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

kūn 坤 Kun “八卦”之一，由三个“阴爻”组成，画为“☷”。又为“六十四卦”之一，由六个“阴爻”组成，画为“”。按照易学的解释，由于“坤”卦全部由“阴爻”组成，因此具有纯“阴”之性，被用以象征各种“阴”性的事物或原则。“坤”卦的基本象征意义是地，在社会领域主要象征女性、母亲、臣民等社会角色以及柔顺宽厚的行事原则。结合“坤”卦的各种象征意义，“坤”还被赋予了创生、长养万物之义。 One of the eight trigrams, kun(坤) consists of three yin lines: ☷. It is also one of the 64 hexagrams when it consists of six yin lines:. According to scholars on The Book of Changes, as the kun trigram is composed only of yin lines, it is purely yin and is thus used

kāiwù-chénɡwù 开物成务 Understand Things and Succeed in One’s Endeavors 揭示事物的真相并据以做成事情。“开物”即揭开事物真相，弄清事物的内在联系和规律；“成务”即根据事物的内在联系和规律，确定适当方法，把事情做好做成。这是古人从《周易》的变化规律及社会功用中所悟出的认识世界、改造世界、服务自身的思想方法和行动纲领，蕴含着朴素的科学精神。 This term means to find out the truth of things, and act accordingly to succeed in what one does. Kaiwu (开物) means to reveal the truth of things and understand their intrinsic relations and rules. Chengwu (成务) means to use proper methods to do things successfully

jūnzǐ 君子 Junzi (Man of Virtue) “君子”最初用以指称人的社会身份与地位，一般指统治者和贵族男子。但自孔子始，“君子”更多地被赋予了道德的意义，德行出众者被称为“君子”，反之为“小人”。在儒家传统中，“君子”成为一种介乎士和圣贤之间的人格理想，它标志着道德人格的确立。“君子”有志于追寻和实践作为价值理想的“道”，并把“道”而不是权力或利益等视为生命意义的根本。 Junzi (君子) was originally used to indicate a person’s social status, generally referring to a ruler or a member of the aristocracy. Beginning with Confucius, the term acquired an additional moral dimension and came to mean someone of true virtue. The opposite of junzi is xiaoren (小人), which roughly means the

jūn 君 Lord / Nobility / Monarch 最早指包括天子、诸侯、卿、大夫等在内地位尊崇并拥有一定土地、百姓的统治者，后专指诸侯国国君和帝王。“君”的字形由“尹”“口”构成，“尹”即治理，指管理国家，治理百姓；“口”即发令。古人认为，为“君”者须具备四个条件：一有“德”，即具备非凡的德行与才能；二有“命”，即秉承“天命”（上天的旨意）；三有“地”，即拥有自己的土地或领地；四有“群”，即管理“群下”（群臣、民众）并为群下所诚心归附。 Originally, the term referred to the Son of Heaven, dukes or princes, ministers, and senior officials who owned land and ruled the common people. It later referred to ducal monarchs and the emperor only. The Chinese character 君 is composed of two parts, namely, 尹 and 口.

jū’ān-sīwēi 居安思危 Be on Alert Against Potential Danger When Living in Peace 处在安宁的环境中，要想到可能出现的危难。历代有抱负的统治者都希望国家长治久安，常常提醒自己不要沉湎于安逸享乐，而要勤于政事，励精图治，及时化解社会矛盾，防患于未然。这是一种长远、积极的忧患意识。它不仅成为历代有为的统治阶级时时警醒自己的治政理念，而且也成为现代企业经营的重要指导原则和一般民众积极进取的一种精神。 One should always be on alert against potential danger in time of peace. All ambitious rulers in history hoped to maintain enduring stability. They often reminded themselves not to indulge in pleasure and comfort, but to conduct diligent governance, work hard to