中华文化术语选篇

无 为

Non-action

“中华思想文化术语”，是浓缩了中华哲学思想、人文精神、价值观念等的以词或短语形式固化的概念和文化核心词。它们是中华民族几千年来对自然与社会进行探索和理性思索的成果，积淀着中华民族最深沉的历史智慧。本文选登“中华文化术语”诠译和英文翻译，使中国人更加理解中国古代哲学思想，也使世界更加了解中华思想文化。

“为”的一种状态。道家以“有为”与“无为”相对。所谓“有为”，一般是指统治者把自己的意志强加给他人或世界，不尊重或不顺应万物的本性。“无为”的意义与之相反，包含三个要点：其一，权力通过自我节制的方式遏制自己的干涉欲望；其二，顺应万物或百姓的本性；其三，发挥万物或者百姓的自主性。“无为”并不是不作为，而是更智慧的作为方式，通过无为来达到无不为的结果。

Wuwei （non-action） refers to a state of action. Daoism contrasts “action” to “nonaction.” “Action” generally means that the rulers impose their will on others or the world without showing any respect for or following the intrinsic（仍诘模nature of things. “Non-action” is the opposite of “action，”and has three main points： 1） through self-control containing the desire to interfere； 2） following the nature of all things and the people； and 3） bringing into play the initiative of all things and people. “Non-action” does not mean not doing anything， but is a wiser way of doing things. Non-action leads to the result of getting everything done.

引例 Citations：

圣人处无为之事，行不言之教。（《老子・二章》）（圣人以无为的方式处理世事，以不言的方式教导百姓。）

Sages deal with things through non-action and teach ordinary people through non-speech. （Laozi）

道常无为而无不为。（《老子・三十七章》）

（道总是对万物不加干涉而成就万物。）

Dao always makes all things possible through noninterference with them.

（Laozi）

五行

Wuxing

“五行”有三种不同的含义：其一，指五种最基本的事物或构成万物的五种元素。《尚书・洪范》最早明确了“五行”的内容，即：金、木、水、火、土。五种事物或元素有其各自的属性，彼此间存在相生相克的关系。其二，五行进一步被抽象为理解万物和世界的基本框架，万物都可以纳入到五行的范畴之中，并因此被赋予不同的性质。其三，指五种道德行为。荀子曾指责子思、孟子“按往旧造说，谓之五行”，从郭店楚墓竹简及马王堆汉墓帛书相关文字内容来看，该“五行”指：仁、义、礼、智、圣。

There are three meanings to the term. 1） The five fundamental things or elements that make up all things. The Book of History was the first to define the five elements： metal， wood， water， fire， and earth. Each of these has its own properties and they interact in a generative or destructive relationship. 2） On a more abstract level， the term refers to the basic framework to understand the world. All things can be included in the realm of wuxing and their properties are explained or understood accordingly. 3） It refers to five kinds of moral behavior. Xunzi once criticized Zisi and Mencius for“creating wuxing on the basis of old theories.”Ancient bamboo slips unearthed from a grave at Guodian dating back to the State of Chu as well as inscribed（写着字的）silk texts from the Mawangdui Tomb of the Western Han Dynasty， all describe this wuxing as benevolence， righteousness， li （礼）， wisdom， and the wisdom and character of a sage.

引例 Citations：

天有三辰，地有五行。（《左传・昭公三十二年》）

（天有日月星三辰，地有金木水火土五行。）

In heaven there are the sun， moon， and stars， while on earth there are the five elements： metal， wood， water， fire， and earth. （Zuo’s Commentary on The Spring and Autumn Annals）

天地之气，合而为一，分为阴阳，判为四时，列为五行。（董仲舒《春秋繁露・五行相生》）

（天地之气，聚合而为一，区别而为阴阳，分判为春夏秋冬四时，排列为金木水火土五行。）

The qi of heaven and that of earth merge into one； it evolves into yin and yang， the four seasons， and the five elements of metal， wood， water， fire， and earth. （Dong Zhongshu： Luxuriant Gems of The Spring and Autumn Annals）