Taxonomy of meanings for 天:  

  • 天 tiān (OC: lʰiin MC: tʰen) 他前切 平 廣韻:【上玄也説文曰顚也至髙無上从一大也爾雅曰春爲蒼天夏爲昊天秋爲旻天冬爲上天他前切六 】
    • spatial>SKY
      • nconcretethe (visible) sky (above), 天空
      • nadVplacefrom the sky
      • nadNN=placein the skyDS
      • climatic: changing>WEATHER
        • nabweather
        • regular change of conditions>SEASON
          • nabfeatureseasonal conditions, including weather conditions
          • comprehensive>WORLD
            • nworld (see 天中)
            • metaphysical>NATURE
                • mode>NATURALLY
                  • nab.adVby their very nature, without any human interference or factors involved
                  • nabmetaphysicalNature; what is natural; natural endowment, natural features
                  • nadNheaven-given>inborn, natural; naturally endowed
                  • nab{PRED}be a matter of Nature (determined by Heaven)CH
        • metaphorical, semi-personified>HEAVEN
          • nabmetaphysicalheavenly regions; the heavens; the heavenly realm
          • nab{PRED}causativebe because of HeavenCH
          • nabmetaphysicalHeaven as a divine or metaphysical forceCH
          • nagentHeaven (as metaphysical more or less personalised agent)CH
          • nab.adNHeaven-assigned; by the grace of Heaven; heavenly; divine
          • nab.adVlike Nlike Heaven
          • viactbe Heaven-like in one's all-encompassing attitude; act like Heaven
          • nadNmetaphorical天王"King by grace of Heaven": ordained by Heaven, by the grace of Heaven, German:"von des Himmels Gnaden"; of heavenly authorityLZ
          • metaphysical: highest deity in and of Heaven>GOD
            • nabpersonifiedGod of Heaven, personified Heaven (note personification in 天之愛民
            • nab.adNendowed by Heaven/God
            • feature>ENDURING
              • n.red:adVevery day
            • generalised>DEITIES
              • nprpersonifiedHeavenCH
              • nabconceptthe concept of HeavenCH
              • specific>BUDDHIST DEITIES
                • nabmetaphysicalBUDDH: Buddhist deity or god; skr. deva
                • NPadNbrahmanical; devoted to Brahmadeva
                • associated metaphysical topology>BUDDHIST REGIONS
                  • nBUDDH: Buddhist heaven, heavenly region; skr. deva-loka (compare the pali terms devanagara, sagga, saggapatha) (this refers to the hightest Buddhist realm one can be reborn in (compare liùdào 六道 Six Destinies); there are several classifications of heavens in Buddhist sutras, most frequently there is reference to 17 (or sometimes 16 or 18) heavens in the realm of form ( 色界 ); these are also referred to as 四禪天 (Dhyāna Heavens) with subdivisions; the first 禪天 comprises of 梵眾天, 梵輔天, 大梵天, the second: 少廣天, 無量光天, 極光淨天, 邊淨天; the third: 少淨天, 無量淨天, 遍淨天; the fourth: 無雲天, 福生天, 廣國天, 無煩天, 無熱天, 善現天, 善見天, and 色究竟天. The heavens are often localized as being situated on the upper part of Mt. Sumeru (except Yama's heaven which is supposed to be above Mt. Sumeru). The gods of the heavens are described as residing in heavenly palaces (tiāngōng 天宮 or tiāngtǎng 天堂 ). The heavens of the Formless Realm ( 無色界 ) comprise of 空無邊處天, 無邊處天, 無所有處天, and 非想非非想處天. For alternative classification of heavens see for example NIRVANA(B))
                  • nadNBUDDH: heavenly, in Heaven
              • effect of>LUCK
                • vibe favoured by Heaven

      Additional information about 天

      說文解字: 【天】,顚也,至高無上。从一、大。 【他前切】

        Criteria
      • CHINESE LANGUAGE

        1. guānhuà 官話 "Mandarin" is obsolete, and its traditional antonym was xiāngyǔ 鄉語 "local speech".

        From Míng Dynasty times, this was a current word for the common vernacular language used by administrative staff of any kind throughout China.

        DC: 明何良俊《四友齋叢說 ‧ 史十一》: " 雅宜不喜作鄉語,每發口必官話。 "

        2. báihuà 白話 "plain speech, vernacular" (as opposed to wényán 文言 )

        This is a modern word referring to an easily accessible written version of the Chinese language. In classical contexts or early vernacular contexts the expression always seems to refer to "empty talk" rather than the vernacular language.

        3. guóyǔ 國語 "national language" (ant. wàiyǔ 外語 ) (pre-1950ies and Taiwan)

        A word that continues to be in increasing common use even in Mainland China today, and which is standard in places like Malaysia or Singapore, as well as in Taiwan.

        4. zhōngguóyǔ 中國語 "language of China" (ant. wàiguóyǔ 外國語 )

        Current Japanese way of writing the Japanese word for the Chinese language, but the expression has a long history in China, the first attested use being in Yáng Xióng's Model Sayings of the first century BC.

        5. pǔtōnghuà 普通話 "common language" (Mainland China) (ant. dìfāngyǔ 地方語, fāngyán 方言 "dialect (not in the ancient meaning)")

        This is a very common modern expression which corresponds to Greek koinē, and the word is always used in counterdistinction to (often mutually incomprehensible) dialects. The word has a rather political flair.

        6. Hànyǔ 漢語 "language of the Hàn people" (should include all dialects, but is often used otherwise)

        This is the most current word for the Chinese language as opposed to other 族語 "national languages". The word is very current in the Buddhist Tripitaka, but it is also attested elsewhere 庾信《奉和法筵應詔》: " 佛影胡人記,經文漢語翻。 ". The term is also attested in 世說新語.

        7. Zhōngguóhuà 中國話 "Chinese speech" (includes all dialects)

        This word is always used in counterdistinction to foreign languages. It has become current in international contexts in nineteenth century novels.

        8. Zhōngwén 中文 "Chinese (typically written) language" (ant. wàiwén 外文, often icludes speech: 會說中文 )

        This word is already attested in the medieval 搜神記, where it refers to the written language. In Modern Standard Chinese this is a very common way of referring to Chinese as opposed to foreign languages, and as a subject in school curricula.

        9. Huáyǔ 華語 "Chinese talk" (used mainly in Singapore, Hong Kong etc.)

        This word has a long history in Buddhist texts, and it is also already attested in 劉知幾《史通 ‧ 言語》: "... 必諱彼夷音,變成華語.

        10. Hànyīn 漢音 "Han-Chinese sounds" refers to the Chinese language in a poetic style. Sanskrit is currently referred to as 梵音.

        HD sub verbo 漢文: 2. 漢語;漢字。南朝梁僧祐《梵漢譯經音義同异記》: " 或善梵義而不了漢音,或明漢文而不曉梵意。 "

        HD: 2. 指漢語。南朝宋朱廣之《咨顧道士<夷夏論>》: " 想茲漢音,流入彼國。 "

        老子漢人也。

        新修科分六學僧傳 R133_p0714a04(02)║

        胡蕃國也。土地不同。則言音亦異。當其化胡成佛之際。為作漢音耶。作蕃音耶。苟以漢音。則蕃國有所不解。以蕃音。則此經之至。宜須翻譯。

        11. Hàn yán 漢言 "Hàn language, language of the Hàn Dynasty> Chinese" (ant. 胡言 or 胡語 ) is a historico-ethnographic term.

        This remained a very common way of referring to the Chinese language long after the Hàn Dynasty, as is clear from the Buddhist Tripitaka. (424 occurrences in CBETA.)

