Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture

Florid Prose and Stilted Writing

This expression is used to describe prose and poetry lacking fluency because they fail to express their authors’ feelings freely, and instead borrow hackneyed allusions or phrases. Such writing is seen to lack flair, and comes across as unnatural and fragmentary. Juluan (拘挛) points to the lack of fluency as a result of artificial, rigid use of al…

Illustrious Virtue

This term has two meanings. First, it means to manifest rectitude. Second, it refers to upright conduct. The term was originally used to describe qualities expected of the sovereign. De (德) specifically meant fairness and decency towards the populace, in the appointment of officials, and the bestowing of rewards and punishments. Mingde (明德) as …

Tianxia (All Under Heaven)

This term referred mainly to all the land under the name of the Son of Heaven and the right to rule on such land. The ancient Chinese held that the rule of senior officials was over their enfeoffed land, and that of dukes and princes was over feudal states. The rule of the Son of Heaven was over all the land. Literally, tianxia (天下) means “all un…

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: The purposes of the Project are to select the concepts in Chinese culture and thought that reflect the characteristics of the country's traditional culture and the Chinese people's way of thinking, and that embody the core values of China.
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