Traditional Chinese Concepts of Leisure and the Pursuit of Life

“Leisure studies is a philosophy of life.” A history of leisure in China is also a history of Chinese culture and life, revealing the Chinese people’s “inquiry” into the meaning of life and their exploration of ideal attitudes and modes of living. Traditional Chinese leisure integrates the comprehension of the Dao into daily life, emphasizing the balance between human nature and nature, freedom and order, vitality and tranquility. It gives rise to an abundant poetic quality in the pursuit of a good life and an unremitting quest for a meaning of life that transcends mere rest and recreation.

“休闲学是一种生活哲学”，一部中国休闲史也是一部中国文化与生活的发展史，展现了中国人对生命意义的“追问”及对理想生活态度与方式的探寻。中国传统休闲将对道的体悟融入日常，注重人性与自然、自由与秩序、灵动与安宁的平衡，涌现出对美好生活的盎然诗意，和对超越单纯休息娱乐的生命意义的不懈追求。

The Original Concept of “Leisure”

“休闲”的原初概念

As a captivating cultural phenomenon, leisure has extremely early origins in China. In oracle bone script, “休” (xiū) is mostly depicted as “a person leaning against a tree.” The Shuowen Jiezi states: “休 means to rest and stop. It is formed by ‘person’ leaning on ‘tree.’” There is also a variant character showing a person resting on a couch. Expressions such as “荷天之休” (to bear the blessings of heaven) and “顺天休命” (to follow heaven and rest one’s destiny) indicate that “休” can be extended to mean “beautiful” or “good” and is often associated with the Mandate of Heaven and the Heavenly Dao. In transmitted bronze inscriptions and other texts, “休” also has variant forms such as “庥” (yōu), signifying a person resting by grain or seeking shade.

作为一种迷人的文化现象，休闲在中国渊源极早。在甲骨文中，“休”多为“人依于木”之象，《说文》：“休，息止也。从人依木”；亦有表人于卧榻休息的异体字，“荷天之休”“顺天休命”等表明“休”可引申出美好之义而常与天命天道相关。在传世的金文等文献中，“休”还有异体字“庥”等，表人依禾而息、庇荫等义。

The character “闲” (xián) has two origins in ancient Chinese: “閒” (jiàn/xián) and “閑” (xián). In oracle bone script, “閒” already has a variant form depicting “the gap in a drum surface.” The original character “閒” can be traced back to the Western Zhou inscription on the Zongzhou Bell, showing “the moon above the gate,” with the meaning of “space between” or “interval.” The Shuowen Jiezi states: “閒 means a crack or gap.” During the Warring States period, there were also depictions of “evening (outside) inside the gate.” From the mid-to-late Warring States period, the form of “閒” gradually stabilized and acquired the meaning of “leisure,” as seen in the Chuci’s “静閒安些” (quiet, leisurely, and at peace) and Mencius’ “国家閒暇” (the state is at leisure). “閒” is the direct etymological source of “leisure” (休闲) and “free time” (闲暇), and around the Han and Jin dynasties it became interchangeable with “閑.”

“闲”字在古汉语中有“閒”“閑”两个渊源。在甲骨文中，“閒”已有表“鼓面缝隙”的异体字；“閒”本字可追溯至西周《宗周钟》铭文，为“月在门上”之象，其义为“间”，《说文》：“閒，隙也。”在战国时，又有“夕（外）在门内”等象；自战国中晚期，“閒”的字形渐趋稳定并有闲暇之义，如《楚辞》“静閒安些”、《孟子》“国家閒暇”等。“閒”当为“休闲”“闲暇”的直接字源，约汉晋时与“閑”相通。