        T25n1512_p0835b29(05)║

        胡言般若波羅蜜。

        漢言智慧彼岸也

        T48n2023_p1095c25(00)║

        志曰。

        佛者。 Buddha

        漢言覺也。 is "the enlightened" in Hàn language"

        將以覺悟群生也。 He will bring enlightenment to the sentient beings.

        12. Wényán 文言 "literary Chinese" (ant. báihuà 白話 "plain vernacular") today refers to a modernised version of traditional classical Chinese, as used for example in letters. But in the Buddhist Tripitaka, for example, the phrase regularly refers to ornate Chinese, ornate formulations. Neither traditionally nor in modern times is 文言 used in counterdistinction to foreign languages: the contrast is with other varieties of Chinese.

        DC: 4. 別於白話的古漢語書面語。蔡元培《在國語傳習所的演說》: " 文言上還有例句,如 ' 爾無我詐,我無爾虞 ' 等。 "

        13. wényánwén 文言文 "literary Chinese writing" (ant. báihuàwén 白話文 ) refers to classical Chinese as it continues to be used in the introductions to books and in formal letter-writing.

        This is a twentieth century word, as far as I can see.

        14. báihuà-wén 白話文 "plain talk writing" (ant. wényánwén 文言文 ) is a term with a strong stylistic nuance.

        This is a twentieth century word.

        15. tōngyòngyǔ 通用語 "general use language".

        This is a twentieth century neologism designed to replace 普通話. The term has never achieved broad use.

        16. dàzhòngyǔ 大眾語 "mass language" is obsolete today.

        This is a politicised ideological concept stressing the universal use and popularity of the Chinese language as advocated by language politicians. It is a twentieth century political neologism.

        17. guówén 國文 "state writing" refers in a formal way to written Chinese.

        This is a twentieth century term mainly used in connection with educational politics.

        HD: 許地山《東野先生》: “ 這不是國文教科書底一課麼? ”

        18. Hàn wén 漢文 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Hàn (typically written) language"

        HD: 2. 漢語;漢字。南朝梁僧祐《梵漢譯經音義同异記》: " 或善梵義而不了漢音,或明漢文而不曉梵意。 "

        19. Zhōngguó wénzì 中國文字 "the Chinese (written) language"

        T49n2036_p0477a06(03)║ 

        中國文字未通。蓋不可知也。

        R110_p0542b01(05)║

        偈語原必有韻譯以中國文字。則無可協。

        R110_p0542b09(00)║

        流入東土後。以中國文字經為尊稱。故亦稱經。

        20. Huá yán 華言 is an obsolete traditional term for Chinese that comes over 1200 times in Taisho Tripitaka.

        R150_p0541a 13(00)║

        剌麻者。乃西域之尊稱。

        譯華言為無上二字。

        R149_p0695a 12(00)║

        梵語阿修羅。亦云阿素洛。

        又云阿須倫。

        華言非天。

        R149_p0718b05(03)║

        梵語袈裟華言壞色衣。

        21. dōngtǔ Huáxiàyán 東土華夏言 "Chinese language in the eastern regions" is an ad hoc periphrastic expression which one might insist was never lexicalised, but it is perhaps worth recording just as well, if only in order to

        R059_p0119b04(00)║

        梵語。西天梵國語也。

        華言。東土華夏言也。

        譯者翻也。

        謂翻梵天之語。轉成漢地之言也。

        22. Hàn'ér yányǔ 漢兒言語 "Hàn language" is a term that is current in Korean textbooks of colloquial Chinese, like the famous 老乞大 : “ 你是高麗人,卻怎麼漢兒言語說的好。 ” See also the article in 太田辰夫《漢語史通考 · 關於漢兒言語》

        23. Jìn wén 晉文 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Jìn (typically written) language" is fairly rare, but clear examples are easily found:

        T50n2059_p0326c12(02)║

        還歸中夏。

        自燉煌至長安。

        沿路傳譯寫為晉文。

        24. Jìn yán 晉言 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Language of the Jìn" is common indeed, but many examples can be read technically as "in Jìn this translates as". Not however in this example:

        於龜茲國金華祠。

        T14n0434_p0105ā6(01)║ 

        演出此經。譯梵音為晉言。

        T33n1693_p0001ā7(01)║

        斯經似安世高譯。為晉言也。 (punctuation probably wrong!)

        25. Jìn yǔ 晉語 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Speech of the Jìn"

        T50n2059_p0329ā2(00)║

        手執梵文口宣晉語。

        T55n2145_p0072b24(03)║

        先誦本文。

        然後乃譯為晉語。

        26. Jìn yīn 晉音 "Jìn Dynasty speech"

        T14n0434_p0105á1(00)║

        沙門慧海者。通龜茲語。

        善解晉音。

        林復命使譯龜茲語為晉音。

        T50n2060_p0634á6(02)║

        外國語云阿耨菩提。

        晉音翻之無上大道。

        27. Qín yán 秦言 "Qín language> Chinese" is the standard way of providing Chinese translations for Sanskrit words in the Buddhist Tripitaka. (No less than 1132 examples in CBETA, but mostly formulaic, as in the following examples.)

        答曰。摩訶秦言大。 "maha is "big"in Chinese"

        T25n1509_p0383á2(03)║

        今問摩訶薩義。摩訶者秦言大。

        28. Qín yǔ 秦語 "Speech of the Qín > Chinese"

        In the Buddhist Tripitaka, this is a very formal term for Chinese, not very common. (Only 22 occurrences in CBETA)

        T26n1543_p0771b02(08)║

        梵本十五千七十二首盧 ( 四十八萬二千五百四言 ) 。

        秦語十九萬五千二百五十言。

        T51n2068_p0053c09(05)║

        什自手執胡經。

        口譯秦語曲從方言而趣不乖本。

        T51n2068_p0054á9(07)║

        什自執梵本口譯秦語。

        T55n2145_p0072b07(28)║

        胡本十五千七十二首盧 ( 四十八萬二千三百四言 ) 秦語十九萬五千二百五十言

        T55n2145_p0073c09(02)║

        胡本一萬一千七百五十二首盧長五字也。

        凡三十七萬六千六十四言也。

        秦語為十六五千九百七十五字。

        29. Táng wén 唐文 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Táng (typically written) language"

        This is the standard way of referring to the written Chinese language in Buddhist texts of the Táng dynasty.

