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,

xìnɡjì 兴寄 Xingji (Association and Inner Sustenance) 运用比兴、寄托等艺术手法，使诗歌情感蕴藉、内涵深厚、寄托感慨。由初唐时代的陈子昂首次提出。“兴”是由外物触发而兴发情感，“寄”是寄托某种寓意。兴寄最初是指诗人的感兴要有寓意，达到托物言志的目的；后来引申为诗歌要有赞美或讽刺的寓意。兴寄这一术语继承了先秦时代感物起兴的诗歌传统，强调诗歌的感兴之中要有深沉的寄托，是比兴理论的重要发展，对于盛唐诗歌摆脱齐梁时代诗歌追求华彩而摒弃寄托的创作态度、推动唐诗健康发展有很大作用。 The term means the use of analogy, association, and inner sustenance in writing a poem to give implicit expression to one’s sentiments, thus enabling the poem to convey a subtle message. The term was first used by the Tang-dynasty poet Chen Zi’ang. Xing (兴) means the development of

wēnróu-dūnhòu 温柔敦厚 Mild, Gentle, Sincere, and Broadminded 指儒家经典《诗经》所具有的温和宽厚的精神及教化作用。秦汉时期的儒学认为，《诗经》虽然有讽刺、劝谏的内容，但是重在疏导，不直言斥责，大多数诗篇情理中和，在潜移默化中使读者受到感化、养成敦实忠厚的德性，从而达到以诗教化的目的。温柔敦厚的诗教观是儒家中庸之道的体现，以中正、平和为审美标准，这也成为对于文艺创作风格的要求，体现为以含蓄为美、以教化为重。 This term refers to the mild and broadminded manner with which the Confucian classic, The Book of Songs, edifies people. Confucian scholars during the Qin and Han dynasties believed that although some poems of The Book of Songs were satirical and remonstrative in tone, it still focused on persuading

tiānzǐ 天子 Son of Heaven “天”之子，指帝王、君主，即帝国或王朝的最高统治者。古人认为，帝王、君主秉上天旨意统治天下，其权力乃天所授，故称帝王、君主为天子。这个名称肯定了帝王、君主的权力来自上天所赐的正当性和神圣性，同时也对之构成一定的约束。这和西方的“君权神授”的观念相似，但有根本不同：中国的“天”不同于西方的“神”，而且蕴含着“天人感应”的思想，即“天”的旨意与人心、民意相贯通。 The Son of Heaven refers to the emperor or monarch, the supreme ruler of an empire or dynasty. People in ancient times believed that a monarch ruled the world by Heaven’s decree and with its mandate, hence he was called the Son of Heaven. This term asserted that a

tiānrénzhīfēn 天人之分 Distinction Between Man and Heaven 一种认为天与人相分别的世界观和思维方式。此说最初由荀子所提出，他反对将人世的道德、秩序的来源或依据寄托于天。荀子认为，天与人各有其职分，不应混淆。天地日月的运行、寒暑水旱的出现，都属于天职的领域，有其常道，与人事无关，也非人力所及。而人的道德、人世的治乱则属于人职的范围，人应对道德的养成及社会的治理负责。只有明确了“天人之分”，人才能在天所赋予和确立的基础之上发挥人的能力而不是僭越到人无法用力的领域。 This term refers to a world outlook and a way of thinking which hold that heaven and man are different. This explanation was first put forward by Xunzi, who did not believe that human morality and the order of human society emanated from heaven. He argued that

tiānrén-héyī 天人合一 Heaven and Man Are United as One. 一种认为天地人相通的世界观和思维方式。这种世界观旨在强调天地和人之间的整体性和内在联系，突出了天对于人或人事的根源性意义，表现了人在与天的联系中寻求生命、秩序与价值基础的努力。“天人合一”在历史上有不同的表现方式，如天人同类、同气或者同理等。如孟子认为通过心的反思可以知性、知天，强调心、性和天之间的统一。宋儒寻求天理、人性和人心之间的相通。老子则主张“人法地，地法天，天法道”。根据对天和人理解的不同，“天人合一”也会具有不同的意义。 The term represents a world outlook and a way of thinking which hold that heaven and earth and man are interconnected. This world outlook emphasizes the integration and inherent relationship between heaven, earth, and man. It highlights the fundamental significance of nature to man or