huàlónɡ-diǎnjīnɡ 画龙点睛 Adding Pupils to the Eyes of a Painted Dragon / Rendering the Final Touch 比喻文学艺术创作中在紧要处着墨或写出关键性的词句，以创造出最奇妙的神韵和意境来。孟子认为，观察一个人，最好观察他的眼睛，因为眼睛最容易表露一个人内心的善良和丑恶。东晋顾恺之画人物，曾数年不肯轻易下笔点睛。他强调人物传神之关键在于画出眼神。南朝画家张僧繇（y1o）绘画技术高超，传说他曾为画好的龙点上眼珠，龙即刻腾空而去。故后世用“画龙点睛”强调文学艺术创作中应抓住要诀，使形象更加生动传神。 The term is a metaphor about giving the finishing touch, which means providing critical details or key words in an artistic or literary work in order to lend it charm and aesthetic conception. Mencius believed that when observing […]

huàdào 画道 Dao of Painting 即“绘画之道”。有广狭二义：狭义指绘画的各种技法；广义则指画作中蕴含的文化理念、人格精神、艺术风格和审美追求，是“道”与“技”的完美融合。“道”决定画所要表现的思想主题、艺术法则和美学风格；画是“道”的具体表象，寄托了画家的文化理念、人格精神、艺术风格和审美追求。故道以画显，画因道而获得提升。杰出的画家追求技进乎道、艺与道合。画道，不仅包含了宇宙自然之道，而且折射了社会人生之道，彰显出中国固有的人文精神。 The term has both broad and narrow meanings. Interpreted narrowly, it means various painting techniques. Interpreted broadly, it means the cultural values, personality, artistic style, and aesthetic aspiration embodied in a painting, suggesting a perfect fusion of Dao and skills. Dao determines the theme a painting conveys as well

huàɡōnɡ, huàɡōnɡ 化工、画工 Magically Natural, Overly Crafted 品评文学艺术作品风格自然与否的术语。“化工”指作品的工巧自然天成，毫无雕琢痕迹，达到了出神入化的地步；“画工”则是指作品的工巧由刻意雕琢而成，技巧虽高明，但缺乏自然韵味。“化工”是艺术家的作品，“画工”可以说是匠人的作品。这个评价标准，由明代李贽《杂说》提出，与他所提倡的写文章要有真情、真心是一致的。从文化渊源上来说，“画工”与“化工”的区分，其实来自道家的纯任自然、弃绝机巧的思想。明代文士大都倡导文艺放任天然，否定雕琢模仿的创作立场。 The expressions are about the naturalness of literary and artistic works. The first one, “magically natural,” means that a literary or artistic work is completed naturally and achieves the acme of perfection without any sign of craft. The second, “overly crafted,” means that a work is meticulously

huà ɡānɡē wéi yùbó 化干戈为玉帛 Beat Swords into Plowshares / Turn War into Peace 消除仇怨，变战争为和平，变冲突为友好。“干”“戈”是用于防御和进攻的两种武器，借指战争、武力冲突；“玉”“帛”指圭、璋等玉器和束帛，是古代诸侯会盟、诸侯与天子朝聘时互赠的礼物，后来用于表示和平共处之意。它反映了华夏民族自古崇尚和平、愿意化解暴力冲突的美好期待。 The term means to eliminate animosity in order to turn war into peace and turn conflicts into amity. Gan (干) and ge (戈) are two weapons of war which were used for defense and attack respectively. Yu (玉) and bo (帛) mean jades (such

hòudé-zàiwù 厚德载物 Have Ample Virtue and Carry All Things 以宽厚的德性承载天下万物。多指以宽厚之德包容万物或他人。古人认为，大地的形势和特质是宽厚和顺的，它承载万物，使万物各遂其生。君子取法于“地”，要像大地一样，以博大宽厚的道德容纳万物和他人，包含了对自身道德修养及人与自然、社会和谐一体的追求。这是中国人参照大地山川状貌和特质树立的治国理政和为人处事的理念和理想。它和“自强不息”一起构成了中华民族精神的基本品格。 This term means that one should be broad-minded and care for all things and people. Ancient Chinese believed that with its topography and other natural features being generous and peaceful, the earth sustained all things in the world, allowing them to grow and develop in

hé’érbùtónɡ 和而不同 Harmony But Not Uniformity 在尊重事物差异性和多样性的基础上实现整体的和谐共存。“同”与“和”是对待、安顿社会群体的两种态度。“同”指对事物差异性的抹杀，“和”则意味着对事物差异性的保存与尊重。不同的事物彼此间相互辅助、补充，才能组成一个充满生机、富于创造性的和谐整体。 The term means achieving overall harmonious co-existence on the basis of respecting differences and diversity. Uniformity and harmony are two different attitudes to treating and accommodating social groups. Uniformity means obliterating differences in everything while harmony is to keep and respect the differences. Allowing different things to complement

hǎiwài 海外 Outside the Four Seas / Overseas “四海之外”，指古代中国疆域之外、国外，也指边远地区。古人认为中国疆域四周环海，各依方位称“东海”“南海”“西海”和“北海”，合称“四海”，所以称中国以外的地方为海外。其中隐含着古人以海为界的国土意识。它体现出古人以自我中心而又具开放性的空间感，及其对于境外遥远地方的向往。 Outside the Four Seas refers to the territory outside China, foreign lands, or remote areas. The ancient Chinese thought that China’s territory was surrounded by the Four Seas (the East, West, North, and South seas). Therefore, places outside China were outside the Four Seas. It reflected

hǎinèi 海内 Within the Four Seas “四海之内”，即古代中国疆域以内。古人认为中国的疆域四周环海，各依方位称“东海”“南海”“西海”和“北海”，合称“四海”。“海内”即指“四海”所环绕的疆土。它隐含着古人以海为界的国土意识，是农耕文明的反映。 Within the Four Seas means within the territory of China. The ancient Chinese thought China’s territory was surrounded by the Four Seas (the East, West, North, and South seas). Within the Four Seas refers to the landmass surrounded by the Four Seas. It reflected the ancient Chinese belief

ɡuòyóubùjí 过犹不及 Going Too Far Is as Bad as Falling Short. 事物超过一定的标准和没有达到标准同样是不好的。儒家以礼作为个人言语行事及其与天地万物关系的标准，并根据礼的要求判断言行的“过”或“不及”。孔子分别用“过”与“不及”评价自己的两位学生，认为二者在未能达到礼的要求这一点上是一样的。如果能够按照礼的要求达到无过、无不及的中道，即具备了“中庸”的美德。 It is just as bad to go beyond a given standard as to fall short of it. Confucian scholars use rites as the standards both for individuals’ words and actions, and for their relationship with everything in the world. They also judge people’s

ɡuótǐ 国体 Guoti 主要有三种不同的含义：其一，指辅佐国君的重要大臣。这是一种比喻的说法，即国家犹如人的身体，而辅佐国君的大臣犹如这个身体的重要组成部分。其二，指国家的法令制度。其三，指国家的体统或尊严。 The term, literally meaning the state and the body, has three meanings. First, it refers to the important ministers who help the sovereign ruler govern the state. Figuratively, the term suggests that the state is a human body and the ministers are the major components of the body. Second, it refers