中外艺术史英文版名词解释

精品文档，仅供学习与交流，如有侵权请联系网站删除【精品文档】第PAGE页VocabularyofChineseTraditionalArt:XuanPaperNameofakindofricepapermadeinChina.ItwasfirstproducedinXuanzhou(nowtheJingCountyofEastChina's,AnhuiProvince),hencethenameofXuanpaper.ThebarkofPteroceltistatarinowiiandstrawarethemainrawmaterialsforproducingXuanpaper.Aftermaceration,thefibersaretreatedwithlime,exposedtosunlight,bleached,andwashedwithstarch.Prizedxuanpapersarecastbyhand.Theyarefine,soft,resistanttoinsectdamage,andtheirpurewhitecolorlastslongtoretardabsorptionoftheink,theymaybetreatedwithalum.Wherenototherwiseindicated,theChinesepapersusedforprintsandpaintingsintheexhibitionareonavarietyofxuanpaper.BambooSlipTabletsorslipsmadefrombamboo(orwood)forwritinginancientChina.It’scalledslipifit’smadefrombamboo,andcalledtabletifit’smadefromwood.Slitusedtobethegeneralname,butnowit’softencalledbambooslip.ThewritingtoolsofbambooslipwereChinesebrushandink,andonlyonelineoftextcanbehandwrittenoneachslip.Anarticleoftenincludedmanyslips.Uponthefinish,theslipswereboundbystringsandrolledupforstorage.TheserollsweretheearliestformofChinesebooks.Woodentabletwasoftenusedforshortessays.BambooslipwasinventedinWesternZhou,andwaswidelyacceptedduringSpringandAutumnPeriodandWarringPeriod.Around4thcentury,withthepopularizationofpaper,thestatusofbambooslipswaseventuallyreplaced.DuFu(712~770)DuFuwasaprominentChinesepoetoftheTangDynasty.HiscourtesynamewasZiMei,andhecalledhimself“ShaoLingcountrysideaged”,“DuShaoLing”,“DuGongBu”,etc.DuFu’sowngreatestambitionwastohelphiscountrybybecomingasuccessfulcivilservant,butheprovedunabletomakethenecessaryaccommodations.Heonlyservedinsomelow-levelposition,suchasthemilitaryadviserinaregionalgovernor'sheadquartersandconcurrentlyassistantsecretaryintheBoardofWorks(GongBu).Hislife,likethewholecountry,wasdevastatedbytheAnLushanRebellionof755,andthelast15yearsofhislifewereatimeofalmostconstantunrest.Initiallylittleknown,hisworkscametobehugelyinfluentialinbothChineseandJapaneseculture.Ofhispoeticwriting,nearlyfifteenhundredpoemswrittenbyDuFuhavebeenhandeddownovertheages,mostofwhichexpressedasincereandbroadconcernforhumanity.Healsopossessesaremarkablepowerofdescription,withwhichhevividlypresentshumanaffairsandnaturalscenery.ThustheafterworldgavehimthenameofPoet-HistorianandthePoet-Sage.EmperorHuizongofSong(1082~1135)EmperorofNorthernSongDynasty.Painter.Calligrapher.TheeleventhsonoftheEmperorShenzongofSong.ThebrotheroftheEmperorZhezongofSong.AfterthedeathofZhezong,Huizong’smothermadehimtheeighthemperorofSongDynasty(r.1100~1125).Duringhisreign,Huizongdevotedhimselfintoartmorethanintogoverningtheempire.Hewasanaccomplishedpainter,calligrapherandartsupporter.WhenJinDynastydeclaredwaronSongin1126,Huizonglostitandhadtoescape.In1127,Huizong,hissonEmperorQinzong,aswellastheentireimperialcourtandharemwerecapturedbytheJinintheJingkangIncident.Nineyearslaterhediedincaptivityattheageof54.Histombis35milesawayfromShaoxingcountyinZhejiangprovince.CuiBai(11thcenturyc.)ChinesepainterintheNorthernSongdynasty.CuiBaiwasactiveduringthereignoftheEmperorShenzongofSong.AppreciatedbyShenzong,hebecameaYixue(艺学,atitleintheImperialArtAcademy,lowerthanpainter-in-attendance)andlaterpanter-in-attendanceintheImperialArtAcademy.CuiBaiwasgoodatflower-and-birdpainting,aswellasBuddhismmuralpainting.HebrokethecourttraditioncreatedbyHuangQuanandhissonintheearlyperiodofSongdynasty,whohadfoundedthestandardtopaintflowerandbirdinaluxuaryway,andoriginatedanewstyleintheImperialArtAcademy.Hisworksinclude“ShuangxiTu”(《双喜图》,DoubleHappiness),“HanqueTu”(《寒雀图》,SparrowinColdDays),and“Zhu’ouTu”(《竹鸥图》,BambooandGull),etc.FanKuan(early11thcenturyc.)FanKuanisknowntobeoneoftheleadingfiguresintheNorthernSongLandscapetraditionandoneofthemostappreciatedlandscapeartistsintraditionalChina.AccordingtoChinesearthistory,hewasbornattheendofFiveDynasties,andstillaliveduringTianrenyearsofthereignofEmperorRenzongofSong(1023~1031).HiscourtesynameisZhongli,butbecauseofhisnatureoflenienceandmagnanimous,peopleofhistimecalledhim“Kuan”,whichmeanswide.Thenhenamedhimself“Kuan”too.IntherecordofXuanheHuaPu(《宣和画谱》,“XuanhePaintingList,acataloguemadeofEmperorHuizong’scollection,compiledbycourtconnoisseursduringhisreigninSongdynasty),FanKuan’scharacteristicswasalsomentioned.TheListsaidFan“hadastyleofancienttimes;behavedwild;lovedalcohol;andneverrestrainedbyconventionorpropriety”.FanKuancreatedimaginarylandscapesthatweredifferentanduniquewhilepreservingtheinternalorderandidealbalanceofnature.MaYuan(1140~1225)OneofFourMastersinSouthernSongDynasty,courtesynameYaofu,andpseudonymQinshan,MaYuanwasborninHezhong(today’sYongjicountyinShanxiprovince),andmovedtoQiantang(today’sHangzhouinZhejiangprovince).Herepresentedthefourthgenerationinatraditionofpaintersspanningfivegenerations,beginningwithhisgreat-grandfather,MaFen,andendingwithhisson,MaLin,allofwhomservedtheSungemperorsascourtpainters-in-attendance.AlthoughthefamilytraditiondoubtlesshadstronginfluenceonMaYuan'sdevelopmentasapainter,hewasalsoindebtedtothegreatnorthernlandscapeandfiguremasterLiTang.MaYuan'sartatitsbestisamasterpieceofunderstatementandevocativesuggestion.Histypicalcompositions,featuringtheextensiveuseofswirlingmistandemptyspaces,withonlyafewsharplyetchedformsdramaticallysilhouettedagainstthewhiteness,lenthimthesobriquet"One-cornerMa."LiSong(1166~1243)AnativeofQiantang,wasaprominentpainteroftheSouthernSongdynasty.LiSongwasatalentedcarpenterbeforethecourtpainterLiXunadoptedhim.HeservedasaPainter-in-AttendanceduringthereignofEmperorGaozong,NingzongandLizongofSong.LiwasgoodatDaoistandBuddhistfigure,ashisfosterfatherLiXun,hewasespeciallygiftedinarchitecturepaintings.ThePalaceMuseuminBeijingcollectedhispaintingPuppetPlayofaSkeleton.Inthispaintingtheexpressionoffigureswerewellpresented.Heusedtheoutliningmethodofnailheadandmousetailtopaintthedrapesofclothes,andstraightlineswereoftenused,whichwasfinebutpowerful.AndhisFlowerBasketshowsdifferentlevelsofalltheflowers,justlikerealones.ZhuDa(1626~1705)Chinesepainterandpoet.AdescendantoftheimperialZhufamilyoftheMingdynastyandaleadingartistoftheearlyQingperiod,ZhuDagrewupinNanchanginJiangxiprovince.HisconnectionswiththepreviousdynastyledhimtobecomeamonkaftertheManchuconquestofChinain1644.ZhuDahadmanypseudonyms,buthisfavoriteshouldbeBadaShanren,whichmeansmountainmanofeightmasters.ZhuDaadoptedanddevelopedthetechniqueofChenChunandXuWeitopaintflowers,birdsandlandscapesinastyleoffreehandbrushwork,andhewentevenfurther-hispaintingswereinadistinctiveandhighlydramaticcalligraphicstyle.Inawayofsymbolizationandmetaphor,heexaggeratedflowersandbirds,fishesandinsectsinhispaintings,evengavethemahumanexpressionofwhiteeyes(superciliouslook).Thisshowedthepainter’sownfeelings.HisbitterexperiencesofsocialturmoilandhishatredfortheQingrulershelpedtoshapehisdistinctivestyle.ZhuDa'sstyleexertedagreatinfluenceonlaterartists,suchastheEightEccentricsofYangzhou.ShiTao(1642~1707)OriginalnameZhuRuoji.Chinesepainterandtheoreticianwhowas,withZhuDa,oneofthemostfamousFourMonksintheearlyQingdynasty.ShiTao’spaintingswerefamousandpopularwhenhewasalive.Hetraveledalotandlearnedfromthenatureitself.Beforehebeganpaintingasketchofsceneries,hehadseenthousandsofmountains(thisisoneofhisfamousopinions).Hisworkhasafreshnessinspirednotbymastersofthepastbutbyanunfetteredimagination,withbrushtechniquesthatwerefreeandunconventional,andwithaningeniouscomposition.Shitao'sindependentspiritisalsofoundwithinhistheoreticalwritings,suchastheKuguaHeshangYulu(《苦瓜和尚语录》,“CommentsonPaintingbyMonkofBitterMelon”).GuHongzhong(910~980,or937~975)GuHongzhongwasapainterduringtheFiveDynastiesandTenKingdomsperiod.HewasfromsouthernChina,andservedaspainter-in-attendanceinsouthernTangduringthereignofLiJingandLiYu.Heexcelledatfigurepainting.“HanXizaiYeYanTu”(《韩熙载夜宴图》,HanXizaiGivesANightBanquet)washismostfamouspainting.It’sawideknownworkofhighclassicalChineseart.Andit’salsotheonlyworkwecanseetodaybyGuHongzhong.LouRui(6thcenturyc.)LouRui,aXianbeinative,wasarelativeofEmperorShizuofNorthernQi,whosewife’sbrotherLouZhuangwasLouRui’sfather.LouRuiwasburiedin570atGuovillageinTaiyuan,Shanxiprovince.Sinceitsdiscoveryandexcavationfrom1980to1982,thetomb,withitsundergroundstructuredecoratedwithmuralpaintings,hasconstitutedacorpusofthemostreliabledataforanaccurateassessmentoftheart,music,costume,courtlifeandritesintheNorthernQidynasty.ZhaoMengfu(1254~1322)AnativeofHuzhou,ZheJiangprovince.HiscourtesynamewasZiAngandhispseudonymswasTaoistXuesong(PineSnowTaoist).ZhaoMengfuwasadescendentofSongimperialfamily,buthealsoservedtheYuandynastyasoneofthehighestHanofficials(regularofficial,notacourtpainter).Hewasafamouscalligraphyandadeptinmanystylesofcalligraphy,suchassealcharacter,officialscript,runningscriptandthecursivehand,andhealsocreatedhisownstyle,Zhaoti.Heexcelledatpaintingtoo,especiallyininkbamboo,flowersandbirds.Hiswife,GuanDaoshengwasalsotalentedinpaintingandcalligraphy.TheXuesongZhaiJi(《松雪斋集》,“CollectedEssaysfromPineSnowStudio”)waswrittenbyZhao.PopArtThetermfirstappearedinBritainduringthe1950sandreferredtotheinterestofanumberofartistsintheimagesofmassmedia,advertising,comicsandconsumerproducts.The1950swereaperiodofoptimisminBritainfollowingtheendofwar-timerationing,andaconsumerboomtookplace.InfluencedbytheartseeninEduardoPaolozzi's1953exhibitionParallelbetweenArtandLifeattheInstituteforContemporaryArts,andbyAmericanartistssuchasJasperJohnsandRobertRauschenberg,BritishartistssuchasRichardHamiltonandtheIndependentGroupaimedatbroadeningtasteintomorepopular,lessacademicart.Hamiltonhelpedorganizethe“Man,Machine,andMotion”exhibitionin1955,and“ThisisTomorrow”withitslandmarkimageJustWhatisitthatmakestoday'shomesodifferent,soappealing?