中华思想文化术语(连载十四)

1.忠/zhōnɡ

Loyalty

“忠”是一种尽己所能的态度。处在某一身份或职位的人应全心全意地履行其职责，而不应受个人私利的影响。“忠”的对象可以是赋予其职分的个人，也可以是其履职的组织、团体乃至国家。例如在古代社会，人们认为君主应该忠于民众，臣属应该忠于君主。

Loyalty involves doing one’s utmost. A person in a certain position or office should wholeheartedly perform his duties and must not be influenced by personal interests. The object of loyalty can be the person who appoints you to your post or grants you a position；it can also be an organization，group or the state where you belong. For example，in ancient society it was thought the monarch should be loyal to the people while the subjects should be loyal to the monarch.

引例 Citations：

◎曾子曰：“吾日三省吾身：为人谋而不忠乎？与朋友交而不信乎？传不习乎？”(《论语·学而》)

(曾子言：“我每日多次反省自己：为他人谋划是否未尽忠心？与朋友交往是否不守信诺？传授的学问是否没有温习？”)

Zengzi said，“Each day I reflect on myself several times. Have I failed to be loyal to someone when offering my advice to him? Have I failed to keep my word to my friends? Have I failed to review the teachings I have learned?” (TheAnalects)

◎尽己之谓忠。(朱熹《论语集注》)

(竭尽自己所能就是忠。)

To do all one can is what loyalty requires. (Zhu Xi：TheAnalectsVariorum)

2.物化/wùhuà

Transformation of Things

事物彼我界限的打破及相互转化，是事物的一种存在状态。“物化”一说出自《庄子·齐物论》。庄子通过“庄周梦蝶”的寓言来说明“物化”的意义。庄子认为，自身与他者、梦与醒以及一切事物之间的界限与区别都可以被破除，从而实现物与物之间的转化与流通。如果执著于彼我的区别，就不能体认“物化”，如在梦中一般；但如果执著于“物化”，同样会跌入梦中。

This is a form of the existence of things when the boundary between things is broken and one thing transforms into another. The term“transformation of things” comes fromZhuangzi，who illustrated the concept in the fableZhuangziDreamedofBecomingaButterfly. He believed that the boundary and difference between oneself and others，between in a dream and being awake，and between all things can be broken. Consequently，one may achieve the transformation between one thing and another. However，if one holds onto the difference between oneself and the others，one cannot achieve the transformation of things，as if in a dream. If one is bent on transforming things，one may still fall into a dream.

引例 Citation：

◎昔者庄周梦为胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻适志与！不知周也。俄然觉，则蘧(qú)蘧然周也。不知周之梦为胡蝶与？胡蝶之梦为周与？周与胡蝶，则必有分矣。此之谓物化。(《庄子·齐物论》)

(从前庄周梦见自己变成了蝴蝶，翩翩飞舞的一只蝴蝶，遨游各处悠游自在，不知道自己是庄周。忽然醒过来，自己分明是庄周。不知道是庄周做梦化为蝴蝶呢，还是蝴蝶做梦变化为庄周呢？庄周与蝴蝶必定是有所分别的。这就叫做“物化”。)

Once I，Zhuang Zhou，dreamed that I became a flying butterfly，happy with myself and doing as I pleased. I forgot that I was Zhuang Zhou. Suddenly I woke up and I was Zhuang Zhou again. I did not know whether Zhuang Zhou had been dreaming that he was a butterfly，or whether a butterfly had been dreaming that it was Zhuang Zhou. There must be a difference between the two，which is what I call“transformation of things.” (Zhuangzi)

3.慎独/shèndú

Shendu

儒家提出的一种道德修养方法。“慎独”有两种不同含义：其一，将“独”理解为闲居独处。人们在独处时，没有他人的监督，最容易放纵行事。“慎独”即要求在独处时谨慎对待自己的行为，自觉遵守道德、礼法的要求。其二，将“独”理解为内心的真实状态。人们可以在言行上表现出符合道德、礼法的要求，但心中却没有对道德、礼法的认同与追求。“慎独”则要求在心上做工夫，使内心与道德、礼法所要求的言行相符。

