Exploration 勘探 (kān tàn)[]
- 勘 [kān] [kan1] /to investigate/to survey/to collate/
- 探 [tàn] [tan4] /to explore/to search out/to scout/to visit/
A Work In Progress
Both Raymond and myself share an interest in Eastern philosophy and
thought as well as the Chinese language and Characters.
Here, we hope to dig a little deeper into these symbols and their origins
and explore some of the meanings behind them.
We will be posting quotes, the pinyin and characters ...
(when and where we can find them) and invite others to
add their thoughts,
comments, corrections or revelations.
Simply click on the above discussion tab to do so.
Below you will find quotes and translations ...
and further down the page under Character Breakdown/Analysis/Exploration
a breakdown of the characters and "possible" meanings. ;)
Just click this link or scroll down.
That's the plan.
And ... to have some fun doing IT. ;)
NOTE:
I see some of the characters have fallen out ... ie ... the ??.
will see what i can do.
for those of you who don't see any text as Chinese characters ...
try setting your browser's character encoding to Unicode or BG. -ts-talk 20:33, 14 Jan 2006 (UTC)
Quotes & Text[]
無常 .. wú cháng
Wú cháng: indeterminability, "Don't be bound to any notion of 'truth'", or, don't dogmatically believe or disbelieve in anything. Believing in anything interferes with the ability to be immediately present to and aware of what is happening right now.
�?以滑和 "non-contrived harmony" (bù y�? huá hé)
�?�以其無�?那? 故能�?其�?
“Fēi y�? qí wú sī nèi? Gù néng chéng qí sī.�?
"Why do I limit my own wants? Simply to get what I really want."
Laozi
https://archive.is/20130625105658/www.apophaticmysticism.com/images/zhichong.gif
Zhi chong zhi qu yi lai shen ye:
"The inch worm contracts in order to extend forward"
De[]
https://archive.is/20130625105700/www.apophaticmysticism.com/images/budeyi.gif
In the sentence above we find a good definition of "de." "Dong yi bu de yi wei de": "Action applied in coordination with the inevitable (the fixed aspects of any configuration of things) is called 'de.'"
The last character in this Chinese sentence from the Zhuang Zi is the character "de," often translated as "power." Power comes not from strength, but from applying action at the right intensity, at the right place, at the right moment, in the right configuration of circumstances.
An opportunity for the correct application of action is actually present in every situation, but the location of the opportunity is not easy to perceive. In the Lao-Zhuang tradition this continuous opportunity for action (which is often a subtle response) is called "the pivot of the dao".
The practitioner viscerally senses and subliminally grasps the pivot , she does not perceive it with the mind's conceptual eye. It is found in the psychic darkness, beyond the mind's limit of direct intellectual apprehension; hence Zhuang Zi says, "the darkness has the pivot." (ming you shu) And hence he speaks of the "dark power." (xuan de)
Force that emerges from the pivot intuitively senses the inevitable (bu de yi) aspects of a situation; it is effective (it has "de") because it engages only those aspects of immediate reality which are ripe for change.
Recently one well-known fellow has called it "the power of now."
dao guan[]
https://archive.is/20130625105623/www.apophaticmysticism.com/images3a/daoguan3.gif
Yi dao guan zhi, wu wu gui zhi, yi wu guan zhi, zi gui er xiang jian.
According to the Dao's view Nothing is noble nor mean. According to each being's view, Itself is noble and others are mean.
The first part of the formula above amounts to complete moral relativity. The second part of the formula admits to moral discrimination. Which is Zhuang Zi's view? Is he a radical moral relativist? No. Is he on the contrary, someone who will admit of fundamental moral differences. No. He is neither one of these, but is rather a self-described "double walker" (liang xing).
Zhuangzi is mystic who believes one must be aware of and take in consideration all possible ways of rationally (philosophically rational) looking at affairs. With this clear and comprehensive view (guan) the mystic is able to make the most effective response to any situation, a response that is obtained from a synthesis of both of the following equally useful views:
One: the complete relativist = the notion that all things are equal (the dao view: dao guan)
Two: the absolute moral view = the notion that there exist absolute and obvious moral values by which we can determine and fix normative standards (the view of conventional human morality: ren guan)
The mystical significance of seeing both both views (guan) simultaneouly (liang xing) is that one will not be exclusively bound by one nor the other. Being attached to either view amounts to religious fundamentalism. One wants to be stuck in neither monism nor duality. "Neither this nor that." Not being bound by either view, one can enter the next moment with complete freedom to see clearly (qing) what is there, and respond (ying) creatively.
Ting Dong Hua �?�懂化 (Simply) listen (well) and spontaneous transformation will be caused.