(1956).PopArtthereforecoincidedwiththeyouthandpopmusicphenomenonofthe1950sand'60s,andbecameverymuchapartoftheimageoffashionable,'swinging'London.PeterBlake,forexample,designedalbumcoversforElvisPresleyandtheBeatlesandplacedfilmstarssuchasBrigitteBardotinhispicturesinthesamewaythatWarholwasimmortalizingMarilynMonroeintheUSA.Popartcameinanumberofwaves,butallitsadherents-JoeTrilson,RichardSmith,PeterPhillips,DavidHockneyandR.B.Kitaj-sharedsomeinterestintheurban,consumer,modernexperience.ZhangXuan(8thc.)AnativeofJingzhao(today’sXi’aninShanxiprovince)inTangdynasty.In723ADduringthereignofEmperorXuanzong,hebecameacourtpainterwithYangShengandYangNing.ZhangXuanwasfamousforhisfigurepaintings,especiallyhispaintingsofnoblelady,noblechild,baby,andhorse.HeandZhouFangwerethemostoutstandingfigurepaintersinTangdynasty.XieHe(479~502)Painter,arthistorianinSouthernQiandLiangofSoutherndynasties.Heexcelledatgenrepaintingandfigurepainting.Hismostfamousworkwasabook,theGuHuaPinLu(《古画品录》,ClassifiedRecordofAncientPainters),whichisalsotheoldestpaintingtreatiseinChinesehistory.InthisbookXiemadecommentsontheimportantpaintersduring3rdto4thcentury.XieHeisbestknownforhisSixCannonsofpaintingwhichbecameacentraltheoryinthehistoryofChinesepainting.InthistheoryXieHedealswithallthemajoraspectsoftheartofpaintingaccordingtoimportance.SixCannonsTheSixCannonswereintroducedbyXieHeinhisGuHuaPinLu(《古画品录》,ClassifiedRecordofAncientPainters).Theymaybeparaphrasedas:firstvividspiritualconsonance;secondstructuraluseofthebrush;thirdproperrepresentationandfidelitytoobject;fourthspecificcoloringofdifferentobjects;fifthproperplanningofcomposition;andsixthtransmissionofthepastandcopying.TheoryofRelativityThetheoryofrelativityrefersspecificallytotwotheories:AlbertEinstein'sspecialrelativityandgeneralrelativity.Specialrelativityisatheoryofthestructureofspacetime.Generalrelativityisatheoryofgravitation.Relativityandquantumphysicstouchtheverybasisofphysicalreality,alteringourcommonsensenotionsofspaceandtime,causeandeffect.ClassicalPhysicsisconvenientinstudyingbodiesofordinarydimensionsbutnotinothercases.Forbodiesofastronomicaldimensions,theuseofRelativityisrequiredaswellasthatofQuantumMechanicsisrequiredforbodiesofatomicdimensions.Thetheoryofrelativitychangedthe“commentsense”towardspaceandtimebyitsnewcontentsof“relativityofsimultaneity”,“four-dimensionalspace-time”,and“curvespace”,etc.QuantumTheoryThemodernworldofphysicsisnotablyfoundedontwotestedanddemonstrablysoundtheoriesofgeneralrelativityandquantummechanics.Quantummechanicsisafundamentalbranchofphysicswithwideapplicationsinbothexperimentalandtheoreticalphysics.Theeffectsofquantummechanicsaretypicallynotobservableonmacroscopicscales,butbecomeevidentattheatomicandsubatomiclevel.Quantumtheorygeneralizesallclassicaltheories,includingmechanicsandelectromagnetism,andprovidesaccuratedescriptionsformanypreviouslyunexplainedphenomenasuchasblackbodyradiationandstableelectronorbits.Itistheunderlyingmathematicalframeworkofmanyfieldsofphysicsandchemistry,includingcondensedmatterphysics,solid-statephysics,atomicphysics,molecularphysics,computationalchemistry,quantumchemistry,particlephysics,andnuclearphysics.Heisenberg(1901~1976)WernerKarlHeisenbergwasacelebratedGermanphysicistandNobellaureate,oneofthefoundersofquantummechanics,andacknowledgedtobeoneofthemostimportantphysicistsofthetwentiethcentury.HewasborninWürzburg,GermanyanddiedinMunich.HeisenbergwastheheadofGermannuclearenergyproject,thoughthenatureofthisproject,andhisworkinthiscapacity,hasbeenheavilydebated.Heismostwell-knownfordiscoveringoneofthecentralprinciplesofmodernphysics,theHeisenberguncertaintyprinciple.RenBonian(1840~1896)RenBonian(RenYi)wasanoutstandingpaintinginmodernChina.BorninZhejiangandlivedinShanghai,hewasactiveintheHaishangPaintingSchool