Chinese Thought and Culture

fàn’ài 泛爱 Broad Love Extending to All 广泛地爱。在语义学层面，它与“博爱”相同；但在思想史层面，“博爱”通常指爱所有人，而“泛爱”则既指爱所有的人，也指爱一切事物，与孟子的“仁民爱物”、张载的“民胞物与”异曲同工。 On the semantic level, fan’ai (泛爱), like the term bo’ai (博爱), means a broad love that extends to all. However, in the history of Chinese thought, it has been used with a different connotation: while bo’ai generally suggests “love of all human beings,” fan’ai infers “love of all humans as well […]

fǎn zhě dào zhī dòng 反者道之动 The Only Motion Is Returning. “道”的运动就是向对立面的转化或复归。这一命题出自《老子·四十章》。老子认为，“道”是事物运动、变化的基本法则。这一法则的基本内涵即是“反”。“反”包含两种不同的含义：其一，指相反、反对，即事物在运动中会向其自身的对立面转化；其二，指返回、复归，即事物最终返回到原初的状态。这一命题反映了老子及道家对事物运动法则的深刻理解。 The motion of Dao is to transform into the opposite or return to the original state. This concept was proposed by Laozi. Laozi believed that Dao is the fundamental rule of motion and change of things. The essence of this rule is “return,”

fǎ 法 Law 法律和法律制度。在古代，“法”和“礼”都是对人行为的规范；“礼”即礼教，旨在扬善；“法”即刑罚，旨在惩恶。“法”字古代写作“灋”，字形本身即体现着法的根本精神：“廌”即解廌（xièzhì），是传说中一种类似山牛的神兽，能辨别曲直善恶，在审理案件时能用角把不法、不正之人顶倒，象征法律的正义和威严；“氵”即水，则表示法如水一样平，喻示法律的公平。古人认为，“法”虽由“君”制定和颁布，但是“君”和天下人都必须共同遵守，这实际体现了法律的正义性与平等性。大约在商朝时期中国就已经有了成文法。公元前536年，郑国执政子产将郑国的法律条文铸在象征诸侯权力的鼎上，史称“铸刑书”。这是中国历史上第一次向社会公布成文法，对推动国家法律的普及与执行有着重要意义。 This term fa (法) refers to both laws and the legal system. In ancient times, fa (law) and li (rites) were both used to regulate human behavior. The purpose of li was to encourage virtuous behavior; fa refers to punitive laws, the purpose of which was to punish evil action. The graph of the archaic form

dé rén zhě xīng，shī rén zhě bēng 得人者兴，失人者崩 He Who Obtains the Support of the People Will Rise; He Who Loses the Support of the People Will Come to Ruin. 得到人心或人才就会兴旺，失去人心或人才就会衰亡。“人”指民心、人心，也指人才。语出《史记·商君列传》。其含义有二：其一，民心、人心决定一个国家或政权的盛衰兴替。只有得到民心、顺应民意，才能保持国家或政权的兴盛不衰。这与“民心惟本”“民惟邦本”的思想是一致的。其二，人才对国家、政权的兴盛与否起着至关重要的作用。只有识人、得人，任人唯贤，知人善任，才能成就大业，保持国家和政权的长治久安。得到人心与得到人才又相互关联：得人心，必能招致人才；得人才，必然赢得人心。大至国家、政权，小至机构、团队，在上位者都须遵从这一理念。 The term means that those who win the hearts of the people or get the service of the talented will rise while those who

dāngrén-búràng 当仁不让 When Facing an Opportunity to Exercise Benevolence, Do Not Yield. 面对正义之事，主动担当，不推让。“仁”本指仁德，它是孔子的最高理念；泛指一切应该做的事情，即符合道义、正义的事情。犹言“义不容辞”“责无旁贷”。它弘扬的是一种以道义或正义为己任、勇于担当、勇于践行的主体精神。 This phrase means that one should behave ethically and never dodge one’s responsibility. Ren (仁 benevolence) is the highest virtue upheld by Confucius. In general, it refers to everything that is right to do, namely things compatible with moral principles and social justice.

dàzhàngfu 大丈夫 Great Man 一种对理想人格的称谓。是否能成为“大丈夫”，并不是由个人的功业大小所决定的。评判“大丈夫”的根本标准，在于其对“道”的认知与坚守。不过由于各家对“道”的理解不同，因此对“大丈夫”的具体要求也有所差别。孟子强调“大丈夫”应有行道于天下的远大志向，并始终坚守道义，立身端正，不受外在事物的影响。老子则认为“大丈夫”应舍弃浮华的礼仪规范，以无为的方式回归朴实的自然状态。 This is a term used to describe someone of ideal moral quality. How much one achieves does not determine whether he can be called a great man. The criterion is whether or not a person can know and hold fast to Dao. Given that there are different interpretations of Dao,

Chūnqiū bǐfǎ 春秋笔法 The Style of The Spring and Autumn Annals 指编撰《春秋》的原则、方法。即用简洁的文字语句，婉转含蓄地表达一定的思想倾向和对历史人物及事件的褒贬和评判。也称“春秋书法”“春秋笔削”，或说“一字褒贬”“微言大义”。《春秋》相传为孔子编撰，其主旨在于维护周朝礼制。书中没有用议论性文字正面阐明作者观点，而是通过对史实的简要记述，依据周礼选用一些有特殊含义的称呼或精妙字眼，婉转表达出对历史人物和事件的褒贬和评判。后来，它成为编撰史书的一个传统方法。 The style of The Spring and Autumn Annals is characterized by simple and concise language expressing ideas and commending or criticizing historical figures and events in an indirect way. The style is well known for “what is included or excluded has profound meanings.” Also

chóngběn-xīmò 崇本息末 Revere the Fundamental and Dismiss the Specific 尊崇“本”以止息“末”，是对待“本”“末”关系的一种方式。王弼在解释老子思想时提出了“崇本息末”的思想，与“崇本举末”相对。这里的“本”指无形、无名者，即“道”；“末”指人为造作的各种形、名。“崇本息末”即是要发挥“道”或“无”的作用以实现万物的自然，同时止息对人为造作的各种形名之物的追逐。在政治领域，“崇本”特指君主以“道”为依据，施行无为之治。君主通过“崇本”，止息有关道德、礼法的教化以及各种浮华、虚伪的言行。 This term deals with the relationship between the fundamental and the specific. In interpreting Laozi, Wang Bi put forth the idea of “revering the fundamental and dismissing the specific,” as opposed to the idea of “revering the fundamental and keeping the specific unchanged.” The fundamental

chóngběn-jǔmò 崇本举末 Revere the Fundamental and Keep the Specific Unchanged 尊崇“本”以成就、保全“末”，是对待“本”“末”关系的一种方式。王弼在解释老子思想时提出了“崇本举末”的思想，与“崇本息末”相对。这里的“本”指无形、无名者，即“道”；“末”指自然之形、名。“崇本举末”即是要充分发挥“道”或“无”的作用，以使万物自然生成并得以保全。在政治领域，“崇本”特指君主以“道”为依据，施行无为之治。君主通过“崇本”，使百姓依自然本性而生活。 This concept, as opposed to “revere the fundamental and dismiss the specific,” originates in Wang Bi’s interpretation of Laozi. The fundamental, namely, Dao, is shapeless and nameless, while the specific refers to natural shapes and names. The term “revere the fundamental and keep the