“閑” can be traced back to the Western Zhou inscription on the Tong Gui vessel: “世孙孙子子左右吴大父，毋汝有閑” (May your descendants for generations assist Grandfather Wu, and may you have no negligence). Its original meaning is a door bolt or fence. The Shuowen Jiezi states: “閑 means a barrier. It is formed by ‘wood’ inside the ‘gate.’” In the pre-Qin period, “閑” rarely meant “leisure” but often referred to moral norms, as in the Yijing’s “閑邪存其诚” (to guard against evil and preserve one’s sincerity) and the Analects’ “大德不逾閑” (great virtues do not transgress the bounds). However, when expressing the idea of being skilled, self-contented, leisurely, and unhurried, it also served as an etymological source for “leisure.” “閑” and “閑閑” were widely used to describe the leisurely self-possession of chariots, horses, flags, drums, and military drills, as in the Book of Songs’ “临冲閑閑” (the assault chariots are leisurely), “四马既閑” (the four horses are well-trained), the Yijing’s “日閑舆卫” (daily practice in chariotry and defense), and the Strategies of the Warring States’ “閑于兵甲” (skilled in arms). Regarding the Book of Songs’ “桑者閑閑兮” (the mulberry gatherers are leisurely), Zhu Xi’s commentary says: “It describes the self-contented appearance of those coming and going.” Regarding Zhuangzi’s “大知閑閑” (great knowledge is broad and unhurried), Cheng Xuanying’s commentary states: “A person of great wisdom… is leisurely and generous.” These interpretations are also based on the meanings of skill and beauty.

閑，可追溯至西周《同簋》铭文，“世孙孙子子左右吴大父，毋汝有閑”，其本义为门闩、栅栏，《说文》：“閑，闌也。从门中有木。”在先秦时，“閑”罕表闲暇而常指道德规约，如《周易》“閑邪存其诚”、《论语》“大德不逾閑”；但在表娴习自得、优游从容时亦为“休闲”字源。“閑”“閑閑”被广泛用以表车马、旗鼓、军旅操练的优游自得，如《诗经》“临冲閑閑”“四马既閑”、《周易》“日閑舆卫”、《战国策》“閑于兵甲”；对《诗经》“桑者閑閑兮”，朱熹注云：“往来者自得之貌”；对《庄子》“大知閑閑”，成玄英注曰：“智慧宽大之人……闲暇而宽裕也”，也都基于娴习和美好之义。

Turning to the term “休闲” (leisure), the Book of Songs states: “南有乔木，不可休思” (In the south there are tall trees, but one cannot rest under them). The Book of Documents contains the chapter “Against Luxurious Ease” (《无逸》). Regarding the Tong Gui inscription’s “毋汝有閑,” the Palace Museum interprets it as “do not be negligent in your work.” All this indicates that the concept of leisure has very early origins. Scholars generally believe that the earliest use of “休闲” appears in Cao Zhi’s poem “The Sigh of the Wandering Fleabane” (《吁嗟篇》): “夙夜无休閒” (Morning and night, no leisure). However, this issue still allows for further discussion. After the Wei and Jin dynasties, the use of the term “休闲” increased significantly, functioning as a noun, verb, and adjective. Besides meaning “rest,” it could also refer to retiring from office, a life of leisure, or a sublime state of existence (as in Su Shi’s line: “休闲等一味，妄想生愧腼” — leisure is but one flavor; delusions give rise to shame).

再看“休闲”，《诗经》提出“南有乔木，不可休思”；《尚书》有《无逸》篇；对《同簋》“毋汝有閑”，故宫博物院释为“不得荒殆工作”，都表明休闲观念渊源甚早。学界一般认为“休闲”最早见于曹植《吁嗟篇》“夙夜无休閒”，但此问题仍有讨论空间。魏晋以后，“休闲”一词使用大增，可为名词、动词、形容词；除表休息外，还可指致仕退隐、闲适生活、高妙人生境界（如苏轼“休闲等一味，妄想生愧腼”）等。

