Chinese Thought and Culture

rénwén 人文 Renwen 指礼乐教化、典章制度，即诗书、礼乐、法度等精神文明的创造以及与之相关的既有差等又有调和的社会秩序。与“天文”（日月星辰等天体的运行状态和规律）相对。也泛指人事，即人类社会的行为、习俗或状态。近代以后，受西学影响，“人文”演变指人类社会的各种文化现象，研究人类社会文化现象的学科称为人文科学。 Renwen (人文) encompasses the cultural and ethical progress created by rites, music, education, codes, and systems as well as a social order which is hierarchical but harmonious. Renwen is in contrast to tianwen (天文), the study of celestial bodies including the sun, moon, and stars. Renwen also refers to human affairs in general, that is, […]

réndào 人道 Way of Man 为人之道，指人类社会必须遵循的行为规范（与“天道”相对），也是人类社会得以维持和运行的关系及法则。近代以后，西学东渐，它演变为以尊重和关爱人的生命、幸福、尊严、自由、个性发展等为原则的行为规范和权利。 The way of man refers to the code of conduct that people must observe and also the relations and norms that keep human society on the right track. The way of man stands in contrast to the way of heaven. When Western culture was introduced to China in modern

qǔjìnɡ 取境 Qujing (Conceptualize an Aestheric Feeling) 指诗人在诗歌创作中，选取最能表达内心情感的物象并构思符合诗人自己的审美感受的意境。由唐代诗僧皎然在《诗式》中提出。皎然在总结六朝至中唐诗人的创作经验与方式时提出，作诗的时候，要精于构思，立意尽量奇特，不落俗套，在一番苦思冥想之后，灵感迸发、神完气足，才能写出境界上好的诗歌作品。虽然构思险奇，但是最终形成的作品风格要平易自然，不要显露精心思索的痕迹。取境与意境、境界等术语关系密切，属于中国古典诗论中关于“境”的术语系列。 The term means to conceptualize an aesthetic feeling by selecting images that best express a poet’s sentiments and appreciation. The term qujing (取境) was coined by the Tang monk poet Jiaoran in his Poetic Styles. After conducting a review of how poets from the Six Dynasties to the

qián 乾 Qian “八卦”之一，由三个“阳爻”组成，画为“☰”。又为“六十四卦”之一，由六个“阳爻”组成，画为“”。按照易学的解释，由于“乾”卦全部由阳爻组成，因此具有纯阳之性，被用以象征各种阳性的事物或原则。“乾”卦的基本象征意义是天，在社会领域主要象征男性、父亲、君主等社会角色以及刚健有为的行事原则。结合“乾”卦的各种象征意义，“乾”还被赋予了创生、统领万物之义。 One of the eight trigrams, it consists of three yang lines: ☰. It is also one of the 64 hexagrams when it consists of six yang lines:. According to scholars on The Book of Changes, as the qian trigram is composed only of yang lines, it is purely yang and is thus

qìxiàng 气象 Prevailing Features 原是自然界中景色物候的总称，也指某个时期社会的总体精神风貌。“气象”兼指气概、气势和景色、景物两方面而言。具体到艺术领域，指艺术作品所呈现出的风格与气概，内涵偏重于宏伟壮大，多用“雄浑”“浑厚”“峥嵘”等来修饰。唐代文论家们开始用“气象”一词来论述诗歌、文章的神采和风貌。从宋代起，“气象”成为文论的重要概念，用以品评诗歌、文章以及书画作品的风格与气概。“气象”往往反映特定文艺时期的精神风貌，例如盛唐气象实即盛唐时代的诗歌风貌，也与创作者个人的襟抱气度相关。 Qixiang (气象), originally a term about the general state of scenery and physical objects in nature, also refers to the prevailing features of a society in a given period of time. This description carries the meaning of great appeal and impact as well as scenery and objects. When applied to art,

mìnɡ 命 Mandate / Destiny 最初指“天命”，即上天对人事的命令。上天根据人的德行状况对人施与奖赏或惩罚。“天命”决定着王朝的更替、国家的兴衰乃至个人的吉凶祸福，被认为是一种不可抗拒的力量。后人逐渐淡化了“命”与“天”的关联，侧重于强调“命”的不可抗拒之义，也即是命运。对人而言，“命”意味着来自于外部的某种限制，标志着人力的极限，并在某种意义上体现为人的无可奈何的处境。 The earliest meaning of the term was mandate of Heaven, that is, the intentions and instructions that Heaven expressed to humans. The implication was that Heaven meted out rewards and punishments on human beings as their moral conduct deserved. The mandate of Heaven was considered an irresistible force that

mínɡshí 名实 Name and Substance “实”指实存的事物，“名”指赋予事物的名号、称谓。“名”建立在“实”的基础之上，不能脱离对“实”的认识。“名”体现着人们对事物的本质及其相互关系的理解和设计。人们通过命名的方式，将万事万物纳入到一定的秩序之中。事物依据其被赋予的名号、称谓，在有秩序的整体中确立自己的地位和意义。 Shi (实) refers to an existing object, while ming (名) refers to a name, a title or an appellation given to an object. A name is given on the basis of substance, and it cannot be separated from the knowledge of the substance. Names give expression to people’s understanding about the

mínbāo-wùyǔ 民胞物与 All People Are My Brothers and Sisters, and All Things Are My Companions. 世人都是我的同胞，万物都是我的同伴。北宋张载认为人和万物都是天地自然之气化生的，本性相同，因此提出“民胞物与”，主张爱世上一切人和物。这一思想超越了以人类为中心的窠臼，达到了人我、物我的统一与和谐，与“厚德载物”的内在精神是一致的，是宋明理学思想的重要组成部分。 This idea was first put forward by Zhang Zai of the Northern Song Dynasty, who held that people and things are all created by the vital force of heaven and earth, and thus are similar in nature. He advocated

miàowù 妙悟 Subtle Insight 一种特定情境下形成的心理体验状态，在精神自由放松的状态下，直接领会、感知美，然后呈现于诗歌作品中，从而使诗歌整体的美感超越具体的语言文字，达到极高的审美层次。它能够在瞬间的心理体验中，达到物我两忘的境界，领悟诗歌的本质和永恒的精神之美。在佛、道、玄三家的义理中，“妙”指思维方面的精微玄奥，而“悟”则是一种体验式的、不依赖逻辑推理的认识方式。禅宗提倡通过禅修来达到本心清净、空灵清澈的精神境界，这种境界与文艺审美的精神境界有着密切的联系。南宋严羽《沧浪诗话》借用禅宗的思想，对“妙悟”在诗歌创作中的特征与功用作了充分的阐发，开创以禅喻诗的先河，影响较大。“妙悟”也影响了中国古代的绘画与书法。 This term refers to an inner experience one gains under special circumstances. When the mind is so relaxed and peaceful, it allows one to develop an intimate appreciation and understanding of beauty and then express it in a poem. The beauty of the poem thus inspired transcends words and creates

lǐ 礼 Li (Rites / Social Norms) 社会秩序的总称，用以规范个人与他人、与天地万物乃至鬼神之间的关系。“礼”通过各种有关器物、仪式、制度的规定，明确了个人特定的身份及相应的责任、权力，从而区别了个人在社会群体中长幼、亲疏、尊卑的差等。“礼”以这样的区别来实现对个体的安顿，并由此达成人与人、人与天地万物之间的和谐。 Li (礼) is a general term for social norms which regulate an individual’s relationship with other people, everything else in nature, and even ghosts and spirits. By setting various regulations about ceremonial vessels, rituals, and systems, rites define an individual’s specific status and corresponding duty and power, thereby