        R130_p0664b06(02)║

        以華言唐文刻釋氏經典

        T39n1797_p0803b21(10)║

        不得梵文依唐文得意亦同。

        T48n2025_p1160a24(08)║

        唐文多對偶當盡翻譯。

        T50n2060_p0614c17(05)║

        有天竺三藏大齎梵本擬譯唐文。

        R024_p0177a16(02)║ 

        語精梵言。

        雖亦兼美唐文。

        乍來恐未盡善。

        30. Táng yán 唐言 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Language of the Táng".

        1523 occurrences in CBETA. Occasionally, one wonders whether this does refer to Táng time Chinese whereas Hànyīn 漢音 does not:

        T20n1177Ap0724c02(01)║

        遂將得舊翻譯唐言漢音經本在寺。

        31. Táng yǔ 唐語 (obsolete, current in Buddhist texts) "Speech of the Táng"

        A fairly rare way of referring to the Chinese language in Táng Buddhist texts. (Only 18 occurrences in CBETA)

        R014_p0563a14(02)║

        印度罽賓皆未詳唐語。

        R036_p0985a16(18)║    

        又多兩重怗文當知初依梵文後釋唐語

        T30n1579_p0283c07(05)║

        三藏法師玄奘。

        敬執梵文譯為唐語。

        32. Táng yīn 唐音 "Táng speech" is a regular expression for Táng Dynasty Chinese in the Buddhist Tripitaka.

        R036_p0584b13600)

        梵語本是兩名唐音無以甄別

        R066_p0717b08(01)║

        此偈乃是梵語訛言。

        傳者將為唐音正字。

        33. Tánghuà 唐話 "Táng talk" is a current Cantonese term for Chinese, and the famous intellectual 許地山 writes: 他說的雖是唐話,但是語格和腔調全是不對的。 But in this phrase, I am instructed by my teacher and friend Jiǎng Shàoyú, Táng refers not to the dynasty but to 唐山.

        34. Dà Táng yǔ 大唐語 "Speech of the Great Táng Dynasty" is rarely attested, but the word does exist:

        R150_p1055b17(00)║

        若僧雖是新羅人。却會大唐語。 Monk Ruò was a person from Xīnluó, but he spoke the language of the Great Táng Dynasty.

        35. Hàn 漢 is an abbreviation for Hànyǔ 漢語 currently used in Buddhist translation theory, but the word is not in itself a term for the Chinese language outside such technical contexts.

        T21n1293_p0378c15(02)║ 

        翻梵為漢 Translate the Sanskrit into Chinese.

        R068_p0353b05(05)║

        梵是天竺之言。

        漢是此土之語。

        R133_p0623b09(07)║

        序以條列梵漢旨義。

        R005_p0007b03(02)║

        翻譯之家自有規准。 The specialists in translation have their own standards.

        若名梵漢共有。 If a term exists both in Sanskrit and in Chinese

        則敵對而翻。 than they just match the terms up in translation.

        36. Táng 唐 "language of the Táng Dynsasty.

        梵唐

        T54n2133Ap1196b12(02)║ 

        一曰義淨撰梵語千字文。

        或名梵唐千字文。

        T55n2176_p1118a01(00)║ 

        梵唐對譯阿彌陀經一卷 ( 仁 )

        This is the same as 梵唐語:

        T55n2176_p1118b20(00)║ 

        梵唐語對註譯大佛頂真言一卷

        T55n2176_p1119c19(18)║

        梵唐對譯法花二十八品

        T55n2176_p1120a05(00)║ 

        梵唐對譯金剛般若經二卷

        T55n2176_p1131a06(00)║ 

        梵唐文字一卷

        37. Jìn 晉 "the language of the Jìn Dynasty.

        The term is rarely used to refer directly to the language, unlike the common Táng 唐. But examples do exist:

        T55n2157_p0795c08(08)║

        既學兼梵晉故譯義精允。

        38. nèidìhuà 內地話 refers to the language spoken on the Mainland, and the word is mostly used on Taiwan. This term represents an outsider's view on the Chinese language. (2.9 million hits in Google! This important word was brought to my attention by Jens Østergaard Petersen.)

        39. shénzhōu yǔ 神州語 "the language of our divine land" is quaint, nationalistically sentimental, and a rare way of referring to the Chinese language.

        beijing.kijiji.cn/á1221463.html:

        心中一暖,想到他居然會說神州語,正要說些甚麼,但一開口,嘴部動作牽動喉嚨,...

        40. zúyǔ 族語 "the national language (of the Chinese) is a borderline case because the term refers to national languages in general, and only by extension to Chinese in particular.

        42. Hàn dì zhī yán 漢地之言 "language of the Ha4n territory" is a marginal periphrastic expression which one should probably not regard as a lexicalised item. One could study such periphrastic expressions separately from the lexicalised vocabulary.

        R059_p0119b06(06)║

        謂翻梵天之語。轉成漢地之言也。

        [43. jīngpiànzi 京片子 "Chinese as spoken in Peking" is a borderline case because it does refer to Peking speech, but not insofar as it is the standard for the whole of China. Colloquial examples of this sort could be multiplied...]

      • EARTH

        1. The current general term for the earth or land is dì 地 (ant. tiān 天 "Heaven").

        2. Kūn 坤 (ant. qián 乾 is a metaphysical way of referring to Earth as an agentive principle.

        3. Lù 陸 (ant. shuǐ 水 ) refers to land versus river or sea areas.

      • CHINA

        睡虎地秦墓竹簡 1978: 226 臣邦人不安秦主而欲去夏者, 勿許. 何謂夏 ? 欲去親屬是謂夏.

        The words for China have this in common that they do NOT designate any one state. 中國 "the central states" is implicitly plural when it does not refer to the capital city. 諸夏 the various Xià (states)" is explicitly plural. The standard Imperium Romanum has no counterpart in Chinese until very late, unless one admits 天下 "all under Heaven" as a designation for the empire. But 天下 does not define any bounded empire. It remains to be seen exactly when a standard term for China was took shape. Compare the problems of finding a term for the Chinese language.

        Based on 顧頡剛 & 王樹民, “ 夏 ” 和 “ 中國 ”— 祖國古代的稱號, Zhongguo lishi dili luncong, Vol. 1 (Xi'an, 1981), 6-22).

        In the Shu and Shi sections relating to the early Zhou, 區夏 (= 夏區 ), 有夏 and 時夏 (= 是夏 ) refers to the place in which the Zhou established their capital after their conquest of Shang, in contradistinction to Zhou 掇 homeland in the West ( 西土 ) and the close Zhou allies ( 一二邦 ). The Zhou referred to their own domain as 烠 he central city-state � ( 中國 ). Since 中國 in this usage refers to the territory directly governed by the Zhou, it is singular and used in exchange with 京師 and in contradistinction with 四方 and 四國. Other states also referred to their capital regions as 啎什縕 (thus Wu in GY 19.09.01/618); a (perhaps late) variant of this word is 啎尹塹 (Yugong).

        After becoming strong, the states enfeoffed by Zhou asserted the community with the 周 by commencing to refer to themselves as 堔 L �, leading to the plural designation 埣悎 L �, used in contrast with designations like 啈 i 狄�. The distinction between the two groups was viewed as cultural, and its precise reference shifted over time, originally excluding states (like 楚 ) from the community of 諸夏 but later including them, or including them in the beginning, whilst later excluding them (like 秦 ). Some of the non- 諸夏 states were viewed as subservient to 諸夏 states, others as their enemies. The membership of 楚 to the 諸夏 circle was always insecure; it was, so to speak, was"always on probation.

        The 東夏 made up a subdivision of the 諸夏, including states such a 齊 and 魯.

        In parallel with the 堔 L � appellations arose the 埽寊 appellations, 埽寊 on its own and 埣捄寊, and, the two words may well be cognate, the common 埽堮 L �.

        In the Warring States period the cultural distinction gave way to a geographical distinction, and the 中國 states were now the state occupying the Central Plain

      • WORLD

        1. The current term for the inhabited sublunar world on earth (often particularly that part of it which is populated or at least dominated by the Han/華夏 people) is tiān xià 天下 "All under Heaven". Compare the Greek oikoumenē.

