Six in the morning on a random Friday and I feel like starting a new topic… Life is good.
I have a habit of looking around on my daily commute in Taipei and trying to figure out things. This can be uncommon Chinese characters I don’t know how to pronounce (see other topic), for example. I often pass Dunhua Road, and yesterday I realized that after all those years, I still don’t know what Dun-ification means. There are several others, like Siwei Road. What are the 4 Wei’s? Chongde, Chong-Virtue? So let’s unravel things here, shall we?
Let’ not discuss the obvious ones, like place names (China or Taiwan), Zhongshan and Zhongzheng, the Min’s (Minsheng, Minquan…). Let’s focus on the more obscure one that most people would not know right off the bat.
OK, now, let’s get Dunhua out of the way first.
條目 敦化
拼音 dūn huà
注音 ㄉㄨㄣ ㄏㄨㄚˋ
Depending on the context, “敦” can be translated as:
Honest
Sincere
Kindhearted
Generous
Urge
encourage
cultivate
enrich
Thick
heavy
仁愛敦厚，化生萬物
仁愛 (rén ài):
This translates to “benevolence,” “humanity,” or “compassionate love.” It emphasizes a deep sense of care and concern for others.
敦厚 (dūn hòu):
This means “honest,” “sincere,” “generous,” or “magnanimous.” It conveys a sense of solidity, reliability, and kindness.
化生萬物 (huà shēng wàn wù):
So, to keep it simple I will think of 敦化路 now as “Honestification Road”
Or was Dunhua chosen because it’s the name of a city in China?
ChatGPT says “The term 敦化 (dūnhuà) can be traced back to Confucian texts, where it signifies the encouragement of ethical behavior and cultural enlightenment.” Sounds plausible
What is the meaning of 維 (wéi) and what are the 4 維s?
Original meaning of wei is like tying or fastening something, or the ropes that hold things together.
Let’s see what Gemini has to say:
In the context of 四維 (sìwéi), the character 維 (wéi) carries the meaning of “bond,” “tie,” “link,” “connection,” or “that which holds things together.”
Therefore, 四維 (sìwéi), often translated as the “Four Cardinal Principles” or the “Four Social Bonds,” refers to the four fundamental ethical and social pillars that were traditionally considered essential for a stable and harmonious society in Chinese culture.
These four principles are:
禮 (lǐ): Propriety, rites, rituals, good manners, decorum. This emphasizes proper social conduct and respect for hierarchy and social norms.
義 (yì): Righteousness, justice, morality, principle. This stresses doing what is morally right and upholding justice.
廉 (lián): Integrity, honesty, incorruptibility, probity. This highlights the importance of being honest, ethical, and free from corruption.
恥 (chǐ): Shame, sense of honor, integrity, self-respect. This emphasizes the importance of having a sense of shame for wrongdoing and upholding one’s honor.
So, in 四維, each of these principles acts as a 維 (wéi) – a fundamental bond or connection that holds society together and ensures its proper functioning. They are the essential ethical threads that weave a stable social fabric.
I like the 4 wei’s. If only everyone would act accordingly when seeing that street name.
CKS hated Truman for sacking MacArthur who was going to take back China for him. In fact, an expressway was named after him – the MacArthur Thruway. It’s now the current day eastern section of Nanjing East Road in New Taipei. Truman Road is more apt to be in China.
Yes, that’s part of the reason I want to add one. Also because Truman changed Taiwan’s fate by interposing the US Navy between the CCP and the KMT. That completely changed the course of Taiwan’s history, so I think it’s worth a street name. Plus it would drive the KMT deep blues absolutely beserk.
In the Liuzhangli neighborhood, there is 安居 Street and 樂業 Street, and the two roads intersect. 安居樂業 literally means living in peace and working happily. The real estate at that intersection must be highly sought after.
