Chinese Thought and Culture

pìnlǐ 聘礼 Pinli (Diplomatic Etiquette and Protocol) 最初指天子与诸侯之间或诸侯与诸侯之间访问、会见的外交礼仪，是古代政治生活中的一项重要礼仪。因出访与受访人的身份、访问的缘由、频次等因素的不同，“聘礼”可区分为朝、聘、问等不同等级的聘问。随着政治形势的变化，“聘礼”后来也泛指国与国或其他相对独立的政治主体之间相互访问的外交礼仪。“聘礼”通过朝见、访问过程中的礼仪设计，规范并彰显行礼之人所代表的不同政治主体的地位及相互关系。聘礼后来也指男女订婚时男方向女方行聘的礼仪。 Pinli, meaning diplomatic etiquette and protocol for the visits by the lords to the king and by one lord to another, is an important part of political activity in ancient China. Depending on such factors as the status of visitor and host and the purpose and frequency of the […]

nóngdàn 浓淡 Denseness and Lightness 浓淡可用于形容颜色、气味、滋味等的深浅、强弱程度。在文艺领域中，浓淡可指绘画色彩的浓淡，文学语言的华美与简淡，艺术风格的浓艳与清淡以及抒情方式的强烈与平淡等含义。“浓”与“淡”是辩证的存在，比如，中国画的笔墨一向有浓有淡，浓不至于浊秽，淡不至于虚缈，尤其水墨画更注重墨色的浓淡，以表现阴阳、向背、虚实、疏密、远近等。理想的艺术境界是浓淡得宜，其他艺术形式对于浓淡的要求与此一致。 This term is used to describe varying degrees of denseness with regard to color, smell or taste. In the fields of art and literature, it refers to the denseness or lightness of a painting’s color, ornateness or plainness of literary language, boldness or restraint in artistic style, or to

niǎojìn-gōngcáng 鸟尽弓藏 When the Birds Are Gone, the Bow Is Stored. 鸟猎尽了，弓就该收起来了。比喻战争结束以后，参与领导战争的文臣武将的战时权力被收回或削减。在古代中国，多发生于国家由战时状态向和平状态转变时期，它在一定程度上保障了中央政权和那些文臣武将的安全，有利于国家常态的恢复和长治久安。后来它多用来比喻事成之后，那些曾经出力建功的人就被抛弃了。 Once the bird hunt is over, the bow should be put away. This alludes to the fact that once a war is over, the wartime powers given to civil and military officials should be revoked or diminished. In ancient China, this often occurred

niànfó 念佛  / Recollection of the Buddha 忆念佛身。又称“随念”。指能够专注在一个清净对象上的精神训练活动，可归入六念、十随念，包括念法、念僧、念戒、念安般（数息）等。“念佛”是其中运用最广泛的一种。念佛的原理在于通过忆念佛陀的殊胜特质，能够消除杂念，为更加高阶的禅定活动做好准备。念佛的形式各有不同，如诵“南无阿弥陀佛”之类的口称念佛，在净土类的实践当中尤为常见。 The recollection of the Buddha is a mental practice of developing concentration on a pure object. It often comes under such a category as “the six recollections” or “the ten recollections” along with the recollections of dharma, sangha, morality, breathing, and so on. Among them, the recollection

míngzhēn 铭箴 Epigraph and Maxim 古代文体名称，是用来针砭过失、褒扬美德并启发哲思的短文。“铭”指铭文，是刻在器物上用以记功颂德的短文，其载体的神圣性及其垂范后世的意图决定了铭文要有宏大格局和雍容气度。“箴”指箴言，是用以规谏劝诫的警语。“箴”的本义是防治疾病的针石，因此有防范过失的含义。“铭”和“箴”都有警示、激励、扬善戒恶的功能，南朝刘勰（465？—520）认为，这两种文体的共同处在于，所选事例要确切可靠，所说道理要经得起推敲，行文要做到简明而意义深远。 These were two types of writing in ancient times aimed at criticizing errors, upholding virtue, and inspiring philosophical thought. Ming (铭), meaning epigraph, is a brief account of merits and virtues inscribed on a vessel. Its sacredness and exemplary nature means such writing should be aspirational and visionary. Zhen (箴), meaning