Here's a better translation for ting dong hua: Listening generates transformation.
Tao[]
four characters ... which can be read as ...
"Tao ... The Watercourse Way"
- note: this is a very stylized version.
- the 1st character ... "tao" or dào ...
- a combination of other characters.
- the left portion ...
- some say is derived from a pictograph of the left and right feet ...
- and others ... from one for a crossroads.
- no matter ...
- it denotes motion and signifies a moving or a change of
- direction. a step by step "going and pausing" ...
- a rhythmic movement.
- the right portion ... is the character for head ...
- 首 [shǒu] /head/chief/1st/leader/
- the original ideogram or pictograph for tao shows these characters for
- the crossroads (or feet) enclosing the head/leader ... and is then seen
- to mean an intelligent rhythm or movement. a "reasoning".
- 道 [dao4 dào] /direction/way/method/road/path/principle/truth/reason/skill/method/
- the 2nd character ... liu
- a combination of a character for water and another meaning movement.
- 流 [liu2 liú] /to flow/to spread/to circulate/to move/
- the 3rd and 4th characters go together ...
- they mean "what happens of itself" ... or harmony ... not forced or artificial
- or some abstract notion of order. spontaneous. nature.
so there you have it ...
Tao ... The Watercourse Way ...
the flowing course of nature and the universe.
in going with it's flow, in BEING the flow ...
no mistake is possible.
"The Tao does nothing ... and yet nothing is left undone."
Character Breakdown/Analysis/Exploration[]
simple phrases[]
Exploration 勘探 (k�?n tàn)
- [kan1] /to investigate/to survey/to collate/
- [tan4] /to explore/to search out/to scout/to visit/
__________
- -)
Lobster �?�?� (lóng xīa)
- long2 ... dragon; symbolic of emperor
- xia1 ... shrimp, prawn
__________
�?以滑和 "non-contrived harmony" (bù y�? huá hé)
- [bu4] /(negative prefix)/not/no/
- [yi3] /to use/according to/so as to/in order to/by/with/because/
- [hua2] /comical/cunning/slippery/smooth/
- [he2] /and/together with/with/peace/harmony/union/
__________
Zhi chong zhi qu yi lai shen ye: "The inch worm contracts in order to extend forward"
___________
無常 .. wú cháng
- wu2 ... less/not to have/no/none/not/to lack/un-/
- chang2 ... always/ever/often/frequently/common/general/constant/
___________
Fēi y�? qí wú sī nèi? Gù néng chéng qí sī. "Why do I limit my own wants? Simply to get what I really want."
- [fei1] /non-/not-/un-/
- [yi3] /to use/according to/so as to/in order to/by/with/because/
- [qi2] /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/
- [wu2] /-less/not to have/no/none/not/to lack/un-/un-/
- [si1] /personal/private/selfish/
- [nei4] /that/those/
- [gu4] /happening/instance/reason/cause/deceased/old/
- [neng2] /can/may/capable/energy/able/
- [cheng2] /finish/complete/accomplish/become/turn into/win/succeed/one tenth/
- [qi2]
- [si1] /personal/private/selfish/
De[]
https://archive.is/20130625105700/www.apophaticmysticism.com/images/budeyi.gif
In the sentence above we find a good definition of "de." "Dong yi bu de yi wei de": "Action applied in coordination with the inevitable (the fixed aspects of any configuration of things) is called 'de.'"
The last character in this Chinese sentence from the Zhuang Zi is the character "de," often translated as "power." Power comes not from strength, but from applying action at the right intensity, at the right place, at the right moment, in the right configuration of circumstances.
An opportunity for the correct application of action is actually present in every situation, but the location of the opportunity is not easy to perceive. In the Lao-Zhuang tradition this continuous opportunity for action (which is often a subtle response) is called "the pivot of the dao".
The practitioner viscerally senses and subliminally grasps the pivot , she does not perceive it with the mind's conceptual eye. It is found in the psychic darkness, beyond the mind's limit of direct intellectual apprehension; hence Zhuang Zi says, "the darkness has the pivot." (ming you shu) And hence he speaks of the "dark power." (xuan de)
Force that emerges from the pivot intuitively senses the inevitable (bu de yi) aspects of a situation; it is effective (it has "de") because it engages only those aspects of immediate reality which are ripe for change.
Recently one well-known fellow has called it "the power of now."
dao guan[]
https://archive.is/20130625105623/www.apophaticmysticism.com/images3a/daoguan3.gif
Yi dao guan zhi, wu wu gui zhi, yi wu guan zhi, zi gui er xiang jian.
