Key Concepts in Chinese Thought and Culture

The Work of Heaven

This term means heaven’s work, or a responsibility assigned by heaven. “Heaven’s work” can have different meanings. First, it can mean work done by heaven. For example, Xunzi (313?-238 BC) felt that heaven could give rise to all things. This is an inherent function of heaven; it is neither something humans are capable of, nor is it something th…

Consummate Interfusion

In Buddhist scriptures, “consummate interfusion” has two meanings: (1) the original state of all things, which are interfused with and governed by each other, and (2) a viewpoint on truth that argues against adherence to any judgment. The Tiantai School interprets “consummate interfusion” in this way: it develops the concept of satyadvaya (the t…

Ci (Lyric)

Ci (词) originated in the Tang and the Five Dynasties, and developed to maturity as a new literary form in the Song Dynasty. Also known as “lyric with a melody,” “yuefu (乐府) poetry” or “long and short verses,” ci developed from poetry. Its main feature is that it is set to music and sung. Each piece of ci has a name for its tune. There are s…

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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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