Chapter 1 A General Introduction to Chine Culture
Words and Expressions:
the descendants of Y an and Huang 炎黄子孙
porcelain 瓷器
The appellation of China
Chine history began with two legendary figures—Emperor Huang and Emperor Y an, who, together with their tribes, inhabited the drainage area along the middle reaches（中游）of the Y ellow River. By the time of Xia Dynasty, after centuries of living side by side, the two tribes had gradually merged into（合并，融合）one. Conquently, the Chine people usually call themlves “the descendants of Y an and Huang”.
People at that time believed that the land they lived on was the center of the world, and called their state the "Middle Kingdom"(中国), thus giving China its country name.
China is the appellation of our country given by foreigners. The porcelain china is the transliteration
of the place name Changnan(昌南), which was the old name for Jingdezhen（景德镇）. The porcelain made in Changnan was smooth and bright, and earned another name of artificial jade. It became famous both home and abroad and was exported to Europe in large quantities.
In Europe, people regarded Changnan porcelain as something precious and delicate and would take pride in posssing one. As time pasd, people in Europe forgot the meaning of Changnan and switched the original meaning of porcelain of the word “china” to the place of its origin.
Chapter 2Chine Philosophy and Religion
Part 1 Chine Thoughts and Philosophy
thursdaysWords and Expressions:
Confucianism 儒家
英语字母发音表
Taoism 道家
The Analects 《论语》laver
benevolence 仁慈，善行
ritual礼制，仪式，惯例
filial piety 孝，孝心
The Development of Ancient Chine Philosophy
The philosophy in Pre-Qin times (先秦子学)
The orthodox philosophy during the Han Dynasty (两汉经学)
Metaphysics during the Wei and Jin dynasties (魏晋玄学)
The buddhist philosophy during the Sui and Tang dynasties (隋唐佛学)
Neo-confucianism in Song and Ming dynasties (宋明理学)
Application philosophy in the Ming and Qing dynasties (明清实学)
The philosophy in Pre-Qin times (先秦子学)
The philosophy in Pre-Qin times was marked by the emergence of various ancient philosophical views.
The most influential schools were Confucianism (儒家), Taoism (道家), Mohism (墨家) and Legalism (法家)
1.Confucianism
Confucianism is a school of thought reprented by Confucius and Mencius. Confucianism has influenced the Chine for thousands of years and is deeply rooted in Chine culture. It is an integration of intellectual, political, and religious tradition with the focus on the individual morality and ethics in daily life and the proper exerci of political power.
Who is Confucius?
Family name: Kong; Given name: Qiu; courtesy name: Zhongni
He is a great thinker, an educator, a statesman, a philosopher, the founder of the Confucian school and Confucianism.
The landmark of Confucianism is the Analects, which was written by his disciples after his death. The core of Confucius’s philosophy are the concepts of
Ren (benevolence)西江月翻译
Ren(仁): Confucius defines it as “Airen”(爱人），that is , to love others.
The Chine character “仁”（benevolence) consists of “a person （人）” on the left and “two(二)” on the right indicating the relationship between people.
Li (ritual)
Li （ritual-礼）refers to the rules of human conduct and moral norms such as politeness, courtesy, propriety, proper etiquette and good manners ranging from speech and behavior to the performance of rituals which are usually codified and treated as an all-embracing system of social
norms.
Xiao (filial piety)
Xiao(孝）refers to the filial piety, which was regarded as one of the greatest of virtues in Chine tradition, denoting the respect and obedience that the children should show to their parents. Zhong (loyalty)
Zhong(loyalty-忠）is a great virtue, which emphasizes the obligations and duties to the superior, to friends, family, and spou.
2. T aoism
Founded by Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, the school advocates the doctrine that the Dao is the cour, the principle, the substance, and the standard of all things, to which all of them must conform. Bad on the work of Dao De Jing, Taoism promotes the belief that a person should live a simple life, not to strive for wealth, fame or power, which will only give one worries and trouble. The school favours the political principle of “achieving good government through non-action”(无为而治)
3. Mohism
Ba on the teaching of Mozi, the school cherishes universal love which states that if all the people in the world loved one another, there will be no hatred, calamities, and hostilities.