        2. Hǎi nèi 海內 refers to what is surrounded by the four seas, i.e. the whole of the land mass of the world.

        3. Sì hǎi 四海 "the Four Seas" includes the landmass between these Four Seas. (The names of these Four Seas are not entirely clear. Perhaps the Eastern, Southern, Northern and Western Seas.)

        4. Liù hé 六合 refers to everything in all dimensiones east, west, south, north, below, above.

        5. Shì 世 sometimes refers to the world as it is now, the world one lives in.

        6. Jiǔ zhōu 九州 refers to the nine regions of the world.

      • WEATHER

        There is no commonly used general concept for the weather in pre-Buddhist Chinese. The closest we come is perhaps qì 氣 as in ZUO 天有六氣, but consider the whole passage:

        天有六氣, (In the same way) there are six heavenly influences,

        降生五味, which descend and produce the five tastes,

        發為五色, go forth in the five colours,

        徵為五聲。 and are verified in the five notes;

        淫生六疾。 but when they are in excess, they produce the six diseases.

        六氣曰陰、陽、風、雨、晦、明也, Those six influences are denominated the yin, the yang, wind, rain, obscurity, and brightness.

        分為四時, In their separation, they form the four seasons;

        序為五節, in their order, they form the five (elementary) terms.

        過則為菑: When any of them is in excess, there ensues calamity.

        陰淫寒疾, An excess of the yin leads to diseases of the cold;

        陽淫熱疾, of the yang, to diseases of heat;

        風淫末疾, of wind, to diseases of the extremities;

        雨淫腹疾, of rain, to diseases of the belly;

        晦淫惑疾, of obscurity, to diseases of delusion;

        明淫心疾。 of brightness to diseases of the mind.

      • BASIC NATURE

        1. The current and quite dominant word for the stable inherent and prototypically innate features of something is xìng 性 (ant. wéi 為 "what belongs to human action", and wěi 偽 "artificial").

        2. Qíng 情 (ant. wěi 偽 "artificical acquired character") refers to the basic nature of a thing as forming a pattern of reaction to other things.

        3. Xīn 心 refers specifically to psychological aspects of animate nature.

        4. Tiān 天 refers specifically to the non-man-made aspect of the nature of things.

        5. Zī 資 refers to human nature as an endowment and an asset given to man by nature.

        6. Wéi rén 為人 and wéi wù 為物 the possibly conditioned and hardly alterable basic constitutive nature of thing.

        7. Rén qíng 人情 refers to the natural sensibilities of humans.

      • BEAUTIFUL

        [ABSOLUTE/GRADED]

        [ACOUSTIC/VISUAL]

        [ARTIFICIAL/NATURAL]

        [[COMMON/RARE]]

        [ELEVATED/VULGAR]

        [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

        [HUMAN/NON-HUMAN]

        [POETIC/PROSAIC]

        1. The general word is měi 美 "handsome and admirable" (ant. è 惡 "ugly") which refers to anything concrete or abstract which is attractive or handsome in a dignified way, and the word often retains its primary culinary sense of "tasty".

        [GENERAL], [GRADED]; [[COMMON]]

        2. Lì 麗 (ant. sù 素 "unaodorned") is often restricted to physical objects, prototypically to clothes, and emphasises their balanced symmetric beauty, occasionally also - by analogy - the well-aligned symmetric beauty of mountains.

        [ELEVATED], [NON-HUMAN], [VISUAL!]

        3. Wén 文 (ant. zhì 質 "merely material") emphasises cultivated external as well as internal elegance as well as traditionalism.

        [ARTIFICIAL], [ELEVATED], [NON-HUMAN], [VISUAL!]

        4. Yǎ 雅 (ant. sú 俗 "vulgar") emphasises primarily external elevated elegance.

        [ACOUSTIC!], [ARTIFICIAL], [ELEVATED+], [NON-HUMAN]

        5. Hǎo 好 "comely, handsome" (ant. chǒu 醜 "ugly") refers indiscriminately to men and women, but the word is sometimes more general and even abstract in application and refers to attractive words or attractive moral qualities.

        [HUMAN!], [NATURAL], [VISUAL]

        6. Xiù 秀 "of vigorous and imposing beauty" focusses on flourishing and flamboyant beauty in analogy with that of flowers.

        [ELEVATED], [NATURAL], [NON-HUMAN], [POETIC], [VISUAL]; [[RARE]]

        7. Huá 華 "of striking and colourful beauty" (ant. sú 俗 "vulgar") focusses on flourishing and flamboyant superficial or only apparent beauty, on the analogy analogy with that of flowers.

        [ARTIFICIAL], [ELEVATED], NON-HUMAN], [SUPERFICIAL], [VISUAL]

        8. Zhuàng 壯 "stately" (ant. ruò 弱 "weak and unsightly") is virile beauty associated with strength and vigour. See STRONG

        [NATURAL], [MARGINAL], [POETIC]; [[RARE]]

        9. Jiā 佳 "of outstanding beauty" (NB: liè 劣 "unremarkable" is the ant. of jiā 佳 "outstanding", and not in the meaning of "outstandingly beautiful") emphasises comparative beauty compared to others in the same group.

        [GRADED], [ELEVATED], [NATURAL], [POETIC]

        10. Dū 都 "urbane and exquisitely beautiful" (ant. bì 鄙 "rustic and inelegant") is a highly poetic word that can only be used in elevated prose.

        [ARCHAIC], [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [VISUAL]; [[RARE]]

        11. Yán 妍 "attractive and exquisite (of humans as well as human products)" (ant. chì 蚩 "unattractive") refers to elaborate beauty. See SEXY.

        [ARCHAIC], [ELEVATED], [HUMAN], [POETIC]; [[RARE]]

        12. Xiū 脩 / 修 "refined moral beauty" refers to moral as well as physical beauty, thus coming close the Greek kalokagathia, but never approaching the latter in importance as a cultural keyword.