A kind of ethical self-cultivation advanced by the Confucian school of thought，the term has two different meanings：First，du(独) is understood as at leisure and alone. When people are alone，without someone else’s supervision，they easily act in an undisciplined and immoral way.Shendu(慎独) requires being careful with one’s conduct when being alone，consciously following morality and the requirements of etiquette. Second，duis understood as an inner true state. People may in their words and actions manifest what is in accord with morality and the requirements of etiquette，but in their heart they do not accept or pursue any morality or etiquette.Shendurequires that one makes efforts in one’s heart，so that one’s inner world is in agreement with the words and actions required by morality and etiquette.

引例 Citations：

◎是故君子戒慎乎其所不睹，恐惧乎其所不闻。莫见乎隐，莫显乎微，故君子慎其独也。(《礼记·中庸》)

(因此君子在没有人看见时也是谨慎的，在没有人听到时也是有所恐惧的。没有比隐蔽的地方更容易表现的了，没有比隐微的地方更容易显明的了，因此君子应“ 慎独”。)

A man of virtue is cautious when he is not being watched by others and apprehensive when what he says is not being heard. There is nothing more visible than in what is secret，and nothing more obvious than in what is vague and minute. Therefore，a man of virtue is watchful when he is at leisure and alone. (TheBookofRites)

◎此谓诚于中，形于外，故君子必慎其独也。(《礼记·大学》)

(这是说实存于内心的东西，会表现在外，因此君子必须“慎独”。)

This means what one truly believes in his heart and mind will find expression in the open. That is why a man of virtue must be cautious when he is at leisure and alone. (TheBookofRites)

4.非命/fēimìnɡ

Rejection of Fatalism

反对人事由命运所决定的观念。“非命”是墨家的基本主张之一。墨子提出，人民的贫富、国家的治乱都取决于人自身的作为，而不是由命运所决定的。将人事托付于命运，是在推卸行为主体的责任，只会导致国乱民贫。只有依据“兼爱”等道德原则，通过自身的努力作为，才能获得实际的利益。

A belief that events are not predetermined and a denial of fate is a basic component of Mohist thought. Mozi proposed that poverty and turmoil are brought about by our own acts rather than predetermined by fate. Blaming human affairs on fate is nothing other than relieving actors of responsibility for their actions and will only bring chaos to the state and poverty to the people. Only by embracing ethical principles such as impartial love and by our own efforts，can we gain practical benefits.

引例 Citation：

◎执有命者，此天下之厚害也，是故子墨子非也。(《墨子·非命中》)

(主张命运决定人事的人，是天下的大害，因此墨子反对他们的主张。)

Those who hold that there is fate are harmful to the world. For that reason Mozi is opposed to their stand.(Mozi)

5.知音/zhīyīn

Resonance and Empathy

体会和理解文艺作品的意蕴与作者的思想感情。原指音乐欣赏中的知己，后经魏晋南北朝时期文艺批评家的阐释，用来泛指文艺鉴赏中的心心相印、互相理解。“知音”作为文学批评的核心概念，涉及文艺创作与鉴赏中的个体差异与共性等诸多问题，有着丰富的精神蕴涵，与西方的读者反应批评理论、接受美学、解释学等基本思想有一致之处。

The term is about appreciating and understanding the ideas in literary and artistic works and the thoughts of their authors. The original meaning was feeling a sense of resonance with music. It was later extended by literary critics in the Wei，Jin，and Southern and Northern dynasties to mean resonance or empathy between writers / artists and their readers / viewers. As a core concept in literary criticism，it touches upon both general and particular issues in artistic creation and appreciation，involves rich intellectual implications，and meshes with the audience’s response in Western criticism，receptive aesthetics，and hermeneutics.

