和实生物- Chinese philosophy and culture

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hé shí shēng wù 和实生物

Harmony Begets New Things.

不同的事物相互调和生成新的事物。由西周末年的周太史史伯提出。史伯认为,不同的事物在和谐共处中可以相互补充、相互辅助,从而生成新的事物。这一原则体现在政治治理中,即要求为政者保全并发挥不同人、物的特质,从而促进新事物的生成、增益与社会整体的发展。

The notion that harmony begets new things was advanced by Grand Astrologer Shibo in the late Western Zhou Dynasty. He believed different things, when coexisting in harmony, would complement each other and beget new things. When applied to political governance, this concept requires those in power to preserve the particular features of different people and things and allow them to flourish. This nurtures the growth of new things and promotes the development of society.

引例 Citation:

◎夫和实生物,同则不继。以他平他谓之和,故能丰长而物归之。若以同裨同,尽乃弃矣。(《国语·郑语》)

(不同的事物相互调和而生成新的事物,只有相同的事物则难以有延续。用一事物去协和另一事物,称为“和”,因此能丰大发展而万物归附。如果以相同的事物去增补另一事物,用尽则被废弃。)

Uniformity does not lead to continuation; it is harmony that begets new things. Using one thing to complement another is harmonization, which leads to lasting abundance and attracts all things. If a thing is added to another of the same kind, it will be discarded when used up. (Discourses on Governance of the States)

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