        <div>[ELEVATED], [ARTIFICIAL]; [[RARE]]</div><div><br></div><div>吳蓬,東方審美詞彙集萃,上海文藝出版社,2002 lists the following rough definitions of a variety of terms of aesthetic appreciation by the artist and scholar Wu Peng. Many of these terms express conventional appreciative flattery only. This list does provide one not particularly well-known artist's subjective readings of some basic terms of traditional Chinese aesthetic approbation.</div><div>勃:富有生机之突起。<br>苍:浓的,毛的,老练的。<br>沉:沉着不浮,有重量感。<br>冲:调成和淡之意向。<br>饬:整顿。<br>粗:大而不笨者。<br>淳:清,往往易薄,然而淳是清中滋润之厚。<br>醇:与淳略同,这醇是提炼后的滋润之厚。<br>绰:与"约"字合用,即舒而不纵之意。<br>澹:平静而有幽淡之趣。<br>淡:与浓艳相对。<br>宕:放荡不拘。<br>跌:往往与"宕"字合用,即是起伏明显之状。<br>端:方正而不出偏,有稳实感。<br>敦:很实在的,结实的厚。<br>繁:众而密,有生气。<br>方:与平正同义。<br>丰:饱满而充足。<br>风:审美中之"风"指的是一种气韵格调。<br>飞:大幅度的流动。<br>刚:属于阳性的,有正力的,与柔软相对。</div><div>高:俯视一切的、超然得不一般。<br>工:规矩,不潦草。<br>孤:自我独立。<br>古:旧气,更有历史的抗怀千载之迹象。<br>骨:内在的架子。<br>犷:是跟"雄悍"接近,在粗中发展开来。<br>瑰:不单调的美。<br>乖:不和顺。<br>憨:近于拙朴而敦实。<br>酣:厚润四溢。<br>豪:激动向上之貌,有气魄。<br>宏:大而有气度。<br>厚:有沉积的饱和。<br>华:明亮而艳丽。<br>环:长久圆融之境。<br>荒:与"枯简"接近,不修饰。<br>豁:与开朗接近,然比开朗明显。<br>恢:宽广有余。<br>浑:团然一气之象,有朦胧感。<br>简:经过一番整修的减少。<br>娇:美得可爱。<br>警:审美中用此警字,往往指敏锐、颖达。<br></div><div>劲:能察觉的力。<br>精:很到位。<br>隽:精致而具内涵之美。<br>娟:秀而婉丽。<br>崛:高起而突出。<br>俊:人材杰曲之美。<br>峻:山高而陡。在书画中是浓而锋利之用笔。<br>空:有灵气之空白。<br>枯:干而毛,生的萎缩,然亦是力的显露。<br>宽:大度而畅朗。<br>旷:广阔而空灵。<br>辣:是枯毛爽直的老笔触。<br>朗:明亮而豁然。<br>琅:圆而光润。<br>伦:是同类之意,带有文明意念。<br>冷:跟"淡"与"静”接近,与浓烈相对。<br>炼:精到而有功力。<br>淋:与"漓”往往合用,是无拘束的洒落。<br>流:明显的动感。<br>迈:阔而放的超势。<br>莽:宽广而繁密的,朴直奔放的。<br>袤:与"古"字合用,即悠长久远之趣。<br>茂:有生气的繁密。<br>媚:柔美之趣。<br>宓:安而静。<br>明:清晰有亮度。<br>凝:浓重而不流动。<br>懦:毫无火气之柔软。<br>平:一般的,接近于稳。<br>朴:原始状态,形象较准。<br>嫖:与"姚"字合用,即动疾之状,而有气势。<br>奇:不一般。<br>气:生发的,迎面直扑而来的感觉。<br>清:是混的相对。其间透出一股朗气。<br>峭:山之直而险,在书画中是露锋的侧锋用笔,有明显露<br>尖状态。文章中之峭,是意气直逼。<br>遒:婉转有致,内力强劲。<br>虬:与遒类似,但动感较强,弯曲而有力度。<br>意:诚实谨慎。<br>儒:代表文人之书卷气。<br>洒:散落无拘束。<br>赡:富有与丰实。若与"疏”、"逸”组合即成"澹”或"安"之义。</div><div>骚:审美中之骚字,可引伸为风骚至风流感。<br>韶:美丽有光泽。<br>涩:在不爽快的进程中,流露出内力之美。<br>深:不是浮面的。<br>神:精与气合。高端的。<br>生:不成熟,但比成熟有味。<br>肆:任意放纵。<br>松:松是灵活自然,是一切技巧之本要。<br>瘦:与粗笨相对,在审美中的"瘦",是指细长而精练。<br>疏:一种稀少秀朗之美。<br>肃:有立即静穆下来之势。<br>率:与潦草随便有别,爽快而直接。<br>邃:深远而悠久。<br>阅:通达之意。<br>给:与"宕"合用,是安详舒放之趣。<br>天:很自然,一片天箱之"天"。<br>恬:安静而坦然。<br>挺:直而有生气。<br>婉:柔和而曲折。<br>温:是一种暖调与缓和的综合。</div><div>巍:往往与"峨"合用,是高大厚实之趣。<br>洗:与"炼”合用,即是"精炼"之意,凡物之洁出于洗。<br>犀:与"利"字合用,即坚利。<br>熙:光明,和乐。<br>细:指细而不纤。<br>娴:文静而雅致。<br>闲:一种高雅的自由。<br>萧:疏少有致。<br>潇:散朗而润泽。<br>馨:很醇厚的香气。<br>篁:"篁古”是悠远辽阔之意。<br>雄:强大,有力度,有霸气。<br>秀:灵巧的,有生气的,美好的显露。<br>虚:表象空,但并非真空。<br>雅:文气而不俗。<br>妍:鲜美而柔性。<br>严:认真,不马虎。<br>淹:一种浸沉与精深明达之境。<br>野:超脱、不规范。<br>冶:经过一番精致修饰。<br>逸:悠闲的起伏。</div><div>意:精神倾向。<br>莹:透明而幽亮。<br>雍:往往与“容"字合用,有和顺之貌。<br>幽:静而深。<br>腴:肥润而饱和。<br>郁:厚积而有生气。<br>纤:与"迥"字合用,即弯环回绕之趣。<br>遹:与"瑰"字合用,即纤迥美丽之趣。<br>渊:往往与"懿"合用,是深润而悠美之趣。<br>圆:接近于饱满润滑。<br>蕴:与"藉"合用,即内涵丰富。<br>韵:一种余味不尽之趣。<br>恣:放纵的,无拘束的。<br>滋:湿润感。<br>自:出于本性的流露。<br>质:本体的,实在的。<br>纵:放逸无拘之状。<br>拙:接近朴,形不准。<br>庄:端正之貌。<br>卓:与“荤"合用,是突出明显之状。<br></div><div><br></div><br>

      • ANCHOR

        1. The standard word for the metal anchor is máo 錨 and the first account of a metal anchor máo 錨 is in 天工開物.

      • EMPEROR

        天子

        皇帝

      • ATTACK

        [ASCENDING/DESCENDING]

        [CIVIL/MILITARY]

        [COMMENDATORY/DEROGATORY]

        [COVERT/OVERT]

        [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

        [LARGE-SCALE/SMALL-SCALE]

        1. The general word for any attack is gōng 攻 (ant. shǒu 守 "defend"; success kè 克 ) which can be used in a general sense referring to all kinds of attack, although that word does also have the specific meaning of a pointed campaign against a certain locality. (Note 戰必勝,攻必克。 )

        [GENERAL]

        2. Fá 伐 refers to a large-scale typically destructive formal attack by one state on another, typically formally announced, and with much beating of drums.

        [DESCENDING], [MILITARY!], [LARGE-SCALE!], [OVERT]

        3. Qīn 侵 refers to a less formal attack, typically unannounced beforehand, and typically aimed at taking the enemy's territory.

        [COVERT!], [DEROGATORY], [MILITARY], [SPECIFIC]

        4. Xí 襲 refers to a surreptitious attack, on the sly, without any self-righteous pomp.

        [COVERT+], [MILITARY], [SPECIFIC]

        5. Zhēng 征 refers to a typically punitive campain of some size against a state, construed as being of lower status.

        [COMMENDATORY], [DESCENDING], [MILITARY], [LARGE-SCALE], [OVERT]

        6. Tǎo 討 refers to a an extended explicitly punitive campaign by someone who construes himself as being in moral authority and entitled to uphold rectitude and morality through warfare. (Also figurative as in 天討有罪 "Heaven punishes those who are guilty". See PUNISH)

        [COMMENDATORY], [DESCENDING+], [MILITARY], [OVERT]

        7. Wéi 圍 refers specifically to military attack by surrouding the enemy.

        [MILITARY], [OVERT], [SPECIFIC]

        8. Kòu 寇 refers derogatorily to a wanton enemy attack.

        [DEROGATORY+], [MILITARY]

      • GOD

        1. Tiān 天 refers to the - often personified or semi-personified - God of Heaven.

        2. Shàng dì 上帝 refers to the highest Sovereign, also identified with the the Highest Ancestor.

      • ALL

        [ADNOMINAL/ADVERBIAL]

        [ARCHAIC/CURRENT]

        [COLLECTIVE/INDIVIDUAL]

        [[COMMON/RARE]]

        [OBJECT-BINDING/SUBJECT-BINDING]

        1. Jiē 皆 the most common and general colourless subject qunatifier which is also used, occasionally as an object quantifier.

