lóng 龙 Dragon 传说中一种神异、祥瑞的动物，其形象综合了多种动物的特征：牛头、鹿角、虾眼、驴嘴、人须、蛇身、鹰爪等；能走、能飞、能游泳，能兴云布雨、善于变化，法力无边。它是中华民族最古老的图腾之一，秦汉以后成为帝王或皇室的象征，后又演化为汉民族及所有中国人共同的精神标记和文化符号。中国“龙”象征统合、强大、尊贵、威严、杰出、吉祥等，与西方神话传说中邪恶、贪婪的dragon有所区别。 The dragon is a mystique and auspicious animal in Chinese mythology, with its image having the features of a number of animals: bull’s head, deer antlers, shrimp’s eyes, donkey’s mouth, human beard, snake’s body, and eagle’s claws. It can walk, fly, swim, and even raise clouds and make rain. It holds […]

liǎngyí 两仪 Two Modes 事物生成与存在的两种仪则，是用以表现“八卦”生成过程的一个易学概念。《周易·系辞上》言：“易有太极，是生两仪，两仪生四象，四象生八卦。”“太极”分化而形成相互匹配、对立的两面，即是“两仪”。就“两仪”的具体内容而言，古人有不同的理解：其一，从宇宙生成的角度来看，“两仪”或指天、地，或指阴、阳。其二，从占筮的角度来理解，“两仪”指由四十九根蓍草任意划分出的两组，或指画卦中分出的奇偶两画。 Things come into being and exist in two modes, which are used to describe how the eight trigrams are formed. As explained in The Book of Changes: “Changes involve taiji (太极 the supreme ultimate), which produces two modes. The two modes generate the four images, and the four images give birth

lǐqù 理趣 Substance Through Artistic Appeal 指文学作品通过艺术形象而展示给人们的某种哲理和审美趣味，亦指读者通过对作品的阅读欣赏而领略到的其中所蕴含的哲理启示与审美趣味。魏晋南北朝出现的玄言诗崇尚玄理，宋人好以议论入诗，皆为后人诟病。因而有些诗歌评论家反对脱离艺术形象而单纯说“理”的创作理念，主张将“理”寄寓在艺术形象中，化为鲜活生动的审美趣味，所以称作理趣。这里的“理”是人生体悟，而非知识和学问，不能用逻辑概念去表达。这里的“趣”是一种审美情趣，是体悟人生哲理后的内心喜悦。“理趣说”将诗歌能否说理的争议转化为哲理与情趣相结合的理论主张，有助于辩证看待一切寄寓思考与体悟的文学作品。 This term refers to the philosophical substance of a work as well as its literary appeal conveyed to readers through its artistic image. In other words, it means the philosophical insights and aesthetic engagement that readers acquire through the process of appreciatively reading classic literary works. For example,

kuángjuàn 狂狷 Proactive Versus Prudent 激昂进取与拘谨持守。孔子以“狂”和“狷”来指称两种为人处世的态度和作风。孔子认为，理想的处事方式是不偏不倚，无过或不及。而“狂”和“狷”各有所偏，“狂”即激昂进取，弘扬道义而不做任何妥协；“狷”则拘谨持守，谨慎退让但不失节操。二者虽有所偏颇，但都合乎道义，皆有可取之处。 Proactive and prudent were used by Confucius to refer to two opposing attitudes and styles of behavior. Proactive persons tend to be radical and won’t make any compromise in upholding moral principles and justice. Prudent persons, on the other hand, tend to be cautious and ready to make compromise

kūdàn 枯淡 Dry Plainness 指诗文作品所呈现的质朴干枯、平和清淡的艺术风格。枯淡不是枯涩寡味、平庸浅薄，而是指外表看似干枯平淡、内里丰腴醇厚的一种表现手法，旨在用质朴平淡的语言和描写来表现丰富深刻的思想内容，创造出含蓄深邃、醇厚高远的意境。北宋初期，雕琢华艳的文风盛行，梅尧臣、欧阳修等人倡导诗文革新，标举平淡深邃的风格，认为诗歌的根本在于性情，无需刻意而为。苏轼以陶渊明、柳宗元的诗歌为典范，进一步提出了“枯淡”的概念。“枯淡”与“平淡”“淡泊”“冲淡”等概念内涵接近，是道家冲和之美与儒家典雅之美的合流。 This refers to a literary style that appears plain and dry, mild and moderate. Here, dry and plain does not mean insipid, dull, common or shallow; rather, it suggests a means of expression that, while appearing prosaic, is rich in substance within. Its aim is to convey, in plain and

