Listen to this articlechìzǐzhīxīn 赤子之心
Utter Innocence
本义指婴儿未经世俗染污的纯洁心灵，也指成年人仍然保有的婴儿般的赤诚真心，那种在功利世界里仍能坚守的初心。在政治伦理领域，它指人类善良的真心本性，主要是推己及人的恻隐之心或者是童真一般的尚实求真的品格；在文艺创作与审美领域，它主要指具有丰富情感和美好纯真理想的童心，是超越了一切功利心、尘俗气息以及过于理智、缺乏审美情趣的心理状态。它既是古人推崇的理想人格的一种表征，也是文艺作品中美好人物形象塑造的一种类型。
This term refers to the pure heart and soul of a newborn babe, untainted by worldly affairs. Most often, it refers to adults who retain the utter innocence of an infant, holding themselves aloof from worldly goals. In the field of political ethics, the term highlights humans’ natural kindness, calling for empathy with others and child-like wonder for truth. In literary creation and aesthetics, it refers mainly to a pure state of being filled with subtle feelings and noble ideals, transcending all worldly pursuits and sophistication, and rejecting an overly rational mentality lacking aesthetic judgment. The term promotes an ideal personality worshiped by ancient Chinese and represents a laudable type of character often portrayed in literary works.
引例 Citations：
◎含德之厚，比于赤子。蜂虿（chài）虺（huǐ）蛇不螫（shì），猛兽不据，攫鸟不搏。骨弱筋柔而握固，未知牝牡之合而全作，精之至也。终日号而不嗄，和之至也。知和曰常，知常曰明，益生曰祥，心使气曰强。物壮则老，谓之不道，不道早已。（《老子·五十五章》）
（含有深厚德性的人，比得上初生的婴儿。有毒的虫蛇不会叮咬他，猛兽不会伤害他，凶禽不会捕捉他。他筋骨柔弱但拳头握得很紧，不知道男女交合但生殖器却能勃起，这是因为精气充足的缘故。他整天号哭但是嗓子不沙哑，这是因为元气醇和的缘故。理解醇和的道理，就懂得了恒常，懂得了恒常，就可称为明智。纵欲贪生会有不祥，精气任由欲望支配就是逞强。事物过于强盛就会衰老，这叫不合自然常道，不合自然常道就会很早衰亡。）
A man of profound virtue is like a newborn babe. Venomous insects will not sting him, snakes will not bite him, beasts will not harm him, and ferocious birds will not prey on him. He is by no means strong physically, but keeps his fists tightly clenched. Although he knows nothing about intercourse with a woman, his genital hardens because he is full of vital energy. He wails all day without getting hoarse because his energy is mellow. An appreciation of mellow energy promises an understanding of permanence. This, in turn, is akin to wisdom. Indulging in sensual pleasures and unscrupulously craving for life will incur misfortune. If vital energy is dictated by desire, that is an outrageous flaunt. Excessive strength marks the beginning of aging, for it goes against the way of nature. Any violation of this rule will lead to one’s fall. (Laozi)
◎大人者，不失其赤子之心者也。（《孟子·离娄下》）
（有德行的人，是能保持婴儿般天真纯朴之心的人。）
He who is capable of retaining a childlike heart is a truly virtuous man. (Mencius)
