或在前人的基础上有所创造。也指一个国家、一个企业在某一领域或某一方面等经过长期的积累，开始逐步展现其实力、创新力及开拓新的局面等。其核心内涵是，凡事不可急于求成，应注重积累，充分准备，才能把事情做好。 The term means to accumulate as much as possible but to release a little at a time. This often refers to the process of scholarly research or artistic creation, in which one should first extensively absorb the knowledge and results of others to acquire a wealth

hé chūyú shì 和出于适 Harmony Comes from Appropriateness. 音乐的和谐来自音乐的适度及音乐与平和心灵的契合。“和”，和谐，首先指不同声音之间的协调配合。“适”，适度，既指音乐本身高低、清浊的适度，亦指欣赏者对于音乐对象的适度接受。这一术语突出了音乐欣赏过程中作为客观对象的音乐必须与主体心灵的和谐相一致，音乐美感是主客体和谐的产物。 The harmony of music comes from its appropriateness and its concordance with the soul. “Harmony” refers to how different sounds are combined and attuned to each other. “Appropriateness” refers to the pitch and timbre of the music itself, as well as to the degree to which

hé tóngyì 合同异 Unify Similarity and Difference 把事物的同和异合而为一。“合同异”是惠施提出的看待事物同异的一种方式。惠施认为，事物的同异是相对而言的。两个具体事物之间会有或大或小的相同或相异之处。从“同”的角度来看，万物有共同之处，因此可以说万物是相同的；而从“异”的角度来看，则没有完全相同的两个事物，万物是不同的。事物的同异取决于看待事物的角度，因此惠施主张打破同异的界限，也即是“合同异”。 The philosopher Hui Shi’s approach to similarity and difference among things was to unite them, regarding similarities and differences as relative. There are bound to be small or great similarities and differences between any two concrete things. If we look at them from the point of view

ɡuānɡ ér bù yào 光而不耀 Bright but Not Dazzling 光明而不刺眼。老子用“光而不耀”来形容执政者对百姓的影响。在老子看来，执政者具有显赫的地位，并且掌握着足以影响百姓生活的权力与资源。从这个意义上来说，执政者对百姓的影响如同光照一样，是显明而不容回避的。但老子同时强调，执政者不应将自己的意志强加给百姓，而应因循、保全百姓的自然状态。百姓受到影响却不被伤害，如同在光明之中而不感到刺眼。“光而不耀”也可用于形容强者对待他人的方式。 This term means to be bright without being dazzling. Laozi used the term to describe the influence of those in power on ordinary people. High status, authority and resources enable them to have a great impact on people’s lives, just like a bright light that

ɡǎnwù 感物 Sensed Externalities 指人为外物所触动产生了创作冲动，经过构思与艺术加工，形成为文艺作品。“物”指直观可感的自然景物、生活场景。古人认为创作缘起于外界事物的感召而激起了创作欲望，文艺作品是外物与主观相结合的产物。这一术语强调了文艺创作源于生活的基本理念。 A person’s creative impulse is triggered by one or more externalities, and after conceptualization and artistic treatment, this results in a work of art. Such externalities include both natural sights and scenes from life which can be directly sensed. Ancient Chinese believed that creation resulted from externalities which evoked a

fēng ròu wēi gǔ 丰肉微骨 Fleshy Body and Soft Bone Structure 原指女性身材娇小、肌肉丰腴而身段柔软，后用于书画品评，指运笔丰肥、媚浮而骨力纤弱。“骨”即骨法，指笔势或结构上的清劲雄健；“肉”指线条的丰肥、妍媚无力或浓墨重彩。古人强调书画创作应有骨有肉、骨肉匀称，既不失妍美而又雄健有力。因此，“丰肉微骨”是差评，而“丰骨微肉”或“骨丰肉润”则各有千秋。这一术语从人物的鉴赏延伸到艺术作品鉴赏，体现了中国美学概念“近取诸身”的特点。 Originally this term indicated that a woman had a delicate figure, that she was fleshy and limber. Later it was used to judge calligraphy and painting, indicating that the circulation of the writing brush was lavish and vigorous, but that the strength of

fǎnqiúzhūjǐ 反求诸己 Introspection 反省自己的言行与内心。“反求诸己”是孟子提出的一种道德修养方法。孟子秉承了儒家的主张，认为人的德行与功业的确立，从根本上取决于自身的修养。因此，如果自己的言语行事不能获得认可与赞赏，不应归咎于他人的误解，而应反省自己的言行与内心是否符合道德、礼法的要求。 This term refers to self-examination of one’s own words, deeds, and inner thoughts. Introspection is a way of moral cultivation put forward by Mencius. Mencius inherited the Confucian belief that one’s moral integrity and meritorious deeds are determined by his own ethical cultivation. If his words or deeds fail to gain