kèjǐ-fùlǐ 克己复礼 Restrain Yourself and Follow Social Norms 克制自己的言行以符合礼的要求。出自《论语》，是孔子提出的实现仁德的基本方法。孔子认为，仁德的养成应以礼为标准。个人的言行应受到外在的礼的规范，但更重要的是通过约束自身的私欲，使自己的所见、所闻、言语、行为都符合礼的要求。能够做到“克己复礼”，就达成了仁德。 Restrain your words and deeds to comply with social norms. This term comes from The Analects. It is the fundamental method Confucius recommended for achieving benevolence. According to Confucius, social norms should be the standard for cultivating benevolence. Externally, your words and deeds should be subject

jīngqì 精气 Vital Energy 最精致细微的“气”。对“精气”较为详细的解释，最早见于《管子》。在《管子·内业》等篇的讨论中，“精气”指“气”中最精致细微的部分，是“道”的具体呈现。一切有形之物及人类都是由“精气”构成的。此外，人的生命、精神、智慧也被看作是“精气”作用的结果。 Vital energy refers to the finest and most subtle energy. The earliest detailed explanation of vital energy is found in Guanzi. According to the book, the finest and most subtle energy is a concrete manifestation of Dao. All things with shapes and all human beings are made up of vital

jiěbì 解蔽 Clear the Mind of Enigmas 解除认识上的蔽塞，以求获得对“道”的认识。“解蔽”一说出自《荀子》。荀子认为，人的良好的道德行为乃是基于人心对“道”的认识，但人心时常受到自身的好恶、欲求及各种外界因素的影响，从而形成片面的、狭隘的认识。要解除人心所受到的遮蔽，就需要锻炼心知“道”的能力，使心处于“虚壹而静”的状态。 This term, from Xunzi, means to clear the mind of enigmas so that one may understand Dao. Xunzi believes that man’s moral integrity depends on his understanding of Dao. However, man’s likes and dislikes, desires and external factors are likely to jaundice his understanding of Dao. To

Jiàn’ān fēnɡɡǔ 建安风骨 The Jian’an Literary Style 又称“汉魏风骨”。指汉献帝建安年间（公元196—220年）至魏初这一时期的文学作品中由刚健悲慨的思想感情与清朗遒劲的文辞凝结而成的时代精神和总体风格。汉末政治动荡，战乱频繁，人民流离失所。这一时期的代表作家“三曹”（曹操、曹丕、曹植）、“七子”（孔融、陈琳、王粲、徐干、阮瑀、应玚、刘桢）和女诗人蔡琰等人，继承了汉乐府民歌的现实主义传统，在创作中多直面社会动乱，反映民生疾苦及个人怀抱，抒发了建功立业的理想和积极进取的精神，表现出刚健、向上的抱负和豪迈、悲慨的情怀。“建安文学”的总体风格是悲凉慷慨、风骨遒劲、华美壮阔，具有鲜明的时代特征和个性特征，形成了文学史上独特的“建安风骨”，从而被后人尊为典范，其中又以诗歌成就最为突出。 The Jian’an literary style, also known as the Han–Wei literary style, refers to the literary style from the Jian’an era (196–220) of the Han Dynasty to the early Northern Wei Dynasty, featuring powerful expression of passion, anxiety, and indignation. The final years of the Han Dynasty saw

jǐ suŏ bù yù，wù shī yú rén 己所不欲，勿施于人 Do Not Do to Others What You Do Not Want Others to Do to You. 自己不愿意的，不要强加给别人。这是孔子所提倡的“恕道”（推己及人的原则），以自己的心意推测、理解别人的心意，亦即今之所谓设身处地，换位思考。其哲学基础是“性相近”（人的本性是相近的）。它是儒家处理人与人关系的重要原则，如今也被引申为反对强权政治的国际关系原则，其基本精神是仁爱、平等与宽容。 Do not impose on others what you do not want yourself. That is the “way of being considerate” advocated by Confucius. It calls for using one,s own mind to infer and