According to the Dao's view Nothing is noble nor mean. According to each being's view, Itself is noble and others are mean.
The first part of the formula above amounts to complete moral relativity. The second part of the formula admits to moral discrimination. Which is Zhuang Zi's view? Is he a radical moral relativist? No. Is he on the contrary, someone who will admit of fundamental moral differences. No. He is neither one of these, but is rather a self-described "double walker" (liang xing).
Zhuangzi is mystic who believes one must be aware of and take in consideration all possible ways of rationally (philosophically rational) looking at affairs. With this clear and comprehensive view (guan) the mystic is able to make the most effective response to any situation, a response that is obtained from a synthesis of both of the following equally useful views:
One: the complete relativist = the notion that all things are equal (the dao view: dao guan)
Two: the absolute moral view = the notion that there exist absolute and obvious moral values by which we can determine and fix normative standards (the view of conventional human morality: ren guan)
The mystical significance of seeing both both views (guan) simultaneouly (liang xing) is that one will not be exclusively bound by one nor the other. Being attached to either view amounts to religious fundamentalism. One wants to be stuck in neither monism nor duality. "Neither this nor that." Not being bound by either view, one can enter the next moment with complete freedom to see clearly (qing) what is there, and respond (ying) creatively.
Tao (dao) The Watercourse Way[]
four characters ... which can be read as ...
"Tao ... The Watercourse Way"
- the 1st character ... "tao" or dào ...
- a combination of other characters.
- the left portion ...
- some say is derived from a pictogram of the left and right feet ...
- and others ... from one for a crossroads ...
- no matter ...
- it denotes motion and signifies a moving or a change of
- direction. a step by step "going and pausing" ...
- a rhythmic movement.
- the right portion ... is the character for head ...
- 首 [shǒu] /head/chief/1st/leader/
- the original ideogram or pictograph for tao shows these characters for
- the crossroads (or feet) enclosing the head/leader ... and is then seen
- to mean an intellegent rhythm or movement. a "reasoning".
- �?� [dao4 dào] /direction/way/method/road/path/principle/truth/reason/skill/method/
- the 2nd character ... liu
- a combination of a character for water and another meaning movement.
- �? [liu2 liú] /to flow/to spread/to circulate/to move/
- the 3rd and 4th characters go together ...
- they mean "what happens of itself" ... or harmony ... not forced or artificial
- or some abstract notion of order. spontaneous. nature. jammin'
so there you have it ...
Tao ... the watercourse way ...
the flowing course of nature and the universe.
in watching it's flow, in BEING the flow ...
no mistake is possible.
"The Tao does nothing ... and yet nothing is left undone."
- �?� [dao4] /direction/way/method/road/path/principle/truth/reason/skill/method/Tao
- �? [liu2] /to flow/to spread/to circulate/to move/
- ? 白 [bai2] /white/snowy/empty/blank/bright/clear/ ?
- ? jan ? jen ?
Resources[]
http://www.mandarintools.com/chardict.html
input in English or Pinyin ...
print in UTF-8 and then copy the resulting character.
here ... http://www.monashwushu.com/cgi-bin/wordlook.pl
you may enter english or pinyin ...
and get Big5 or GB characters and definitions.
http://www.publicappeal.org/library/unicorn/chuang-tzu/index.htm The complete Zhuangzi translated by Burton Watson.
Pinyin[]
拼音, pīnyīn ... literally means "join (together) sounds"
Determining the vowel on which the tone mark appears:
- Look for an "a" or an "e". If either vowel appears,
- it takes the tone mark. There are no possible pinyin
- syllables that contain both an "a" and an "e".
- If there is no "a" or "e", look for an "ou".
- If "ou" appears, then the "o" takes the tone mark.
- If none of the above cases hold, then the last vowel
- in the syllable takes the tone mark.
- The first tone is represented by a macron (ˉ)
- �? ē ī �? ū ǖ Ā Ē Ī Ō Ū Ǖ
- The second tone is denoted by an acute accent (ˊ)
- á é í ó ú ǘ �? É �? Ó Ú Ǘ
- The third tone is symbolized by a caron (ˇ)
- also known as a reverse circumflex).
- Note, it is officially not a breve (˘)
- lacking a downward angle, although this misuse
- is somewhat common on the Internet.
- ǎ ě �? ǒ ǔ ǚ �? Ě �? Ǒ Ǔ Ǚ
- The fourth tone is represented by a grave accent (ˋ)
- à è ì ò ù ǜ À È Ì Ò Ù Ǜ
- The fifth or neutral tone is represented by a
- normal vowel without any accent mark:
- a e i o u ü A E I O U Ü
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