        SUBJECT-BINDING!; [padV]

        2.Jìn 盡 is a universal object quantifier which indicates that the action the transitive verb it precedes applies to the whole lot of the objects of that verb indiscriminately.

        [OBJECT-BINDING!], [COLLECTIVE]; [vadVt]

        3. Gè 各 quantifies by emphasising the separate features of each item quantified over.

        [INDIVIDUAL], [SUBJECT-BINDING]; [n+Vt]

        4. Jiān 兼 is an object quantifier which says that the transitive verb it precedes applies to each of the objects in its own right.

        [OBJECT-BINDING], [INDIVIDUAL]; [vadVt]

        5. Qún 群 is a quantifier which indicates that the whole of the flock or group of items designated by the noun it precedes are referred to

        [COLLECTIVE]; [nadN]

        6. Zhū 諸 is an adjectival quantifier which indicates that the whole group of the things indicated by the noun it precedes is referred to.

        [COLLECTIVE]; [padN]

        7. Zhòng 眾 is an adnominal quantififier which says that the whole of the group of things designated by the noun it precedes are intended.

        [COLLECTIVE]; [nadN]

        8. Fán 凡 characterises a topic adnominally as forming the general subject or topic in a non-narrative statement of principle. The current gloss "in general" is misleading because it wrongly suggests that there are exceptions, and because it does not specify the non-narrative "theoretical" nature of the statements introduced by the word. "In principle" is much to be preferred.

        [SPECIFIC]; [vadN[TOPIC]]

        9. Jù 俱 / 具 is a collective subject quantifier which says that all the subjects are equally and together characterised by what is in the predicate.

        [SUBJECT-BINDING]; [vadV]

        10. Fàn 氾 quantifies generally over all objects of the verb it precedes.

        [COLLECTIVE], [OBJECT-BINDING]; [vadVt]

        11. Fàn 汎 says that a verb has a whole range of objects, indiscriminately, and without reference to their specific character.

        [COLLECTIVE], [OBJECT-BINDING]; [padVt]

        12. Měi 每 mostly adnominal and emphasises that a each and every new item quantified over is separately intended.

        [INDIVIDUAL]; [padN]

        13. Jūn 均 / 鈞 expresses universal quantification over all subjects equally, without any difference.

        [INDIVIDUAL], [SUBJECT-BINDING]; [vadN]

        14. Zhōu 周 is a rare object quantifier claiming that all the objects of a verb are intended, without exception.

        [COLLECTIVE], [OBJECT-BINDING]; [vadVt]

        15. Xī 悉 mass object qunatifier which says that the transitive verb it precedes applies to the whole of the objects indiscriminately.

        [COLLECTIVE], [OBJECT-BINDING]; [vadVt]

        16. Xián 咸 is an archaic subject quantifier which came to new life in Han times.

        [INDIVIDUAL], [SUBJECT-BINDING!]; [vadV]

        17. Bì 畢 a subject quantifier which says that the predicate applies to all subjects.

        [ADVERBIAL]; [SUBJECT-BINDING]; [RARE]

        18. Jǔ 舉 is an adjectival quantifier of limited idiomatic use indicating that all the things in a certain area are referred to.

        [ADNOMINAL]; [COLLECTIVE]

        19. Wú bù 無不 is a neutral subject and object quantifier.

        20. Mò bù 莫不 is a neutral subject quantifier.

        [PREVERBAL]; [SUBJECT-BINDING]

        21. Sì hǎi 四海 sometimes refers generally to all inhabitants of the inhabited world, like tiān xià 天下, and these are marginal in this group.

        [NOMINAL]; [COLLECTIVE]

      • SKY

        1. The current word for the sky, and for Heaven, is tiān 天 (ant. dì 地 "earth").

        2. Qián 乾 (ant. kūn 坤 "metaphysical: Earth") is a learned "metaphyisical" way of referring to Heaven.

        3. Cāng 蒼 is a poetic word for blue sky, but the word is not apparently attested in pre-Buddhist texts.

      • UNIVERSE

        1. The most current word for the whole universe is tiān dì 天地

        2. Liù hé 六合 is a technical term referring to the world in all its dimensions from east to west, south to north, below to above.

        3. Yǔ zhòu 宇宙 is a rather abstract cosmological word for the universe of space and time.

      • KING

        1. The general term for a king of any kind is wáng 王, and in Warring States times this term can refer to all sovereign rulers, even the Son of Heaven.

        2. Tiān wáng 天王 is a highly formal ritual term for "the King by the Grace of Heaven" and refers regularly to the Zhou king.

        3. Tiān zǐ 天子 refers to the Son of Heaven recognised as the ritual leader of all kings, and the word is currently used in a non-referential generic abstract sense.

        4. Dì 帝, originally "highest ancestor", is an honorary title for a king of very special distinction.

        5. Huáng 皇 is a very archaic way of referring to mythical rulers which in Qin times came to be used as part of the term for "emperor".

        6. Huáng dì 皇帝 is the Qin standard term for the emperor.

      • GENERATION

        1. The dominant general word for a generation is shì 世, and this word has strong temporal connotations referring to the period of one generation, and the word has a certain syntactic flexibility. Sān shì 三世 refers to three generations.

        2. Dài 代 refers to the length of a whole dynasty comprising several generations, and the word in this meaning has little syntactic flexibility. Sān dài 三代 refers to three dynasties Xià, Shāng, and Zhōu. See DYNASTY

        3. Jì 紀 refers to a cycle of 12 years, sān jì 三紀 refers to a period of thirty-six years, but from Later Han times, the reference is often more generally to a generation.

        4. Tiān xià 天下 "all under Heaven" often refers generally to all people alive at a certain time.

        5. Shí rén 時人 refers specifically and prosaically to the people of the time.

      • ACT

        [AD-HOC/SYSTEMATIC]

        [AIMLESS/PURPOSEFUL]

        [ARTIFICIAL/NATURAL]

        [BASE/NOBLE]

        [BASIC/MARGINAL]

        [COMMENDATORY/DEROGATORY]

        [CONATIVE/PERFECTIVE]

        [DELIBERATE/INVOLUNTARY]

        [GENERAL/SPECIFIC]

        [HABITUAL/OCCASIONAL]

        [HUMBLE/NOBLE]

        [PHYSICAL/MENTAL]

        [PRESCRIBED/SPONTANEOUS]

        [PRIVATE/PUBLIC]

        [RESPONSIBLE/UNACCOUNTABLE]

        1. The current general word for any deliberate behaviour one may be held morally and/or administratively responsible for is xíng 行 (ant. zhǐ 止 "decide not to take action"), and this conduct is typically one engaged in on someone else's behalf.