“休” refers to rest after labor and is related to the Mandate of Heaven, morality, and aesthetics. “閒” evolved from a spatial gap to temporal leisure, symbolizing a tranquil home life bathed in moonlight. “閑” signifies the unity of closing the door to cultivate virtue and moving freely with ease. In the perspective of Chinese linguistic philosophy, in contrast to states of busyness, toil, anxiety, fear, and oppression in labor, as well as the emptiness and boredom of idleness without purpose, leisure signifies a state where people transcend constraining factors and attain a relatively free and beautiful life. It is permeated with human comprehension of nature and even the Mandate of Heaven, and with care for one’s physical and mental state. It is an ideal mode of human existence and a realm of life imbued with moral, aesthetic, and poetic qualities. In Chinese culture, only the “Dao” can encompass all the above meanings. Leisure can be seen as a state of freedom in which a person moves toward the Dao in daily life. It takes three forms: first, the state of skilled self-possession, such as Wheelwright Bian cutting a wheel; second, recreation and entertainment after labor, such as climbing mountains, sightseeing, and enjoying poetry and wine; third, the joy of tranquil idleness, such as Chan meditation or leisurely watching falling flowers and flowing water.

“休”指人劳后而息，与天命、道德、审美相关；“閒”从空间缝隙演化为时间闲暇，象喻着沐浴月光的静美居家生活；“閑”喻示着闭门成德与优游自如的统一。在汉语哲学视域中，与繁忙、勤苦、忧怖、压抑的劳作状态以及无所事事、心无所寄的空虚无聊相反，休闲喻示着人超脱约束性因素而获得相对自由美好的生活，它浸透着人对自然乃至天命的体悟与对身心状态的关照，是氤氲着道德、审美与诗性气息的人的理想存在方式与生命境界。在中国文化中，唯有“道”才能涵摄上述意蕴，休闲可谓人在日常生活中向道生成的自由状态，其形式有三：一是优游自得的娴习状态，如轮扁斫轮等；二是劳作后的消遣娱乐，如登临游览、诗酒悠游等；三是愉悦的无事闲静，如禅寂、闲看落花流水等。

Specific Paradigms of the Concept of Leisure

“休闲”观的具体范型

Confucianism upholds a moralistic concept of leisure rooted in the self-attainment of one’s nature and destiny, pursuing a life of ritual-music harmony, elegance, and ease. Confucianism praises “working so hard that one forgets to eat, and being so joyful as to forget one’s worries” and esteems the learning of “deep self-attainment,” regarding the cultivation of virtue as the foundation of leisure. “Following one’s heart’s desire without transgressing the rules,” “the joy of Confucius and Yan Hui,” and “the joy of the rain-dance altar” have all become celebrated stories in the Confucian tradition. Regarding “wandering in the arts” (游于艺), Zhu Xi explains it as “playing with things to suit one’s feelings.” The Book of Rites states that the learning of the gentleman lies in “storing, cultivating, resting, and wandering” (藏修息游), with Zheng Xuan’s commentary noting that “wandering means when one has leisure and nothing to do.” Education and self-cultivation are thus closely linked to leisure. Confucianism takes pleasure in “observing things and comparing them to virtue.” Zhu Xi praised Zhou Dunyi’s portrait with the line “boundless wind and moon, courtyard grass interwoven with green.” Cheng Hao’s “search for spring” and Shao Yong’s “chanting of things” are also deeply cherished. Confucianism is wary of people becoming lazy in their leisure time, viewing “leisure” as an opportunity for sincerity, self-watchfulness, and moral self-contentment. “Ritual” (礼) encompasses the meanings of etiquette, restraint, and festivals. Traditional festivals and life-cycle rituals constitute important arrangements and institutional designs for leisure time. “Music” (乐) metaphorically represents social harmony, as in the saying: “When the feudal lords tire of hearing governance, they rest to the music of bells and drums; when the scholar-officials tire of hearing governance, they rest to the music of reed and string instruments; when the farmers finish spring plowing, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, and winter storage, they rest to the music of earthenware jars and pots.”

