Chinese Thought and Culture

yǔzhòu 宇宙 Universe / Cosmos 本义指屋檐和栋梁，引申指空间和时间，及由无限空间和无限时间所构成的世界整体。“宇”指天地四方，也即是包括上、下、东、西、南、北的整个空间；“宙”指往古来今，也即是包括过去和未来的整个时间。“宇宙”在空间上可以无限扩展，在时间上可以无限延续。中国哲学以“宇宙论”指称探讨世界本体及世界发生发展进程的学问。 The original meaning of the term is the eave and beam of a house, while its extended meaning is time and space as well as the whole world composed of limitless time and space. The first character yu (宇) means heaven and earth as well as all the directions of […]

yìxìnɡ 意兴 Inspirational Appreciation “兴”中所蕴含的意或者“兴”发时心物交会所产生的意（意义、趣味等）。是作者通过对景物感受到某种意趣、意味等之后直接创作出富有一定含义的艺术形象。这一术语主张作者将思想情感自然而然地融入对于描写对象的感受之中，并通过艺术形象和审美情趣传达出来，从而激发读者的联想，产生更丰富的领悟。 The term refers to the meaning implicit in an inspiration, or meaning and charm generated when poetic emotion encounters an external object or scene. It is an artistic image an author creates when appreciating the beauty and charm intrinsic in an object or scene. According to this term, an author

yìjìnɡ 意境 Aesthetic Conception 指文艺作品所描绘的景象与所表现的思想情感高度融合而形成的审美境界。“境”本指疆界、边界，汉末魏晋时期佛教传入中国，认为现实世界皆为空幻，唯有心灵感知才是真实的存在，“境”被认为是人的心灵感知所能达到的界域。作为文艺术语，“境”有多重含义。“意境”由唐代著名诗人王昌龄提出，侧重指文艺作品中主观感知到的物象与精神蕴涵相统一所达到的审美高度，其特点是“取意造境”“思与境偕”。相对于“意象”，“意境”更突出文艺作品的精神蕴涵与美感的高级形态，它拓展了作品情与景、虚与实、心与物等概念的应用，提升了文艺作品及审美活动的层次。后经过历代丰富发展，“意境”成为评价文艺作品水准的重要概念，是历代经典作品层累的结果，也是优秀文艺作品必须具备的重要特征。“意境”这一术语也是外来思想文化与中华本土思想融合的典范。 The term refers to a state where the scene described in a literary or artistic work reflects the sense and sensibility intended. Jing (境) originally meant perimeter or boundary. With the introduction of Buddhism into China during the late Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, the idea gained popularity that the physical

yìshù 艺术 Art 原指儒家六艺及各种方术，后引申指艺术创作与审美活动。儒家的“六艺”指诗、书、礼、乐、射、御等六种用以培养君子人格的教育内容，包括后世意义上的艺术；有时也指《诗》《书》《礼》《易》《乐》《春秋》六部经书。庄子则强调技与艺相通，是一种体悟道的融身心为一体的创作活动。儒家、道家与佛教关于艺术的思想，是中国艺术的内在精神与方法。中国艺术追求艺术与人生的统一、感知与体验的结合、技艺与人格的融会等，以意境为旨归。近代西方艺术学传入中国后，艺术成为人类主观精神与物态化作品相结合的技艺与创作，成为专门的学科，涵盖各类艺术。现在的艺术概念是传统艺术内涵与现代西方艺术学的有机融合。 Originally, the term referred to six forms of classical arts and various crafts, but it later extended to include artistic creation and aesthetic appreciation. The six forms of arts as defined by Confucianism are poetry, writing, rites, music, archery, and driving horse-pulled carriages. These constituted the basic requirements for cultivating a

yǎnɡmín 养民 Nurturing the People 养育人民，包括满足人民的生活需要和对人民进行教育。《尚书·大禹谟》将其作为“善政”（良好政治）的目的；为了实现这一目的，治国者必须治理、协调好“六府三事”。“六府”是指金、木、水、火、土、谷，即人民生活所需的各种物质资料；“三事”是指“正德”（端正人民品德）、“利用”（使物质资料为百姓所用）、“厚生”（使人民生活充裕）。这是一种以民为本、物质文明和精神文明兼顾并举的治国理念。 This term means to provide the people with necessities of life and educate them. According to The Book of History, this is what constitutes good governance. To reach this goal, the ruler must manage well the “six necessities and three matters,” the six necessities being metal, wood, water, fire,

xué 学 Learn 学习，儒家认为它是成就道德生命的一种修养和教化方式。一般意义上的“学”主要指对知识的理解和掌握，而儒家所言之“学”则更多指向道德品性的养成。个人通过后天对经典和礼法的学习以及对圣贤的效法，不断培养、完善自身的德性，以成就理想的人格。道家则反对“学”，如老子主张“绝学无忧”，认为“学”会带来内心不必要的忧虑，乃至破坏人的自然状态。 To Confucianism, learning is the way to cultivate oneself to achieve moral integrity. The usual meaning of the term is to acquire knowledge and understanding, but for Confucianism it focuses more on the cultivation of moral and ethical qualities to achieve personal growth. Through learning classics and rites, and following the

xūyī’érjìnɡ 虚壹而静 Open-mindedness, Concentration, and Tranquility 荀子所提出的一种用以把握日用伦常之道的心灵状态。荀子认为，需要通过心的作用才能知“道”。但人心时常处于被遮蔽的状态，只有进入“虚壹而静”的状态才能发挥应有的作用。“虚”是不使已收藏在心中的知识妨碍将要接受的东西。“壹”是使同时兼得的知识类目分明，彼此无碍。“静”是不以虚妄而混乱的知识妨碍正常的心灵活动。 This refers to a state of mind Xunzi proposed as a way to master the Dao of general morality. He believed that one gets to know Dao through the action of one’s heart and mind. But since the human heart and mind are often closed, they can only

xínɡ’érxià 形而下 What Is Under Form / The Physical 有形或已成形质，一般指实际存在的具体事物。“形而下”这一术语出自《周易·系辞上》，与“形而上”相对而言。“形”指形体，“形而下”指在形体出现之后，也即有形者。此有形者被称为“器”。“形而下”的存在以“形而上”为依据。 The term means what has a form or what has a formal substance. It generally indicates existing and concrete things. The term “what is under form” comes from The Book of Changes. It is used as the opposite of “what is above form.” “Form” indicates

xínɡ’érshànɡ 形而上 What Is Above Form / The Metaphysical 无形或未成形质，一般以此指称有形事物的依据。“形而上”这一术语出自《周易·系辞上》，与“形而下”相对而言。“形”指形体，“形而上”是指在形体出现之前，也即无形者。此无形者被称为“道”。 The term means what is formless or has no formal substance yet. It generally indicates the basis of physical things. The term “what is above form” comes from The Book of Changes and is used as the opposite of “what is under form.” “Form” indicates physical

xìnɡqù 兴趣 Xingqu (Charm) “兴”中所蕴含的趣或者是“兴”发时心物交会所产生的趣（情趣、意趣等）。是诗歌中所蕴含的、读者通过欣赏而获得的特定的审美趣味。南宋诗论家严羽在《沧浪诗话》中倡导诗歌的感染力，反对直接说理，主张让读者在品读和感悟中得到愉悦和满足。这一术语后来成为评价诗歌的重要标准，明清诗学也受到积极影响。 The term refers to charm inherent in an inspiration, or charm created when the object or scene depicted in a poem is appreciated. It is a type of aesthetic enjoyment contained in a poem which is gained through the reader’s act of appreciation. In Canglang’s Criticism of Poetry, Yan Yu,