zìyóu 自由 Acting Freely / Freedom 本义是由自己做主，依从自己的想法、意志、愿望行事，不受外来限制和约束。在古代中国，儒道都向往内心与生命不受拘系的自由。近代以来，它用作liberty和freedom的译词。作为专有名词，其含义主要有二：其一，指法律所规定并保护的国民享有其意志、行为不受干涉的权利，如言论、集会、宗教信仰等方面的自由；其二，哲学上指人对必然性的认识和对客观世界的改造的自由。它是建立在对自然、社会规律深刻把握的基础上，以人的全面发展为目的的自由，被认为是构建美好社会的核心价值之一。 The term means acting on one’s own free will without being subject to external restrictions. In ancient China, both Confucians and Daoists longed for freedom both of the mind and in their lives. In modern times, this term has become the Chinese word for “liberty” and “freedom.” As […]

zìshēng 自生 Spontaneous Generation 万物由自己生成。万物不由“天”或“无”创造产生，也不由其他有形的事物所产生。“自生”之说意在打破造物主的观念。对于万物“自生”的具体情形，人们有不同的理解。有人认为，“自生”的事物之间是相互关联、相互依赖的。但也有人主张，万物各自无联系地、孤立地、突然地“自生”。 Everything comes into being by itself; it is not created or generated by heaven, void, or tangible things. The expression “spontaneous generation” rejects the concept of a creator. People have different views about the concrete circumstances of the “spontaneous generation” of things. Some believe that things which are “spontaneously generated”

zhōnghé 中和 Balanced Harmony 人心所达到的中正、和谐的状态。人的喜、怒、哀、乐等情感的活动及其在言行上的表现符合礼的要求，不失偏颇进而达到一种和谐的状态，即是“中和”。治理者如果能够体认并达到“中和”的状态，以此治理天下，天地万物就会处于端正、恰当的位置，和谐、有序，就可以实现彼此间的共同繁荣与发展。 Balanced harmony is an ideal state of human mind. When people’s emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are expressed in an unbiased way in keeping with the rites, a state of mind featuring balanced harmony is achieved. If a ruler can reach such a state of mind and

zhì shì zhī yīn 治世之音 Music of an Age of Good Order 指太平时代的音乐。儒家认为，音乐与社会政治相互联通，音乐能反映一个国家的政治盛衰得失及社会风俗的变化。乐教能促使政治清明，社会秩序稳定；反过来，太平时代政治开明、和美，其音乐、诗歌作品一定充满安详欢乐。“治世之音”也被用来指《诗经》中的某些美颂之作。 Confucian scholars believed that music interacts with both society and its political evolution; it also reflects the rise and decline of a state’s political strength and changes of social customs. Music education fosters good governance and social stability. In an age of

zhìnèi-cáiwài 治内裁外 Handling Internal Affairs Takes Precedence over External Affairs. 治理好国家的内部事务，才能处理好对外事务。“治内”是指国家内部的治理达到理想状态；“裁外”是指量度天下大势，制定对外政策，选择适当的政治、外交、军事等手段，影响国际格局。它告诉我们一条原理：国家内政是对外方略的基础。 A country’s internal affairs must be handled well before its external affairs can be handled well. Zhinei (治内) means that domestic governance has achieved an ideal state; caiwai (裁外) means assessing the broad trends in the world, making external policies, and selecting appropriate political, diplomatic, and

zhènɡshǐtǐ 正始体 The Zhengshi Literary Style 指三国曹魏后期（公元240—265年）的文学风格。因始于魏齐王曹芳正始年间（公元240—249年），故名。这一时期的政治现实极其严酷，正始文人因此以哲学眼光来看待、思考更为广阔的人生和宇宙问题。深刻的理性思考和强烈的人生悲哀，构成了正始文学最基本的特点。正始文学的主要特征是崇尚老庄，以玄理入诗，呈现出浓厚的哲理色彩。当时作家主要有两派：一派是以何晏、王弼为代表，开两晋“玄言诗”之先河；另一派是以嵇康、阮籍为代表，继承建安文学传统，其作品有深厚的思想感情、鲜明的时代特色和个性特点，因而成就较大。 The term refers to the literary style of the final years of the State of Wei (240–265) in the Three Kingdoms period. It emerged in the Zhengshi era (240–249) under the reign of Cao Fang, also known as Prince Qi of Wei. Facing the harsh prevailing political conditions,

zhèng guì yŏu héng 政贵有恒 Stability Is the Key to Governance. 国家大政贵在稳定持久。“政”指国家根本性的制度、法令、政策；“贵”即崇尚；“有恒”即保持稳定。一个国家，尤其是大国，一定要保持其根本制度、根本大法的稳定性、持久性，不能朝令夕改，反复无常，否则会引起政局动荡、社会混乱；尤其在根本性问题上不能出现颠覆性变化，否则难以挽回和弥补。这个道理和“治大国若烹小鲜”有相通之处。 It’s the key to governance to ensure sustained stability. Zheng (政) refers to the fundamental systems, laws, and policies of a state. Gui (贵) means the most valuable thing. Youheng (有恒) means to ensure stability. A country, especially a large country, must preserve the constancy of

yuè 乐 Yue (Music) 古代六艺之一，常与“礼”并称。相较于各种外在的礼法规范，音乐最能感动人的内心并对人的言行产生影响。但并不是所有的音乐都属于儒家所说的“乐”的范畴。“乐”应能有助于人的性情处于平和中正的状态，使人的言行自觉符合礼的要求，从而实现人与人之间的和谐共处。“乐”常与其他礼仪形式配合运用，是维系人伦秩序、移风易俗的重要手段。 Yue (乐) is one of the six arts of ancient times, often mentioned together with li (礼 rites / social norms). In contrast to external rules and rites, music touches the emotions and thus can affect human behavior. However, not all music counts as the Confucian yue which must have the effect of making

yuēdìng-súchéng 约定俗成 Established Through Popular Usage / Accepted Through Common Practice 名称按约定确立并成为习惯。荀子提出“约定俗成”的观念，用以描述事物的命名方式。荀子认为，人们所使用的名称有着不同的种类，每个名称适用于指示特定的对象。但具体用哪个名称来指示某一事物或某类事物，则是由人们共同约定的。约定的名称用法逐渐为人们所习惯，那么这一名称也就确定下来了。“约定俗成”后来也被用以泛指一般社会规则的形成。 Names are established through popular usage. Xunzi proposed this idea to describe how things are named. Xunzi believed that names fall into different categories, and every name is used to indicate a particular object. Which name is used to describe what or what

yuàncì 怨刺 Resentment and Sting 用文学形式表达对社会不公的不满及对统治者的讽刺劝谏。特指《诗经》中对时政和统治者进行批判和讽喻，表达诗人心中强烈怨愤与不平的诗作。汉代学者认为《诗经》中的“怨”是有节制的宣泄，“刺”则是积极意义上的规劝，因此将二者合成一个文学批评术语，肯定这类作品所具有的现实意义。唐宋以后，此术语有激烈批判和强烈怨恨的意味，不过核心内涵仍以向往政治清明、社会和谐为旨归。 This term means using a literary form to express resentment towards social injustice and satirize and admonish those in power. It especially refers to the poems in The Book of Songs, in which poets criticized and satirized the politics and the ruling class of the time to vent their