Chinese Thought and Culture

běiqǔ 北曲 Northern Opera 起源于北方的戏剧。北曲的源头是北宋甚至更早时期流行于北方民间的曲子，配合曲子的词多滑稽浅俗。南宋以后，北方地区在金、元统治之下，女真、蒙古等族的歌舞与音乐元素被大量引入，逐渐形成了独特的北曲体系，同时逐渐吸引了文人加入创作队伍，从而产生了大量优秀作品。与宋代文人词相比，北曲朴素率真，多用口语，格律调式更加自由。其主要演唱形式为小令和套数。用北曲演唱的戏曲形式为杂剧。元代文人社会地位低下，借助北曲抒情寄意，创作盛况空前，代表人物有关汉卿、马致远、白朴、郑光祖，被称为“元曲四大家”。 Beiqu (北曲), the Northern Opera, originated in northern China. It was based on northern folk songs that were popular in the Northern Song Dynasty or earlier, and its lyrics were often funny and simple. After the Southern Song Dynasty, northern China fell under the rule of the Jin and Yuan dynasties. […]

bā yīn kè xié 八音克谐 Harmonious Combination of Eight Sounds 八类乐器所演奏的声音能够协调配合，在整体上达到和谐。“八音”指由金、石、土、革、丝、木、匏、竹等八种材质制成的乐器所演奏出的不同声音。“八音克谐”的说法出自《尚书》。它强调发挥八音各自的长处，在整体协调、多样统一中臻于化境，体现了中国古典音乐及词曲创作中以“和”为美的审美追求。而音乐又与人的心灵相通，“八音”能够呈现或感动不同的心灵状态，故而它也成为古代教化的一种方式。其意在于使人心在不同乐声的影响下达到同样和谐的状态，以符合礼乐对于人的心灵与行为的要求；同时它也蕴含不同的人或群体都能发声，但须遵守共同规范、相互配合而能和谐共处之意。 Different sounds produced when eight musical instruments made of gold, stone, earth, leather, silk, wood, gourd and bamboo are played together create harmonious music. This term comes from The Book of History. The term, which stresses that different tunes produced by the eight musical

ānpín-lèdào 安贫乐道 Be Content with a Simple but Virtuous Life 安于贫困而乐于守道。在孔子与儒家看来，对于道义的学习与执守，并不是出于任何功利的目的，而是发自内心的认同，是毕生追求的最高目标。因此，以道义为最高准则的人，不会以违背道义的方式去追求富贵，即便在物质生活上陷于贫困，也能够以执守道义为乐。 When leading a poor life, one should still stick to moral principles. Confucius and Confucian scholars believe that it is not for fame and wealth that one should observe moral principles. Rather, such observance comes from one’s heart and represents his lifetime pursuit. So

ài rén wéi dà 爱人为大 Caring for Others Is the Top Priority. 友爱他人、爱护他人最为重要。古人认为，天地之间，人最宝贵，所以“仁者爱人”。将“爱人”由道德情感层面推及到国家层面就体现为“爱民”。人民是国家的根本，决定着国家的安危与成败，所以统治者要把爱民、亲民、利民、顺应民心作为治国理政的最高原则。制定政策、法律，确立制度，都以保障人民的利益为出发点和最终目的。它不仅是儒家“仁政”思想的体现，也是法家制定法律、依法治国的重要理念，它彰显了中华民族崇高的人文情怀。 Being friendly and caring for others is most important. Ancient Chinese believed that human beings are most precious things in the world, so benevolent people care for others. When it comes to governing a country, a ruler’s love for others should be

zuòwàng 坐忘 Forget the Difference and Opposition Between Self and the Universe 道家指破除自我与事物之间分别与对立的一种方式。“坐忘”一说出自《庄子·大宗师》，书中借由孔子与颜回的对话阐述“坐忘”之义。庄子认为，人世中的各种名分、规范，造成了自我与事物之间的分别与对立，构成了对人的限制。人应该忘记这些名分、规范，进而忘记自己形体的存在与智力的运用，打破彼我之间的界限，从而摆脱外物的限制与影响，这便是“坐忘”。 The term refers to a Daoist way of breaking away from the difference and opposition between one’s self and the universe. It comes from the book Zhuangzi, which elaborates its meaning in a dialogue between Confucius and Yan Hui. In Zhuangzi’s view,

zìyóu 自由 Acting Freely / Freedom 本义是由自己做主，依从自己的想法、意志、愿望行事，不受外来限制和约束。在古代中国，儒道都向往内心与生命不受拘系的自由。近代以来，它用作liberty和freedom的译词。作为专有名词，其含义主要有二：其一，指法律所规定并保护的国民享有其意志、行为不受干涉的权利，如言论、集会、宗教信仰等方面的自由；其二，哲学上指人对必然性的认识和对客观世界的改造的自由。它是建立在对自然、社会规律深刻把握的基础上，以人的全面发展为目的的自由，被认为是构建美好社会的核心价值之一。 The term means acting on one’s own free will without being subject to external restrictions. In ancient China, both Confucians and Daoists longed for freedom both of the mind and in their lives. In modern times, this term has become the Chinese word for “liberty” and “freedom.” As

zìshēng 自生 Spontaneous Generation 万物由自己生成。万物不由“天”或“无”创造产生，也不由其他有形的事物所产生。“自生”之说意在打破造物主的观念。对于万物“自生”的具体情形，人们有不同的理解。有人认为，“自生”的事物之间是相互关联、相互依赖的。但也有人主张，万物各自无联系地、孤立地、突然地“自生”。 Everything comes into being by itself; it is not created or generated by heaven, void, or tangible things. The expression “spontaneous generation” rejects the concept of a creator. People have different views about the concrete circumstances of the “spontaneous generation” of things. Some believe that things which are “spontaneously generated”

zhōnghé 中和 Balanced Harmony 人心所达到的中正、和谐的状态。人的喜、怒、哀、乐等情感的活动及其在言行上的表现符合礼的要求，不失偏颇进而达到一种和谐的状态，即是“中和”。治理者如果能够体认并达到“中和”的状态，以此治理天下，天地万物就会处于端正、恰当的位置，和谐、有序，就可以实现彼此间的共同繁荣与发展。 Balanced harmony is an ideal state of human mind. When people’s emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are expressed in an unbiased way in keeping with the rites, a state of mind featuring balanced harmony is achieved. If a ruler can reach such a state of mind and

zhì shì zhī yīn 治世之音 Music of an Age of Good Order 指太平时代的音乐。儒家认为，音乐与社会政治相互联通，音乐能反映一个国家的政治盛衰得失及社会风俗的变化。乐教能促使政治清明，社会秩序稳定；反过来，太平时代政治开明、和美，其音乐、诗歌作品一定充满安详欢乐。“治世之音”也被用来指《诗经》中的某些美颂之作。 Confucian scholars believed that music interacts with both society and its political evolution; it also reflects the rise and decline of a state’s political strength and changes of social customs. Music education fosters good governance and social stability. In an age of

zhìnèi-cáiwài 治内裁外 Handling Internal Affairs Takes Precedence over External Affairs. 治理好国家的内部事务，才能处理好对外事务。“治内”是指国家内部的治理达到理想状态；“裁外”是指量度天下大势，制定对外政策，选择适当的政治、外交、军事等手段，影响国际格局。它告诉我们一条原理：国家内政是对外方略的基础。 A country’s internal affairs must be handled well before its external affairs can be handled well. Zhinei (治内) means that domestic governance has achieved an ideal state; caiwai (裁外) means assessing the broad trends in the world, making external policies, and selecting appropriate political, diplomatic, and