儒家秉持性命自得的德性主义休闲观，追求礼乐谐和、优游典雅的生活方式。儒家赞赏“发愤忘食，乐以忘忧”，推崇“深造自得”之学，将德性涵养视为休闲的根基；从心所欲不逾矩、孔颜乐处、舞雩之乐等皆成儒林佳话。对“游于艺”，朱熹释为“玩物适情”；《礼记》提出君子之学在于“藏修息游”，郑玄注“闲暇无事之为游”，教育修养与休闲关联密切。儒家以“观物比德”为乐，朱熹赞周敦颐画像“风月无边，庭草交翠”，程颢的“寻春”、邵雍的“咏物”等也都深入人心；儒家警觉于人闲暇时的懒散，视“闲”为诚意慎独、道德自慊的契机。“礼”含礼节、节制、节日诸义，传统节庆与人生礼仪构成重要的休闲时间安排与制度设计；“乐”隐喻社会和乐，所谓“诸侯倦于听治，息于钟鼓之乐；士大夫倦于听治，息于竽瑟之乐；农夫春耕夏耘，秋敛冬藏，息于聆缶之乐”。

Daoism advocates a naturalistic concept of leisure that takes the Dao as its standard, pursuing a life of emptiness, stillness, simplicity, poetry, and the spirit of play. For example, the “poetic movement of thought” in Laozi’s Dao, and Zhuangzi’s idea that “poverty and success are both joyful” and “great knowledge is broad and unhurried.” Daoism follows nature, balances yin and yang, and cultivates both nature and life, seeking the ease of life within the cosmic landscape. The state described in the “Free and Easy Wandering” chapter — “unrestrained and unconstrained, at ease and self-contented” — is the ultimate expression of the Daoist spirit of leisure. It resonates with the German scholar Schiller’s view that “it is precisely play and only play that makes a person fully human” and the Dutch scholar Huizinga’s idea that “true, pure play is one of the essential foundations of civilization.” Daoism is devoted to the artistic transformation of technique. Cook Ding’s dismemberment of an ox, with his hand moving like a natural dance, manifests the flow of the Heavenly Dao and the meaning of life. The ox “collapses to the ground like a pile of earth,” showing that compassion and salvation are rooted in the very nature of technique. Picasso once marveled, “True art is in China.” Zhuangzi advocates being “intimate with things as in spring,” refusing to objectify nature, and making skill an important way to illuminate the Heavenly Dao.

道家主张以道为法的自然主义休闲观，追求虚静素朴、富有诗意与游戏精神的生活。如，老子之道的“诗意运思”，庄子所谓“穷通皆乐”“大知闲闲”。道家因顺自然、衡平阴阳、性命双修，于宇宙图景中寻觅生命的闲适。《逍遥游》所描写的“闲放不拘，怡适自得”的状态，乃是道家休闲精神的极致表达，堪与德国学者席勒“正是游戏而且只有游戏才使人成为完全的人”、荷兰学者赫伊津哈“真正、纯粹的游戏是文明的重要基石之一”等观点相呼应。道家倾心于技术的艺术化，庖丁解牛手起刀落犹如自然舞曲，彰显天道流行与生命意义；牛“如土委地”，表明技术本性中根植着同情与拯救。毕加索赞叹“真正的艺术在中国”，庄子倡导与物为春，拒绝将自然客体化，使技艺成为澄明天道的重要方式。

Buddhism promotes a situational concept of leisure based on following conditions and being at ease, transforming emptiness and ethereality into a life overflowing with Chan wonder. Buddhism holds that all dharmas are empty, and the fundamental nature of the world is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, or a shadow. People should see through the “emptiness of afflictions” and realize that “joy and freedom from worry are what is called Buddha.” This is what the Chan school advocates: “peaceful, quiet, empty, and harmonious, with a mind that is one-aspect samadhi.” Buddhism pursues the ideal of “becoming a person of leisure amidst busyness,” cultivating the mind until it is “like autumn water, clear and still, pure and inactive, smooth and unobstructed.” Chan Master Zhaozhou’s “Go drink tea,” and Baizhang Huaihai’s “let go of body and mind and be at ease,” are classic realizations. In Chinese culture, the blank spaces in landscape painting, the brushwork and spirit in calligraphy, the overtones in music, and even the winding walls, patterned windows, swaying bamboo shadows, ancient pagoda silhouettes, and morning bells and evening drums — all are filled with ethereal Chan meaning. The Chan master Decheng’s line “the boat returns empty, laden with moonlight” perfectly captures the state of clarity, purity, and freedom one attains after realizing emptiness, pushing the fusion of Chan and leisure to its extreme, and inspiring later generations to exclaim: “Poetic thought and Chan mind are one flavor of leisure.”

