Translation of Useful Expressions in Chapter One
Chinese expressions English Translation
黄河流域Yellow River Valley
文化融合，政治统一Cultural fusion and political unity
游牧部落nomadic tribesmen
疆域Territory; realm; frontier
小农经济The small-scale peasant economy
封建主经济Suzerain/ landlord / owner-peasant economy
自然经济形态The natural economic pattern
农、林、牧、副、渔Agriculture, forestation, herding, fishing and third industry cooperation 中原The Central plains
重农轻商Encourage farming, limit commerce
24节气The 24 Solar Terms
战国时期The Warring States period
男耕女织The man cultivating the land and the woman weaving at home
自给自足的自然经济Self-sufficient natural economy
一盘散沙 A sheet of loose sand
草根阶层The grass-roots level
人头税The poll tax
水能载舟，亦能覆舟The water that carries the boat can also overturn it.
多元一体Integrated pluralism
吐故纳新Discard the old and embrace the new
炎黄子孙the descendants of Yandi and Huangdi
礼仪之邦The land of ceremony and propriety
大一统观念The conception of great national unity
甲骨文The inscriptions on tortoise shells or animal bones
铭文The inscriptions on bronze or copper wares
象形、指事、会意、形声（examples）Pictographs, self-explanatory, associative compounds, pictophonetic method
四书五经The Four Books and The Five Classics
书同文、行同伦The standardized written language and behaviors
儒、道、佛、法家Confucianism, Classical Taoist thinking, Buddhism, the Legalist
School
焚书坑儒Burn books and bury Confucian scholars alive
无为而治To govern by doing nothing
独尊儒术、罢黜百家Pay supreme tribute to Confucianism while banning all other schools of
thoughts
四大发明Four Great Inventions of Ancient China:
1)the invention of paper making technology
2)the art of printing
3)the making of the gunpowder
4)the compass
守内虚外Internal defense and external slackening
重文轻武Lay stress on the cultural achievement while make light of the military
exploits
清明上河图The scroll of painting: the festival of Pure Brightness on the River Chinese expressions English Translation
求和谐，主平衡Seek for Harmony and Maintaining Equilibrium
消灾祈福Avert calamities and pray for blessings
临时抱佛脚Clasp Buddha’s feet when in trouble—seek help at the last moment
六合The six realms of Heaven and Earth, East and West, North and South 内圣外王Internalized as cultivation and externalized as governance of virtue
真诚、正心、修身Sincerity, integrity and intellectual cultivation
齐家治国平天下Keep your family in order, govern the state effectively and bring peace
to the world
中庸The golden mean
天人合一Oneness of man and nature
大一统Great National Unity
集体利益Values of Collectivism/ Collective interest
人伦Human relations
普天之下莫非王土，率土之滨莫非王臣All the land under the sun belongs to the king; all the people within this country are the king’s subjects.
《史记》The Historical Records
宗族关系The patriarchal relations
赴汤蹈火Go through fire and water
中华民族的脊梁The spiritual tower of Chinese nation
否极泰来Out of depth of misfortune comes bliss
以柔克刚Conquer the rigid with the gentle
一张一弛Alternate tension with relaxation
仁者爱人The benevolent love others
仁政Benevolent government
以民为本People are the foundation of the state
民为贵，社稷次之，君
为轻
People come first, the state comes second and the king third
性善论The theory of original goodness of human nature
小国寡民 A small state with a small population
无为而治The rule of inaction
汉代经学Imperial Confucianism in the Han Dynasty
The above answers are only for reference; there is no unique answer. Don’t be hesitated to ask me any question!