        [COMMENDATORY!], [GENERAL], [HABITUAL], [PHYSICAL], [RESPONSIBLE]

        2. Wéi 為 (ant. wú wéi 無為 "not engage in purposeful and result-orientated self-assertive action") focusses not on the act itself but primarily on the results achieved or aimed for.

        [OCCASIONAL], [PURPOSEFUL]

        3. Jū 居, when used in this meaning, focusses not on the results of one's actions, or on the effect of one's actions on others, but on the moral character of one's behaviour as such.

        [HABITUAL], [RESPONSIBLE], [SYSTEMATIC]

        4. Shì 事 (ant.* xián 閒 "take it easy") primarily focusses on action as part of the fulfilment of a duty imposed by one's station in life or a task one has set oneself.

        [PRESCRIBED], [PUBLIC!], [RESPONSIBLE]

        5. Gōng 躬 (ant.* shǐ rén 使人 "get others to...") focusses on a person of considerable social status engaging personally in a (typically public) action. See SELF.

        [MARGINAL], [NOBLE], [OCCASIONAL], [PUBLIC!]

        6. Wěi 偽 (ant. tiān 天 "natural") refers to artificial or faked human action. See PRETEND.

        [ARTIFICIAL], [DEROGATORY!]

        7. Dòng 動 (ant. jìng 靜 "decide to remain inactive") typically refers to spontaneous purposeful action and focusses almost philosophically on the autonomous decision of the agent to act.

        [OCCASIONAL], [DELIBERATE]

        8. Zuò 作 (ant. xí 息 "fail to take the initiative, fail to become active") refers to the taking of an initiative for an action which would not have occurred without such a deliberate initiative, and the word is naturally associated with the notion of creativity.

        SPONTANEOUS, OCCASIONAL, PERFECTIVE

        9. Jǔ 舉 refers specifically to the undertaking of a well-considered major act, particularly as part of a political strategy.

        [DELIBERATE], [PURPOSEFUL], [RESPONSIBLE]

        NB: Fēng 風 refers rather generally and abstractly to a person's or a group's way or pattern of behaviour, and the word is usually used as a noun. See CUSTOM

        10. Jiā 加 typically refers to action insofar as it affects others.

        11. Xí 習 refers to the habitual repeated practice of something in order to achieve proficiency in the kind of action concerned.

      • FATE

        1. The current word referring to what is fated, determined or decreed by Heaven, and thus invested with unquestionable moral or metaphysical authority is mìng 命, sometimes expanded to tiān mìng 天命.

        2. Shù 數 construes fate as something which can be ascertained by the relevant specialists of prognostication.

      • STATE

        1. The dominant word is guó 國, and the word naturally focusses on the capital which defines the identity of the state, but from Warring States times the word does refer to the whole of the territory, as the term guó xiāo 國削 "the state was truncated" shows.

        2. Bāng 邦 is an area-orientated old word referring to an extended state (see the early 大邦 ) without emphasising the leading role of a capital in that state, and the word was increasingly replaced by guó 國 even before taboo rules related to the name of Liú Bāng had their impact.

        3. Tǔ 土 refers to territory as such, and occasionally comes to refer to the territory of a certain state, including one's own.

        4. Fāng 方 refers to a region other than one's own state, and note particularly the old phrase 方國.

        5. Tiān xià 天下 refers to the inhabited earth construed as dominated by the emperor or Son of Heaven, but by extension the expression also refers collectively to the the central states governed by the zhū hóu 諸侯. (NOTE THAT THE EMPIRE OF CHINA WAS NOT REGARDED AS A STATE.)

        6. Guó jiā 國家 refers to the nation as a social institution dominated by a certain clan. See NATION.

        7. Yì 邑 "capital" occasionally comes to refer to the state dominated by a certain city, its capital.

      • DREAM

        1. The current standard word for a dream is mèng 夢.

        2. Xiōng mèng 凶夢 refers to a nightmare.

        ZHOULI 3 占夢:掌其歲時,觀天地之會,辨陰陽之氣。以日月星辰占六夢之吉凶,一曰正夢,二曰噩夢,三曰思夢,四曰寤夢,五曰喜夢,六曰懼夢。季冬,聘王夢,獻吉夢于王,王拜而受之。乃舍萌于四方,以贈惡夢,遂令始難驅疫。

      • MOUNTAINS

        8. Qí shān 岐山 is located in the northeast of the modern Qishan district, Shaanxi province. It was also called Tiān zhǔ shān 天柱山 Fēnghuángduī4 風凰堆. Ancient Zhou centers were located close to this mountain. For this reason, Qí shān 岐山 is mentioned already in the Shijing.

        9. Qíliánshān 祁連山 is another name for Tiānshān 天山. This mountain range is located in the southern and western part of the modern Xinjiang. It is divided into two groups - the northern in the central Xinjiang, and the southern in the southern Xinjiang. The former is identical with the modern Tiānshān 天山, the latter includes modern Kūnlúnshān 昆侖山, A3ěrjīnshān 阿爾金, and Qíliánshān 祁連山.These mountains are already mentioned in the Shiji, Xiongnu liezhuan.

        10. D4àyǔlíng 大庾岭 refers to the mountains on the borders of the modern Jiangxi and Guangdong.

        11. Yīnshān 陰山 refers to the mountains in the central part of the modern Inner Mongolia. Mentioned already in the Shiji.

        12. Qínlíng 秦岭 is a mountain range dividing the northern and southern parts of China. It is also a water-shed dividing the drainage areas of the Weì 渭, Huái 淮, and Hàn 漢 rivers. It spreads from the borders of the Qinghai and Gansu to the central part of Henan. This range includes important mountains, such as Mínshān 岷山, Huàshān 華山, and Sǒngshān 嵩山. Qínlíng 秦岭 in the narrow sense refers to the part of the range in the modern Shaanxi.

        13. Yānshān 燕山 refers to the mountains on the northern edge of the Hebei plains.

        14. Wǔyíshān 武夷山 is the name of the mountains on the borders of the modern Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. The earliest references I have found are post-Han.

        15. Taìhéngshān 太行山 refers to the mountain range on the borders of the modern Henan, Shanxi, and Hebei. In the south, it reaches to the Huanghe. The name already occurs in the texts of the Warring States period [YUGONG chapter in the SHANGSHU].

        16. Kūnlúnshān 昆侖山 is the name of the mountains on the borders of the modern Xinjiang and Tibet. It runs from the east to the west in the length of 2500 km. It is already referred to in the texts of the Warring states and Han periods [SHANHAIJING, HUAINANZI, MU TIANZI ZHUAN].

        17. Tiānshān 天山 are mountains in the central part of the modern Xinjiang. The name already occurs in the SHANHAIJING and HANSHU.

        18. Jǐuzǐshān 九子山 is an ancient name of the Jiǔhuáshān 九華山 in the modern Qingyang county of the Anhui province. The latter name was in use since the Tang.

        19. Dàbāshān 大巴山 refers to the mountains on the borders of the modern Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Hubei.

        20. Yàndàngshān 雁蕩山 are the mountains in the southeastern part of the modern Zhejiang province.

        21. Wūshān 巫山 is located on the borders of the modern Sichuan and Hubei. The Changjiang flows through its central part, creating famous Three gorges.