佛家倡扬随缘自在的境遇主义休闲观，将空寂、空灵化为禅妙盈溢的生活。佛教认为万法皆空，世界本相如梦幻泡影，人当透视“烦恼本空”，明悟“快乐无忧，故名为佛”，此即禅宗所倡“安闲恬静，虚融澹泊”而得“一相三昧”。佛家追求“忙中争得作闲人”，修心至于“秋水澄渟，清净无为，澹泞无碍”。赵州禅师“吃茶去”、百丈怀海“放舍身心令自在”，皆为经典证悟。在中国文化中，山水画中的留白，书法中的笔意气象，音乐中的弦外之音，以至曲墙花窗、竹影摇曳、古刹塔影、晨钟暮鼓，皆充满空灵的禅意。德诚禅师的“满船空载月明归”更道尽人在悟空后获得的空明莹澈、去住自由的境界，将禅与闲的交融推向极致，引后人赞叹“诗思禅心一味闲”。

The above concepts as a whole possess the cultural characteristics of being secular, refined and quiet, and gentle and soft; their formation is the result of historical evolution and conscious cultural choice. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, people communed with the gods through forms such as sacrifices and banquets, entertaining the gods in order to entertain themselves. The Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were an era of awakening for human leisure, with a hundred flowers of leisure styles blooming in contention, and the hundred schools of thought displaying their skills and competing in wandering debates at the Jixia Academy of Qi. [7]7 The Jixia Academy was a renowned center of learning in the state of Qi during the Warring States period, where scholars from various schools gathered to debate. During the Qin and Han dynasties, ritual and law were solemn, and leisure appeared strong and brave yet stern and mournful, with hunting, beast-fighting, wrestling, chariot-racing, and sword-fighting occupying the mainstream. By the Wei, Jin, and Six Dynasties, the expression of leisure turned to wildness and willfulness, with Tao Yuanming opening up a new path of leisure that was clear, distant, and carefree. [8]8 Tao Yuanming (365–427) was a poet of the Eastern Jin dynasty, famous for his pastoral poetry and his ideal of a reclusive, leisurely life. In the Tang and Song dynasties, scholar-official leisure flourished on a grand scale, and urban commoner leisure also became popular. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, leisure became more refined in its refinement and more vulgar in its vulgarity; urban fashions, novels, and prompt-books became popular, and traditional leisure entered a period of summation. Traditional Chinese leisure roughly underwent a process from the sacred to the secular, from emperors and nobles to literati and commoners, from strong and brave to refined and gentle and quiet, and from being mostly related to sacrifice, politics, and military affairs to becoming increasingly individualized and life-oriented; the unique Chinese pursuit of a leisurely life then emerged gracefully.

上述观念整体上具有世俗、雅静、和柔的文化特质，其形成是历史演进与文化自觉选择的结果。商周时期，人们以祭祀、宴乐等形式与神共舞、娱神以娱人。春秋战国，是人的休闲觉醒时代，各种休闲方式百花争妍，诸子百家逞技游竞于齐之稷下。秦汉时期，礼法庄严，休闲显得刚强勇猛而又严正悲肃，狩猎、斗兽、角抵、驰逐、击剑等居于主流。至魏晋六朝，休闲表达转为狂放任性，陶渊明开辟出清远闲放的休闲新路。唐宋时期，士人休闲蔚为大观，市井休闲亦趋流行。明清休闲雅之愈雅，俗之愈俗，都市时尚、小说话本等流行，传统休闲进入总结期。中国传统休闲大致经历了由神圣到世俗、由帝王贵族到文人平民、由刚强勇猛至文雅柔静，由多与祭祀、政治、军事相关涉转向日益个体化、生活化的过程，中国人独特的休闲生活追求随之悠然而出。

