Chinese Thought and Culture

bǎixì 百戏 Baixi (All Performing Arts) 中国古代歌舞杂技表演的总称。包括武术、魔术、驯兽、歌舞、滑稽戏表演，及空中走绳、吞刀、踏火等各种杂技，内容丰富，形式多样，表演比较自由而随意，追求娱乐效果，具有民间性和通俗性。汉代开始流行，随着各民族的文化交流与融汇，乐舞杂技表演形式也不断融合、丰富，“百戏”是表示其种类繁多。南北朝以后其义同于“散乐”。唐代进一步盛行。宋代以后，散乐侧重指文人创作、艺人表演的歌舞、戏剧，百戏则相当于民间杂技。有时，统治者会因为百戏耽误正业甚至影响风气而颁布禁令。总的来说，百戏孕育了歌舞、戏剧等高雅艺术，留下了中国杂技这一非物质文化遗产，丰富了人们的精神文化生活。 It’s a generic term in history for performing arts, including martial arts, magic, taming animals, song and dance, farce, tightrope walking, knife swallowing, walking on fire, and other acrobatic performances. Such performing arts were diverse in both form and content and the performance could easily take place, the only […]

ānjū-lèyè 安居乐业 Live in Peace and Work in Contentment 安定地生活，愉快地工作。“安居”，安于居所，指平平安安地生活。“乐业”，乐于本业，以自己的职守为乐，指快乐地从事自己的本职工作。形容国家、社会治理得非常好，天下太平无事，人们各得其所，各安生计，幸福快乐。它是普通民众所抱有的基本社会理想，也是有所作为的政治家、管理者所追求的社会治理的目标。作为政治理想，它体现着以民为本、注重民生的基本精神。 Live a stable life and work happily. Anju (安居) literally means a secure house and by extension living a happy life. Leye (乐业) means enjoying one’s work. Together they refer to the general state of good governance, with peace prevailing and everyone in their proper place, satisfied

ài rén yǐ dé 爱人以德 Love the People in Accordance with Rules of Moral Conduct 爱他人要以合乎道德规范为原则，不能无原则地偏私偏爱、迁就纵容。“德”即道德规范，也指人的道德品行，它是维护良好社会秩序的内在依据。“爱人”属于个人层面的情感，而“德”则是全社会应共同遵守的规范。“爱人”若不“以德”，则既违背了社会的共同规范，也损害爱人者和被爱者的个人品德。“爱人以德”体现了尊崇道义、注重社会秩序及公共利益的精神。 Love of others must follow the rules of moral conduct, and not be unprincipled, selfish or indulgent. De (德) here refers to moral behavior and consciousness, and is the foundation for upholding proper social order. Loving the people is on

àimín 爱民 Love the People 仁爱民众；爱护百姓。它不仅是治国者应该具有的对百姓的一种情怀，而且是治国理政必须遵循的重要原则。古人认为，治国者应该通过具体的政策、措施，使民众获利，安居乐业，免受痛苦和无端侵害。这也是治国者获得民众尊崇的前提或基础。“爱民”不仅是重要的政治理念，而且延伸到军事领域，成为兴兵作战的重要原则。依照这个原则，敌我双方的民众都应该受到爱护。它是中华“民本”“仁义”思想的展现。 This term means to love and care for the common people. This is not only a sentiment which those who govern should have for the common people, but also an important principle which must be adhered to in governance. The ancient Chinese believed that those who govern should use

zhōnɡ 忠 Loyalty “忠”是一种尽己所能的态度。处在某一身份或职位的人应全心全意地履行其职责，而不应受个人私利的影响。“忠”的对象可以是赋予其职分的个人，也可以是其履职的组织、团体乃至国家。例如在古代社会，人们认为君主应该忠于民众，臣属应该忠于君主。 Loyalty involves doing one’s utmost. A person in a certain position or office should wholeheartedly perform his duties and must not be influenced by personal interests. The object of loyalty can be the person who appoints you to your post or grants you a position; it can also be an organization,