        22. Jūnshān 君山 is the mountain in the center of the Dongting lake, modern Hunan province. Also called Dòngtíngshān 洞庭山.

        23. Běimáng 北邙 is the mountain range in the modern Henan. Also called Mángshān 芒山, Běishān 北山.It runs from Sanmenxia in the West to the bank of the Yīluò river in the East. Since the Eastern Han, princes and high officers were buried on its slopes north to the Luoyang.

        24. Běigùshān 北固山 is the mountain in the northeastern part of the modern city of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province.

        25. Wúshān 吳山 is name of the three important mountains.

        a. In the north of the Pinglu county, Shanxi province. According to HOUHANSHU, on the peak of it, there there was located the city of Yǔ 麌.

        b. To the south-east of the Xihu lake in the Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province. In the Chunqiu period, it was the western border of the state of Wú, hence the name.

        c. In the southwestern part of the Long county, Shaanxi province. According to ERYA, it was one of the Five sacred mountains, 五岳.

        26. Dìngjūnshān 定軍山 is located in the southeatern part of the modern Mian county, Shaanxi province. In 219 A.D., near these mountains, army of Liu Bei defeated one of the Cao Caos generals.

        27. Fúniúshān 伏牛山 is ancient name for the Jīnshān 金山, northwest to the modern city of Zhenjiang in the Jiangsu province. The latter name came to be used in the Tang. Also called Huófú 獲箙, Fúyù 浮玉 mountains. 

        28. Jiāoshān 焦山 is located to the northeast of the modern city of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province.

        29. Tài sh1an 泰山 is the most important of the Five sacred mountains. It was also called Dōngyuè 東岳, Daìzōng 岱宗, Daìshān 岱山, Daìyuè 岱岳, Taìyuè 泰岳. It is located in the central part of the modern Shandong province. The mountain range runs from the eastern margin of the Dōngpíng 東平 lake in the northwestern direction to the modern Linbo city. It is about 200 km long. Since antiquity, Chinese rulers sacrificed on the Tài sh1an. The earliest evidence is in SHIJING.

        30. Huàshān 華山 is the westernmost of the Five sacred peaks, henceforth it was also called Xīyuè 西岳. It is located in the southern part of the modern Yin county, Shaanxi province. Its height is 1997 m.

        31. Héng shān �琱 sis the northernmost of the Five sacred peaks, henceforth it was also called Běiyuè 北岳.From the Han to the Ming, the sacred Héng shān �琱 swas located in the northwestern part of the modern Quyang county of the Hebei province.

        32. Héng shān 衡山 is the southernmost of the Five sacred mountains, and is also called Nányuè 南岳. It is located in the modern Hengshan county in the Hunan province, and is 1290 m high, and several hundred km long. It is refered to already in SHANGSHU, SHUN DIAN. 

        33. Sōng shān 嵩山 is the central of the Five sacred peaks, and it was also called Sōngyuè 嵩岳. It belongs to the Fúniúshān 伏牛山 mountain range, and is located in the modern Dengfeng county in the Henan province. It is already mentioned in the SHIJING.

        34. Niúzhǔshān 牛渚山 is the name of the mountains on the bank of the Changjiang in the northwestern part of the modern Dangtu county, Anhui province.

        35. Bāgōngshān 八公山 are the mountains in the western part of the modern city of Huainan, Anhui province. It is located west of the Féishuǐ 淝水, and south of the Huáishǔi 淮水. In 383 A.D. famous battle of Feishui took place close to this mountain.

        36. Jiǔyíshān 九疑山, also called Cāngyǔshān 蒼木吾山, are the mountains in the modern Ningyuan county in the Hunan province. According to the Shiji, the sage emperor Shun died and was buried there.

        37. Chìchéngshān 赤城山 are the mountains in the northwestern part of the modern Tiantai, Zhejiang province. First mentioned in the Jin dynasty.

        38. Lúshān 盧山 are the mountains in the southern part of the modern Jiujiang town, Jiangxi province. Also called Kuāngshān 匡山, Kuānglú 匡盧, Nánzhàng4shān 南障山. The name is already mentioned in the Han times. It is said that both Emperor Yu and First emperor climbed the mountains when travelling to the South.

        39. Sh3ouyángshān 首陽山 are the mountains in the southern part of the modern Yongji county, Shanxi province. According to the tradition (for the first time mentioned in the LUNYU), it was in these mountains, where Boyi and Shuqi lived in hermitage. The mountains are already referred to in the SHIJING.

        40. E2méishān 峨嵋山 is the name of the mountains in the southwestern part of the modern Emei county, Sichuan province. It is already mentioned in the HUAYANG GUOZHI of the Jin dynasty. It belongs to the four famous mountains of buddhism.

        41. Qīngchéngshān 青城山 are the mountains in the southwestern part of the modern Guan county, Sichuan province. According to the tradition, it was there where in the Han times Zhang Daoling practiced dao.

        42. Luófúshān 羅浮山 are the mountains on the north bank of the Dōngjiāng 東江 river in the modern Guangdong province. According to the tradition, during the Eastern Jin dynasty, Ge Hong practiced dao there.

        Word relations
      • Result: (GOD)命/DECREE Mìng 命 (later often replaced by lìng 令) refers to any published royal or imperial order, or order of the day. See also COMMAND
      • Result: (HEAVEN)命/DECREE Mìng 命 (later often replaced by lìng 令) refers to any published royal or imperial order, or order of the day. See also COMMAND
      • Object: (SKY)仰/LOOK UP
      • Object: (HEAVEN)事/SERVE The current general word for serving another is shì 事 (ant. shǐ 使 "deploy").
      • Epithet: (GOD)命/DECREE Mìng 命 (later often replaced by lìng 令) refers to any published royal or imperial order, or order of the day. See also COMMAND
      • Epithet: (GOD)殃 / 央/DISASTER Yāng 殃 always refers to major natural disasters, often construed as causes by human misdemeanour, or by a failure to take preventive action.
      • Epithet: (GOD)時/SEASON The general term for a season is shí 時, and the primary seasons are chūn 春 and qiū 秋, in Warring States times the names of the Four Seasons became current.
      • Epithet: (GOD)道/METHOD Dào 道 is a way of being, of functioning, as well as a way of doing things, and this Way may be either exoteric or esoteric.
      • Epithet: (HEAVEN)法/METHOD Fǎ 法 is a regular rule-governed procedure governing the proper exercise of a skill.
      • Epithet: (HEAVEN)法/LAW The current general word for a law, a legal system or any legal provision of any kind is fǎ 法.
      • Epithet: (HEAVEN)氣/ENERGY The most general current word for material vital cosmic energies of any kind is qì 氣.
      • Epithet: (HEAVEN)氣/COSMIC FORCE The most general term for physical principles operative in the dynamics of natural processes is qì 氣.
      • Epithet: (SKY)高/HIGH The manifestly dominant general word is gāo 高(ant. bēi 卑 "low" and xià 下 "low") which refers to concrete as well as abstract elevation.
      • Oppos: (SKY)地/EARTH The current general term for the earth or land is dì 地 (ant. tiān 天"Heaven").
      • Oppos: (NATURALLY)人/HUMAN The dominant term is rén 人 which refers to any human.
      • Oppos: (HEAVEN)人/HUMAN The dominant term is rén 人 which refers to any human.
      • Oppos: (GOD)人/HUMAN The dominant term is rén 人 which refers to any human.