In politics and ethics, Mohism propos honoring virtuous people, opposing fatalism (宿命论) and aggressive wars, and upholding thriftiness(节俭).
4. Legalism
Legalism, begun by Hanfeizi, espous (主张) laying down laws to unify the thought of people, promoting agriculture to achieve affluence (富裕), waging (进行) wars to gain strength and power, an
d establishing a system of bureaucracy (官僚制度).
The orthodox philosophy during the Han Dynasty (两汉经学)
In the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wudi instituted the campaign of “banning all schools of thought except Confucianism(罢黜百家，独尊儒术)”. He cho officials from th o who were steeped in Confucianism only. Conquently, Confucianism became an orthodox school that rved as the ideological foundation of the feudal rule throughout the dynasties in China.
Traditional Chine ethics
individuals
Traditional Chine ethics includes both good and bad elements. Some reflect the high standard of
moral pursuit of the Chine people, while others em less relevant in modern society. For example, the three obediences and four virtues (三从四德) and the three basic rules and five constant virtues (三纲五常) have long been abandoned by the Chine people.
The traditional ideal of a woman is that she is a dependant being who behavior is governed by “three obediences” (to father before marriage, to husband after marriage, and to son after becoming a widow: 未嫁从父, 既嫁从夫, 夫死从子) and four “virtues” (morality, pro per speech, modest manner,
and diligence: 品德、言语、仪态、女工).
The were the social norms prescribed by feudal morality.
The three basic rules: a king should rule over his subjects; a father, his son; a husband, his wife (君为臣纲、父为子纲、夫为妻纲).
The five constant virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity (仁、义、礼、智、信).
Part 2 Religions and Beliefsdominance
Words and Expressions:
Heaven worship 祭天
Ancestor worship 祭祖
Confucianism 儒教
日语n1The Confucian Temple 孔庙
Taoism 道教
The Five Elements 五行
Buddhism 佛教Buddha 佛像，佛祖，佛陀
nirvana涅槃
Heaven worship
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The heaven worship was the bureaucratic(官僚的) belief system adopted by most dynasties of China until the overthrow(推翻) of the Qing Dynasty.
Heaven was believed to manifest itlf through the powers of the weather and natural disasters. Heaven was en as a judge of humans.
The emperors are Sons of Heaven(天子), and their power are authorized by heaven. Such beliefs actually consolidated(巩固) the authority of the Emperor.
Ancestor worship
Chine worship of ancestors dates back to the prehistory. Chine culture, Confucianism, and Chine Buddhism all value filial piety as a top virtue, and the act is a continued display of piety and respect towards departed ancestors.
Confucianism儒教
Confucianism is not a real religion, it is just an ethical(伦理道德的) and philosophical system, which developed from Confucius‟ thoughts and later was treated as a kind of belief to educate common people(教化大众).
The T aoist Religion
口译英语A General Introduction of Taoism
Taoism is the indigenous (土生土长的) religion in China.
The Taoist religion evolved out of witchcraft (巫术), necromancy（方术) and lf-cultivation techniques. Its highest belief is called “Dao”, its bible is called “Dao De Jing”.It had great impact on the thinking of the Chine people, as well as on the political, economic and cultural life of the country.
Beliefs
Yin-yang Theory
Yin-yang are opposing, Yin-yang are mutually rooted, Yin-yang mutually transform, Y in-yang mutually wax and wane
The Five Elements/Wuxing“五行”
毕业典礼演讲稿The relationship between the five elements:
The Generating Cycle
Wood feeds Fire; Fire creates Earth; Earth bears Metal; Metal carries Water; Water nourishes Wood.
The Overcoming Cycle
Wood parts Earth; Earth absorbs Water; Water quenches Fire; Fire melts Metal; Metal chops Wood.
Buddhism
Buddhism is the most important religion in China. It is generally believed that it was spread to China in 67 AD during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220) from Hotan（和田）in Xinjiang to Central China. During its development in China, it has a profound （深远的）influence on traditional