zhì dà guó ruò pēng xiǎo xiān 治大国若烹小鲜 Governing a Big Country Is Like Cooking Small Fish. 治理大国就像烹制小鱼一样。“小鲜”即小鱼。这是老子基于“无为”理念阐发的治理大国的基本原则。烹制小鱼，必须注意调和好各种佐料，精心掌握好火候，使每条小鱼都入味；同时不能多加搅动，多搅则易烂。与此相类，大国幅员辽阔，人口众多，各地域、阶层的差别大，治国者要精心周到，统筹兼顾，使政策措施惠及每一个人；国家大政方针一旦确立，施政者不要过多干预社会生活。 Governing a big country is like cooking small fish. This is a fundamental principle of state governance based on the concept of “non-action” advocated by Laozi. When cooking small fish, one needs to mix various kinds of

zhí 直 Rectitude “直”的基本含义是正直。具体而言，人们对“直”有两种不同的理解：其一，言行符合道德或礼法的要求，不因贪图个人的私利而行背德违法之事，即是“直”。不过由于人们对德礼的理解不同，对“直”的具体表现的认识也有所差异，甚至存在矛盾。其二，依据实情行事，不为迎合他人的期待或需求而隐瞒实情，也是“直”。 The basic meaning of “rectitude” is uprightness. More specifically, there are two interpretations of “rectitude.” The first interpretation refers to words and deeds that meet the moral standards or the rules of propriety. To be “upright” is to refrain from doing anything immoral or illegal for the sake of personal gain.

zhīxiān-xínɡhòu 知先行后 First Knowledge, Then Action 对“知”“行”关系的一种认识。程颐、朱熹等人在“知”“行”关系问题上主张“知先行后”。他们并不否认，对人伦日用之道的体认与践行是相互关联的，二者不可偏废。但若就先后而言，应以“知”为先。“知”是“行”的基础，“行”是在“知”的指导下实现的。只有先认识了人伦日用之道，才能使自己的言行符合道的要求。 The term represents one interpretation of the relationship between “knowledge” and “action.” Regarding the relationship between “knowledge” and “action,” scholars like Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi argued that “knowledge precedes action.” They did not deny that an understanding of the principles underlying human relations in everyday life is

zhīxínɡ-héyī 知行合一 Unity of Knowledge and Action 对“知”“行”关系的一种认识。王守仁基于心学“心外无理”的主张，提出了“知行合一”说。他认为，对人伦日用之道的体认与践行不能割裂，二者是一体的两面。心中有所“知”必然会付诸行动，“行”是“知”的自然运用。若不“行”，便不是真正的“知”。另一方面，“行”也必然会带来深刻切实的认知。若没有“知”，仅仅是不自觉的或迫不得已的行为，便不能实现端正之“行”。 This is one interpretation of the relationship between “knowledge” and “action.” Based on the concept in philosophy of the mind that “there are no li (理), or principles, outside the mind,” Wang Shouren made the argument that “there is unity of knowledge and action.” He felt that it

zhī chǐ ér hòu yǒng 知耻而后勇 Having a Feeling of Shame Gives Rise to Courage. 知道耻辱之后就有了勇气。源于“知耻近乎勇”（知道耻辱就接近勇敢了）。“知耻”就是有羞恶之心（对自己的过错感到羞耻，对他人的不善感到憎恶），孟子将其视为人之为人的基准或底线之一。“勇”即勇气、勇敢。在儒家那里，它和“知”（智慧）、“仁”（仁爱）一起构成“三达德”（三种普世的德行）。将“知耻”和“勇”联系起来，意在激励人们要勇于面对自己的不足，奋发进取，为达到完美境界而努力。它是个人、企业、组织、民族、国家等自尊、自励、自强精神的体现。 The notion that having a feeling of shame gives rise to courage comes from the saying that “to have a feeling of shame is to be near to having courage.” Having a feeling of shame means to be ashamed