引例 Citations：

◎是故不知声者不可与言音，不知音者不可与言乐，知乐则几于礼矣。(《礼记·乐记》)

(不懂自然声音的人无法与其谈论音律，不懂音律的人无法与其谈论音乐，通晓音乐的人也就接近懂得礼了。)

Talking about melody with someone who has no ear for natural sounds would be a waste of time，and so would discussing music with someone who knows nothing about melody. One who knows music is close to understanding social norms. (TheBookofRites)

◎知音其难哉！音实难知，知实难逢，逢其知音，千载其一乎！(刘勰《文心雕龙·知音》)

(理解音乐是多么困难啊！音乐实在难于理解，理解音乐的人很难遇到，要遇到理解音乐的人，恐怕是千年一遇呀！)

It is such a challenge to understand music! Since music is so hard to understand，it is difficult to find people who can appreciate it. It may take a thousand years to find someone who understands music! (Liu Xie：TheLiteraryMindandtheCarvingofDragons)

6.活法/huófǎ

Literary Flexibility

指诗文创作在遵守规矩法度的同时，又不可死守规矩法度，要有所变化和创新。与拘泥于前人格套、不知变通的“死法”相对立。使作品具备活法的途径，是善于学习前人，在广泛涉猎、融会贯通的基础上，不拘泥、不胶着，从自己的情感和作品的美感出发，使作品的文法、语言呈现崭新的意义。宋代文论家们受到了圆转灵活的禅风影响，在诗文领域倡导活法，使之成为诗文创作的重要原则。

Literary flexibility means that one should respect the rules for writingpoetry or prose but not be bound by them；one should encourage change and innovation. The opposite of literary flexibility is literary rigidity under whose influence the writer mechanically imitates the forms of established writers without innovation. One way to attain literary flexibility in one’s works is to draw inspiration from others extensively and absorb their talent while refraining from sticking mechanically to the model. One should base oneself on his own feelings and the aesthetic principles so as to create new styles and new ways of expression. Influenced by the Chan spirit of liberal flexibility，literary critics of the Song Dynasty championed flexibility in literary pursuit and established it as an important principle guiding poetry and prose writing.

引例 Citations：

◎学诗当识活法。所谓活法者，规矩备具，而能出于规矩之外，变化不测，而亦不背于规矩也。是道也，盖有定法而无定法，无定法而有定法。知是者则可以与语活法矣。(刘克庄《后村集》卷二十四引吕本中《〈夏均父集〉序》)

(学作诗要懂得活法。所谓活法，就是作诗的各种规矩法度全都具备，又能跳出规矩法度的限制，使诗文产生各种不可预测的变化，而且还不违背规矩。这个道理就是，说有恒定的规矩法度又没有恒定的规矩法度，说没有恒定的规矩法度却又有恒定的规矩法度。懂得这个道理的人，就可以与他谈论活法了。)

Those who wish to learn to write poetry should master literary flexibility. By this I mean that，while knowing all the rules for poetry，the poet goes beyond them to reflect unpredictable changes in his poetry yet without compromising the rules. The principle underlying this way of writing is that there should be set rules，yet they are not fixed；where there seem to be no rules，rules do exist. You can discuss literary flexibility with others only if they understand this principle. (Lü Benzhong：Foreword toTheCollectedPoetryofXiaJunfu)

◎文章一技，要自有活法。若胶古人之陈迹，而不能点化其句语，此乃谓之死法。死法专祖蹈袭，则不能生于吾言之外；活法夺胎换骨，则不能毙于吾言之内。毙吾言者，[故为死法；]生吾言者，故为活法。(俞成《萤雪丛说· 文章活法》)

(写文章这种技艺，必须有自己的活法。如果只是拘泥于古人的陈法，而不能将他们的词句化陈出新，这就叫死法。死法只会因袭模仿，不能让我的文章在语言之外获得新生。活法则能超凡脱俗，不会让我的文章被语言困死。文章被语言困死，[所以称死法；] 使文章在语言之外获得新生，所以称活法。)