The Unique Pursuit of a Leisurely Life

独特的休闲生活追求

First, poetic dwelling in the harmony of heaven and humanity. In the eyes of the Chinese, “in stillness, heaven and earth are vast; in leisure, days and months are long”; leisure is a resonance with the rhythms of the universe, with the growth of spring, the flourishing of summer, the harvest of autumn, and the storage of winter giving birth to simple and warm “leisurely talks of the four seasons.” “Drunken under the moon for long, washing teeth by the stream at ease; water can mold one’s feelings, flowers can dissolve one’s sorrows”; people can comprehend the true meaning of life among the green bamboo and lush chrysanthemums, and express a bosom of unity with all things while looking up at heaven and down at earth. Planting flowers and tending grass, picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, and fishing amid misty waves—these are the meaning of life. “Rivers and mountains, wind and moon, have no permanent master; the leisurely person is the master”; leisure opens up new possibilities for dialogue and empathy between humans and the natural universe, becoming the source for the Chinese to be relaxed and measured, naturally carefree, and joyfully dwell in poetry.

一是天人合趣的诗意栖居。在中国人眼中，“静处乾坤大，闲中日月长”，休闲乃是人与宇宙节律的共鸣，春生夏长、秋收冬藏中孕育出质朴温暖的“四时闲话”。“醉月悠悠，漱石休休，水可陶情，花可融愁”，人们可以在青青翠竹、郁郁黄花间了悟人生真谛，在俯仰天地中抒发万物一体的襟怀。莳花弄草、东篱采菊、烟波垂钓，就是人生的意义。“江山风月，本无常主，闲者便是主人”，休闲敞开了人与自然宇宙对话、共情的新可能，成为中国人张弛有道、自然逍遥、欣享诗意栖居的渊薮。

Second, a life sentiment where the refined and the vulgar coexist. The Chinese emphasize conveying the Way through writing and taking the arts as a means of roaming, refining the Orchid Pavilion Elegant Gathering, the Winding Stream for Floating Wine Cups, betting on books and splashing tea, and playing with ink and brush into exquisite artistic practices. [9]9 The Orchid Pavilion Elegant Gathering was a famous literary gathering in 353 CE, where Wang Xizhi and other scholars composed poems while cups floated along a winding stream. The tea houses, wine shops, tiled houses, and railings in *The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor* and *Along the River During the Qingming Festival*, as well as the temple fairs, markets, and opera houses of the Ming and Qing dynasties, are all filled with the warm and moving atmosphere of the human world. [10]10 *The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor* (Dongjing Meng Hua Lu) is a Song dynasty memoir describing urban life in the capital Kaifeng; *Along the River During the Qingming Festival* is a famous Song dynasty painting by Zhang Zeduan depicting daily life in the capital. In the late Ming, Wen Zhenheng’s *Treatise on Superfluous Things* records nothing but idle matters and amusing pursuits unrelated to official career and achievement; the *Complete Library of the Four Treasuries* comments that it “covers all matters of leisure and play, down to the smallest detail.” [11]11 The *Complete Library of the Four Treasuries* (Siku Quanshu) is a massive Qing dynasty imperial compilation of Chinese classics. When Jin Shengtan commented on *The Western Chamber*, he listed thirty-three joyful matters, which likewise appeal to both refined and vulgar tastes, bearing the life ideal of “the people are also weary, may they attain modest comfort,” constituting a uniquely Chinese dialectic of life. [12]12 Jin Shengtan (1608–1661) was a Ming-Qing literary critic; *The Western Chamber* is a famous Yuan dynasty play. The phrase “the people are also weary, may they attain modest comfort” is from the *Book of Songs* (Shijing).

