Chinese Thought and Culture

sānbiǎo 三表 Three Standards 衡量言论正确与否的三条标准。表：标准，准则。墨子主张通过言论判断是非，应以“三表”作为标准：其一，以历史上圣王成功的治理经验作为标准。其二，以民众的实际经验作为标准。其三，以言论应用的实践效果是否有利于国家、人民作为标准。墨子以“三表”为依据建立自己的学说，并以此考量、批评其他学派的主张。 The term means the three standards used to measure the truth of an assertion. The Chinese character biao (表) in this term means standard or norm. Mozi believed in judging right or wrong by following the three standards. The first one was the successful way in which the ancient sage kings […]

rénzhě’àirén 仁者爱人 The Benevolent Person Loves Others. 仁者对他人充满仁爱之心。“仁者”即有仁德的人，是有大智大勇、德行完满、关爱他人、有人格魅力和感召力的人。“仁”在孔子那里是最高的道德范畴和境界，以“爱人”为基本规定，意思是“仁”从孝父母、敬兄长开始，进而关爱家族其他成员，进而扩大至全天下的人。孟子将其提炼为思想命题，并应用于治国理政，提出君子由亲爱亲人而仁爱百姓，由仁爱百姓而爱惜万物。在儒家看来，人虽然有差等，但仁爱却是普世的。它是构建和谐、友善社会的基础和目标。 The benevolent person has a loving heart. Renzhe (仁者) refers to benevolent and virtuous people or people with loving hearts, who have tremendous courage, wisdom, perfect moral character, charm, and charisma, and who love and care about others. Confucianism holds ren (仁) as the highest moral value. The basic

qǔ 曲 Qu (Melody) 曲是继诗、词之后兴起的一种文学体式，一般指宋金以来的北曲（音乐多用北方曲调，演唱和念白用北方音）和南曲（音乐多用南方曲调，演唱和念白用南方音）。因鼎盛于元代，故又称为元曲。“曲”与词的体制相近，但句法较词灵活，多用口语，用韵也接近口语。曲大致分为两种类型：一种是进入杂剧、传奇的唱词，属于戏曲（也称剧曲）；另一种是散曲，和诗词一样，可抒情、写景、叙事，能演唱，但没有念白和关于人物动作、表情等的提示语，又称为“清曲”。不过，总体上说，古代戏曲的成就和影响要大大超过散曲，而元代又是中国戏曲史上的黄金时代，当时有姓名记载的戏曲作家就有八十余人。关汉卿、白朴、马致远、郑光祖四位戏曲作家，代表了元代不同时期、不同流派的戏曲创作成就，因此后人称他们为“元曲四大家”。元曲在思想内容和艺术成就两方面都体现了独有的特色，和唐诗、宋词、明清小说一样，成为中国文学史上一座重要的里程碑。 Qu (曲) is a literary form that came into being later than poetry and ci (词). It generally refers to the northern- and southern-style melodies created in the Song and Jin dynasties. Northern melodies were composed mostly with tunes in northern China and performed in northern dialect, while southern melodies had southern tunes

qiú fànɡxīn 求放心 Search for the Lost Heart 寻求、找回丧失的本心。“求放心”是孟子所提出的一种道德修养方法。孟子认为，每个人天生都具有善心，也即是“四端”，它是每个人都有的天赋德性，是人之为善的根源。但在人的成长过程中，受到外在事物与环境的影响，固有的善心可能会被削弱和遮蔽，从而出现违背道德的言行。因此在个人的道德修养中，需要努力发现并找回自己所固有的善心。 To search for and retrieve one’s lost heart is a way to cultivate one’s morality propounded by Mencius. In his view everyone was born with a benevolent heart, which meant the “four beginnings” of benevolence, righteousness, rites and social norms, and wisdom. These are virtues conferred

qiánshì-bùwàng，hòushìzhīshī 前事不忘，后事之师 Past Experience, If Not Forgotten, Is a Guide for the Future. 过去的事情不能忘记，它可作为以后行事的借鉴。“前事”即过去的事，亦即历史；“后事”即后来的事，亦即现在和未来；“师”即效法、借鉴。其深层含义在于提醒人们要从历史中吸取经验教训，以此作为后来的参照或借鉴。中国古代注重修史，史学空前发达，为的就是总结前代治国理政的成败得失，叙述历史人物特别是帝王与执政官员个人言行的是非善恶，对当代和后世起到警示与借鉴的作用。 This concept is meant to remind people of the need to learn from past experience and make it a guide for the future. In ancient China great importance was attached to writing history and thus historiography experienced great progress. It was

qìzhìzhīxìng 气质之性 Character Endowed by Qi (Vital Force) “气”所赋予或影响的人的本性，与“天命之性”或“天地之性”相对。“气质之性”包含两种不同的含义：其一，指“气”赋予人的禀性。或指人的刚柔缓急的性格，或指贤愚等具有道德含义的品格。这个意义上的“气质之性”与“天命之性”共同构成了人天生所具的本性。其二，指“天理”与“气”共同影响的人性。“天理”落入有形的身体之中就会受到“气”的影响。“天理”所赋予的道德本性与身体的欲求交错在一起，即是“气质之性”。 The moral characters of humans endowed or influenced by qi (气) stand in contrast with “heavenly endowed characters” or the “properties of heaven and earth.” The term encompasses two meanings. First, it refers to the specific disposition of a person under the influence of qi, such as firmness and

qì 器 Qi (Vessel) 实在的器物或具体的职官、身份等。“器”是有形的或可以具体描述的。每一种“器”都具有特定的形态、功用或能力。因此，“器”与“器”之间有着明确的界限和差别。但不同的“器”之中又包含着相通的“道”。“器”的存在来自于“道”且依赖于“道”。具体就人事而言，个人在自己的职分中担负着特定的责任，但又应超越于具体而有限的器用，致力于对“道”的体认与遵循。 Qi (器) is a real object or a specific official, position, etc. A qi is something visible, or something one may describe in concrete terms. Every kind of qi has a specific form, function, or capability. Therefore there are clear distinctions between one qi and another. However, a common Dao exists in different qis. The

qíwù 齐物 Seeing Things as Equal 破除事物之间差异与对立的一种认识态度或生活方式。庄子在《齐物论》中通过对世界的变化无常的揭示，说明差异与对立的事物之间内在相通。因此在认识层面，应该从世界的相通的本质出发，视万物齐等如一，放弃自我的立场所带来的对事物的分别与好恶。心游离于事物之外，摆脱事物的限制与影响。事物之间差异与对立的表象不再构成内心乃至生命的负担。 This refers to a worldview or lifestyle that seeks to reconcile differences and contradictions among things. In “On Seeing things as equal”, Zhuangzi analyzes the unpredictable nature of the world to reveal that different or opposing things are inherently interconnected. In striving to understand the world, one should

piāoyì 飘逸 Natural Grace 指诗歌作品中所表现出的逍遥自适、超凡脱俗、无拘无束的审美情趣和艺术风格。作为一个诗学术语，它也集中体现了诗人思想独立、天性自由的精神气质和审美追求，及“独与天地精神往来”、自由遨游于无限时空的意境，是诗歌意境、诗人与诗中人物融为一体而呈现出的艺术风格。往往与“沉郁”的诗歌风格相对应。 Natural grace, a term for poetic study (often in contrast to the “melancholy” poetic style), refers to free and unconstrained aesthetic style and artistic appeal in poetic works. It gives expression to the imagination of the poet, the natural and free disposition of his spirit, and his pursuit of aesthetic