In writing essays，it is necessary to maintain literary flexibility. If one is bound by the clichés of the classical masters and fails to producenovel ideas，this is what we call literary rigidity. Literary rigidity refers to mechanically copying others without permitting one’s own work to acquire new ideas. Literary flexibility，however，allows one’s work to free itself from clichés so that the work will not be stifled by stereotyped style of writing. Literary rigidity leads to a literary dead end，while literary flexibility encourages the birth of new ideas by going beyond the limitations of conventional way of writing. (Yu Cheng：ReflectionsfromDevotedReading)

7.政者正也/zhènɡ zhě zhènɡ yě

Governance Means Rectitude.

“政”就是“正”的意思。“政”即政治、治理国家；“正”即坚持原则，端正品行，处事公正。“政者正也”有两层意思：一是强调为政者在施政层面应坚持原则、端正品行、处事公正；二是在道德层面强调为政者应严格要求自己，通过自身的示范作用，影响下属和民众一起循行正道、遵守社会规范。它是古代“人治”“德政”思想的具体体现。

Zheng(政)，or governance，refers to policy and managing the country，whilezheng(正)，or rectitude，refers to adherence to principle，decent behavior，and handling matters with fairness. This term has two meanings. First，it emphasizes that those who govern should adhere to principle，behave correctly，and handle matters with fairness. Second，it emphasizes that at a moral level，those who govern should be strict with themselves，that they should play an exemplary role and thus show their subordinates and the people how to follow the right path and comply with social norms. It is a concrete expression of the idea “rule by man”and “governing by virtue” in ancient times.

引例 Citations：

◎季康子问政于孔子，孔子对曰：“政者，正也。子帅以正，孰敢不正？”(《论语·颜渊》)

(季康子问孔子如何治理国家。孔子回答说：“政就是正的意思。您本人带头走正道，谁敢不跟着走正道呢？”)

When asked by Ji Kang about governance，Confucius replied，“Governance is all about rectitude. If you lead along the right path，who would dare not to follow you?” (TheAnalects)

◎子曰：“其身正，不令而行；其不正，虽令不从。”(《论语·子路》)

(孔子说：“统治者自身端正，即使没有下令，事情也会得到执行；要是自身不正，纵使下令百姓也不会遵从。”)

Confucius said，“When a ruler acts in the right way，things get done even without him giving any order. When he is not right，people will not comply even when ordered.” (TheAnalects)

8.与民更始/yǔmín-gēngshǐ

Make a Fresh Start with the People

和民众一起革新政治。更始：重新开始。原指帝王即位改元或采取某些重大措施，后指执政者与民众一起变革现状，开创新局面。其中蕴含着悠远深厚的民本思想和君民一体、上下一心、共同革故鼎新的精神。

The term means to make political reform together with the people.Gengshi(更始) means to make a fresh start. The term used to refer to a new emperor ascending the throne，taking a new reign title or implementing a series of new policies. Later，it came to mean that the rulers worked together with the people trying to change the status quo and opening up new prospects. The term reflects a profound and far-reaching thought of putting people first，and highlights the spirit of monarchs and the people working with one heart and one mind to abolish what is old and establish in its place a new order.

引例 Citation：

◎朕嘉唐虞而乐殷周，据旧以鉴新，其赦天下，与民更始。(《汉书·武帝纪》)

(我赞美尧、舜而喜欢商、周，依据旧时做法并参照新规，下诏给所有罪犯免刑或减刑，和百姓一起开创新局面。)

I praise ancient emperors Yao and Shun；I like the Shang and Zhou dynasties. I have issued an imperial decree to either exempt criminals from punishment or commute their sentences on the basis of the old practice and new rules，so that we may open up a new era together with the people. (TheHistoryoftheHanDynasty)

选自“中华思想文化术语”系列图书(外语教学与研究出版社出版)