安居乐业 – Chinese philosophy and culture

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ānjū-lèyè 安居乐业

Live in Peace and Work in Contentment

安定地生活,愉快地工作。“安居”,安于居所,指平平安安地生活。“乐业”,乐于本业,以自己的职守为乐,指快乐地从事自己的本职工作。形容国家、社会治理得非常好,天下太平无事,人们各得其所,各安生计,幸福快乐。它是普通民众所抱有的基本社会理想,也是有所作为的政治家、管理者所追求的社会治理的目标。作为政治理想,它体现着以民为本、注重民生的基本精神。

Live a stable life and work happily. Anju (安居) literally means a secure house and by extension living a happy life. Leye (乐业) means enjoying one’s work. Together they refer to the general state of good governance, with peace prevailing and everyone in their proper place, satisfied with work and content with life. It is the longing of the common people as well as the goal of good governance. It is a people-oriented political aspiration centering on securing people’s livelihood.

引例 Citations:

◎至治之极……民各甘其食,美其服,安其居,乐其俗。(《史记·货殖列传》引《老子》)

(治理国家的最高境界……是使民众觉得吃的饭很香甜,穿的衣服很漂亮,住的居所很安适,乐于遵从他们的习俗。)

The highest state of good governance is one in which people feel satisfied with their food, clothes, and housing, and willingly observe social norms. (Laozi)

◎普天之下,赖我而得生育,由我而得富贵,安居乐业,长养子孙,天下晏然,皆归心于我矣。(仲长统《理乱篇》,见《后汉书·仲长统传》)

(普天下的人,依赖我而得以生存生长,因为我而得以享受富贵,安于居所,乐于本职,养育子孙,天下太平,那么人们就都会真心诚意地归附于我了。)

If I can ensure that all the people under heaven survive and develop, are well-off, live in peace and work in contentment, and raise their children in a secure world, then they will willingly pledge allegiance to me. (Zhong Changtong: On Governance and Turmoil)

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