二是雅俗共生的生活情调。中国人注重文以载道，艺以为游，将兰亭雅集、曲水流觞、赌书泼茶、游戏翰墨等淬炼成精美绝伦的艺术实践。《东京梦华录》《清明上河图》里的茶坊酒肆、瓦舍勾栏与明清时的庙会、集市、戏园都充盈着温暖动人的人间烟火气。晚明文震亨《长物志》所记皆为与功名事业无关的闲事趣事，《四库全书》评曰“凡闲适玩好之事，纤悉毕具”；金圣叹评《西厢》时列三十三则快事，同样雅俗共赏，承载着“民亦劳止，汔可小康”的生活理想，构成中国人特有的生活辩证法。

Third, a life experience of harmony between body and mind. Chinese leisure is often linked to the philosophy of health preservation. *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic* advocates that people live and rest according to the rhythms of the four seasons’ yin and yang, achieving “the will is idle and desires few, the mind is at peace and without fear, the body is tired but not exhausted, qi follows smoothly, each follows its own desires, and all attain what they wish.” [13]13 *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic* (Huangdi Neijing) is a foundational text of traditional Chinese medicine, dating from the Warring States to Han periods. In the Ming dynasty, Chen Yixiang proposed six nourishments: “the sound of flowing water can nourish the ear; green grass can nourish the eye; reading books and reasoning can nourish the mind; playing the qin and practicing calligraphy can nourish the fingers; strolling with a staff can nourish the feet; sitting quietly and regulating the breath can nourish the bones and sinews,” deeply grasping the way of rest and health preservation. The Chinese regard “leisure of the body as wealth, leisure of the mind as nobility,” pursuing the ultimate tranquility of body and mind, containing insights into the essence of life and the wisdom of living.

三是身心谐畅的生命体验。中国人的休闲常与养生哲学相连。《黄帝内经》主张人按照四时阴阳的节律生活与休养，实现“志闲而少欲，心安而不惧，形劳而不倦，气从以顺，各从其欲，皆得所愿”。明代陈益祥提出六养，“流水之声，可以养耳；青禾绿草，可以养目；观书绎理，可以养心；弹琴学字，可以养指；逍遥杖履，可以养足；静坐调息，可以养筋骸”，深得休憩养生之道。中国人以“身闲为富，心闲为贵”，追求身心安住的终极康宁，蕴藏着对生命本质与生活智慧的洞见。

Fourth, the ceaseless vitality of the integration of effort and realm. Leisure in Chinese civilization is not a shallow concept of killing time, but rather integrates substance, effort, and realm into one. The Chinese emphasize moral cultivation, spiritual awakening, and the cultivation of leisure skills, doing the addition of leisure to nourish the origin of life; the Chinese also emphasize doing subtraction, purifying the mind and reducing desires, shedding the burden of material things, and standing loftily in the world with the lightness of life; the Chinese are also adept at doing “connection,” embracing the world with the greatest enthusiasm, realizing the common growth of human nature and the nature of things in being kind to others and taking pleasure in things, and displaying the perfect self-sufficiency and ceaseless vitality of life and the world through the creative power promoted by leisure.

四是工夫与境界和融的生生之意。华夏文明的休闲并非消磨时光的浅薄概念，而是融通本体、工夫与境界于一体。中国人注重道德涵养、心性开悟与休闲技能培养，做好休闲的加法，涵养生命本原；中国人也强调做好减法，清心寡欲、摆脱物累，以生命的轻盈之姿昂然世间；中国人还善于做“接法”，以最大的热情拥抱世界，在与人为善、与物为娱中实现人性与物性的共同成长，在以休闲推动创新创造的伟力中展示生活与世界的圆融自得、生生不息。

(Author: Zhao Yuqiang, Director of the Department of Philosophy, Hangzhou Normal University)

（作者：赵玉强，系杭州师范大学哲学系主任）