(海上画派)whichfusedpopularandtraditionalstyles.Heisalsosometimesreferredtoasoneofandthebestofthe"FourRens"(fourmodernpaintersinShanghaiwhosharedasamefamilynameRen).WuChangshuo(1844~1927)WuChangshuowasborninAnji,ZhejiangProvince,anddiedinShanghai.HesettledinSuzhouinhistwenties,wherehefoundedtheXilingSealEngraversSociety,anartists'associationwithafocusonthecraftofsealcarving.AsaleadingfigureintheHaishangPaintingSchoolduringtheearly20thcentury,hewaslargelyresponsibleforrejuvenatingthegenreofbird-and-flowerpaintingbyintroducinganexpressive,individualisticstylemoregenerallyassociatedwithliteratipainting.Hebeganhisartisticcareerwiththetraditionalstudyofliteratureandancientinscriptionsbeforemovingtocalligraphy.HewroteFouLuJi(《缶庐集》,“WorksfromMyCottageFouLu”)andFouLuYinCun(《缶庐印存》,“SealsColletedinMyCottageFouLu”),etc.Hisfamouspaintingsinclude“TianzhuHuahui”(天竹花卉,GeraniumFlower),“ZiTengTu”(紫藤图,PurpleBine),“MoHeTu”(墨荷图,WaterLilyofInk),and“XinHuaTu”(杏花图,ApricotBlossom),etc.HuangBinhong(1865~1955)Modernarthistorianandliteratipainter.HeusedtoeditliteraryandartjournalsandtaughtatfineartscollegesinShanghaifornearly30years.Huangexperimentedwithtraditionaltechniquesfortheuseofink,includingshadingandlayering.Heachievedaneffectof“dark,dense,thick,andheavy”inhislandscapes.HuangwastheauthorofHuangshanHuajiaYuanliuKao(《黄山画家源流考》,“ResearchtheHeadstreamofPaintingsinYellowMountain”),HongLuHuaTan(《虹庐画谈》,“EssaysofPaintingsfromMyCottageofHong”),GuHuaWei(《古画微》,“AboutAncientPaintings”),JinshiShuhuaBian(《金石画编》,“KnowledgeofPainting,InscriptionPaintingandCalligraphy”),andHuaFaYaoZhi(《画法要旨》,“PrinciplesandMethodsofPaintings”),etc.LiuHaisu(1896~1994)PainterandarteducatorLiHaisuwasborninWujin,Jiangsuprovince.HefoundedShanghaiArtAcademyin1912,whichisthefirstmodernartacademy,thefirstcoeducationschoolandthefirstartschoolallowednudemodelsinChina.HetraveledtoJapanandEuropemanytimestostudywesternart.Hisworkscanbefoundinanumberofalbums,includingHuangshan(《黄山》,“YellowMountain”),HaisuGuoHua(《海粟国画》,“ChinesePaintingsbyHaisu”),HaisuLaorenShuhuaJi(《海粟老人书画集》,“OldManHaisu’sCalligraphyandPainting”).HistheoreticalwritingsincludeBiographyofMillet,andTheSixCannonsinChinesePainting,etc.ShiLu(1919~1982)OriginallyknownasFengYa-heng,Shicreatedhisartisticpseudonymbycombiningthoseoftwoheroesofculturaliconoclasm,theseventeenthcenturyindividualistpainterShitaoandthetwentiethcenturywriterLuXun.Forthesamereason,hechangedhisnametoShiLu(representingShiTaoandLuXun).AdeptinChinesepaintingandplatedrawing,hewastherepresentativeoftheChang’anSchoolofPainting.ZhuQizhan(1892~1996)BorninTaicanginJiangsuprovince,ZhuQizhanstartedtocopyancientChinesepaintingattheageofeight.WhenheatmiddleagehetraveledtoJapantwicewherehestudiedWestern-styleoil,butafter1950s,heturnedhisinteresttoChinesepaintings.Heexcelledatlandscape,flower,especiallyorchid,bambooandstone.LinFengmian(1900~1991)LinFengmianisafamousmodernpainterandarteducatorwhosuccessfullycombinedChineseandWesternpaintingskills.HewasborninMeixianCounty,GuangdongProvince.Attheageof19,hewenttoFrancetolearnoilpainting,doingpart-timeworktosupporthisstudy.In1925hecamebacktoChinatoworkasprincipaloftheBeipingStateVocationalArtSchool.Inthelate1920s,invitedbyCaiYuanpei,hebecameprincipaloftheHangzhouVocationalArtSchool(nowtheChinaAcademyofArt).In1978,hesettledinHongKong.HissoloexhibitionwassuccessfullyheldinParisin1979.Linwasgoodatthepaintingofnobleladies,charactersofBeijingopera,sceneryoffishingvillages,femalebody,stilllifeandlandscapes.PanTianshou(1897~1971)Chinesepainter,fineartseducationist,theoristoffinearts,calligraphistandsealcuttingartist.From1923,PanstartedtoteachinShanghaiArtSchool,NewChinaArtSchool,XihuArtSchool.ThenextyearhewenttoJapanwithLinFengmiantoinvestigateJapanesearteducation.In1944hebecametheprincipaloftheNationalArtsVocationalSchool.AfterthefoundationofPeople’sRepublicofChina,PantookthepositionsofpresidentofZhejiangFineArtsAcademyandvicepresidentofChinaFederationofLiteraryandArtCircles,etc.BookswrittenbyPanTianshouincludeTheHistoryofChinesePainting,TingtiangeHuatanSuibi(《听天阁画谈随笔》,“EssaysofPaintingfromTingtianAttic,Tingtiangewasthenameofhisstudio),etc.LiKeran(1907~1989)LiKeranwasborninXuzhou,JiangsuProvince.HewasafamouspainterandarteducatorinmodernChina.Hedevelopedapersonalstyleoflandscapepaintingthatwasbaseduponthewesterntechniqueoflightandshade.Hisfamouspaintingsinclude“ApricotBlossomwithSpringRaininSouthChina”(杏花春雨江南),“MorningFoginMountainTown”(山城朝雾),“WatchingMountains”(看山图),etc.FuBaoshi(1904~1964)Chinesepainter.HavingstudiedinJapan,hetravelledalloverChinatopaintlandscape,forminghisownstylebasedontraditionalartistry.HealsowroteResearchontheHistoryofChineseAncientLandscapePaintings,TechniquesofChineseLandscapePaintingandFigurePainting,andTheoriesofChinesePainting,etc.LiKuchan(1898~1983)LiKuchan’sgivennamewasYing,andhiscourtesynamewasKuchan(whichmeansbitterZen).HecombinedwesterntechniquesandspiritualityinsculptureandpaintingintohisChinesepaintingteaching,andhehimselfwasexcelledatgreatfreehandstyleofflower-and-birdpainting.Hisrepresentativeworksinclude“OrchidandBamboo”(兰竹),“Eagle'sEyesGuardingChina”(群鹰图),“Perching”,“FullyBlossomingWaterLily”(盛荷),etc.HuangZhou(1925~1997)Artist,collectoroftraditionalChinesepaintings,andasocialactivist.EntrustedbytheMinistryofCulture,HuangfoundedtheResearchInstituteofTraditionalChinesePaintingandbecameitsdeputydirector.HewasalsosuccessivelyinthepositionsofdirectorofChineseArtistsAssociation,memberofthestandingcommitteeofCPPCC,andcuratorofYanhuangArtGallery.ChengShifa(1921~2006)BorninSongjiang,Shanghai,Chengwasgoodatcomicworks,illustrationdrawing,new-yearpicture,landscapespainting,flower-and-birdpainting,andfigurepainting.Marx(1818~1883)KarlMarxwasthefounderofMarxism,theorganizerandleaderoftheFirstInternational,andtheGreatTeacheroftheproletariatandtheworkingpeopleintheworld.RomainRolland(1866～1944)Frenchwriter.RomainRolland'smostfamousworkisJeanChristophe,apartlyautobiographicalnovel,whichalsowonhimthe1915NobelPrize.TheSwordofDamoclesInGreekmythology,DamocleswascourtieratthecourtofDionysiusI.HesopersistentlypraisedthepowerandhappinessofDionysiusthatthetyrant,inordertoshowtheprecariousnessofrankandpower,gaveabanquetandhadaswordsuspendedabovetheheadofDamoclesbyasinglehair.Hencetheexpression“theswordofDamocles”tomeananever-presentperil.ZhongYong(orDoctrineoftheMean)TheessenceofZhongYongrootedintheDoctrineoftheMeaninConfucianism.DoctrineoftheMeanwasoneoftheFourBooks,anditalsoreferstoawayofliving.Notlikemostpeopleunderstandtoday,ZhongYongdoesnotequaltoindifferenceormediocrity.It’saboutcultivationofhumannature,includingthewayoflearning,“Tothisattainmenttherearerequisitetheextensivestudyofwhatisgood,accurateinquiryaboutit,carefulreflectiononit,thecle