mín yǒng zhě zhàn shèng 民勇者战胜 A Country with Brave People Can Win the Victory. 民众英勇，打仗就会获胜。“勇”作为一种品格，主要是指战斗精神、必胜意志、无所畏惧的气概。它往往是决定战争胜利的必要条件或先决条件。这种品格，不仅军队要具备，广大民众也应具备；民众是赢得战争的社会基础，只有民众也表现出足够的英勇，才能使战争在兵源、物力、财力、精神等各方面得到足够的支持。其中蕴涵着总体战争的观念。 Bravery determines the victorious outcome of a battle. As a trait, bravery refers mainly to the fighting spirit, the will to win, and fearless heroism. It is characteristically a necessary condition or a pre-requisite that decides the victorious outcome

liángyī bù néng jiù wúmìng 良医不能救无命 Even a Good Doctor Cannot Save a Doomed Patient. 再好的医生治不好必死之人。任何事物的效力都不是无限的，无论医生的医术多高超，医疗条件多优良，都不可能包治百病，总有一些病是不治之症，总有一些人的生命不能挽回。这是不幸的事，也是无可避免的。人们对此必须理性认知，坦然面对。此语也用来提示人们总是有不可抗力与人力极限的存在。 A doctor, no matter how good he is, cannot cure a fatal illness. No power is unlimited. No matter how skillful a doctor is and how advanced the medical facilities are, it is not possible to cure all diseases.

lìzhōng-zhìjié 立中制节 Determine the Proper Way for Expressing Human Feelings 确立适中的人情标准而制定礼仪的节度。出自《礼记》和《荀子》。儒家认为，人的情感需要获得适当的抒发与表达。但是，人情的轻重薄厚存在显著差异。礼对于人情的安顿，需要充分把握人情的差异，选择适中的人情程度作为合礼的标准，并依此对人情的抒发与表达做出节制。 This concept originated in The Book of Rites and Xunzi. Confucianism believes that human feelings need to be properly expressed. However, there are significant differences in the degree of human feelings. Rules should be established to govern the expression of human feelings based on a

lěibēi 诔碑 Eulogy or Inscription Carved on a Stela 古代文体名称，是为有一定成就或德行的逝者撰写的篇幅短小的誉美性传文。“诔”主要叙述逝者的德行，表达作者的哀伤，通常用韵文写作；“碑”是刻在石碑上的文辞，一般分两部分：前半简要叙述逝者的生平，后半则用韵文赞美逝者的功业和品德。南朝刘勰（465？—520）认为，诔碑立传的对象，已经由帝王逐渐延及普通人，立传的目的是让逝者的精神永远不朽。其写作要求是，记载事迹要如实，故应有所选择；评述德行较虚，故可以多加誉美。诔文和碑文是生者缅怀逝者的情感需求，满足每个人追求不朽的心理需求，也有弘扬美德、激励后人的意义，因此要避免轻率为文、简单臧否。 These constitute a genre of short rewriting in ancient times to sing the praise of a meritorious or virtuous deceased person. Such a eulogy, written in rhymed verse, was usually used to recount the deceased person’s virtuous deeds and express one’s grief over his death.

lèshēng 乐生 To Delight in Life 乐于生存，乐意活着。想活不想死，乃人之常情。它既是打天下者救民于水火、赢得民心、确立自身正当性的基点，也是执政者必须严守的一条底线：不能让老百姓走投无路，觉得生无可恋。为此，执政者至少应注意两点：要创造一切机会，让百姓得以生存；百姓有难，国家要全力救助。否则，国家、社会的基本秩序不可能维持，更不可能达到有效治理。它是“爱人”“民本”思想的体现，与“好生”异曲同工。 Wanting to live and not to die is only natural. A cardinal principle for those who took power was to save the people from disasters and win their trust. It was also what made governance legitimate. One should not drive the people to desperation so that they lose