Xian ling

Xian ling (Chinese: 显灵) is the notion of a numinous, sacred (ling) presence of a god or gods in the Chinese traditional religion. The term can be variously translated as "divine efficacy", "divine virtue", or also "efficacious response"; these terms describe the manifestation and activity of the power of a god (灵气 ling qi, "divine energy" or "divine effervescence").

Within the context of traditional cosmology, the interaction of these energies constitutes the universe (the All-God, Tian), and their proper cultivation (bao ying) upholds the human world order.

Reciprocity to divine response: rite and virtuous deed

The relationship between men and gods is one of reciprocal exchange of energy and the cultivation of godly energy. Through rituals of worship and proper conduct, people acquire and maintain a sense of stable world order, peace, and balance (bao ying). Violating the rule of reciprocity may undermine the balance and invite chaos.

The attitudes of the people towards their deities is one of awe and apprehension. Through devotional practices, a person strives to secure balance and protect himself and the world in which he is located from the power of unfavorable forces. In this sense, the traditional Chinese view of human life is not fatalistic, but is one in which one is the master of his own life through his relationship with the divine energies.

Ling

Ling may refer to:

Fictional characters

Lingé

Lingé is a commune in the Indre department in central France.

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Diminutive

A diminutive is a word which has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A diminutive form (abbreviated DIM) is a grammatical inflection used to express such meanings; in many languages, such inflections can be translated as "little" and diminutives can also be formed as multi-word constructions such as "Tiny Tim". Diminutives are used frequently when speaking to small children or when expressing extreme tenderness and intimacy to an adult. As such, they are often employed for nicknames and pet names. The opposite of the diminutive form is the augmentative.

In many languages, formation of diminutives by adding suffixes is a productive part of the language. A double diminutive is a diminutive form with two diminutive suffixes rather than one. While many languages apply a grammatical diminutive to nouns, a few—including Dutch, Latin, Macedonian and Russian—also use it for adjectives and even other parts of speech. In English the alteration of meaning is often conveyed through clipping, making the words shorter and more colloquial. Diminutives formed by adding affixes in other languages are often longer and not necessarily understood as colloquial.

Xi'an

Xi'an ([ɕí.án]; Chinese: 西安), formerly romanized as Sian, is the capital of Shaanxi province, located in the northwest of the China, in the center of the Guanzhong Plain. One of the oldest cities in China, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming dynasty. Xi'an is the oldest of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, having held the position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Since the 1990s, as part of the economic revival of interior China especially for the central and northwest regions, the city of Xi'an has re-emerged as an important cultural, industrial and educational centre of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and China's space exploration program. Xi'an currently holds sub-provincial status, administering 9 districts and 4 counties. According to the 2010 Census, Xi'an has an urban population of 5,566,711 in its built-up area made of 7 out of 10 districts (all but Yanliang, Lintong and Gaoling not urbanized yet), while the total population of the Municipality is up to 8,467,837. It is the most populous city in Northwest China, as well as one of the three most populous cities in Western China. According to a July 2012 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, it was recently named as one of the 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China. The report pinpoints and highlights the demographic and income trends that are shaping these cities' development.

Xian County

Xian County or Xianxian (simplified Chinese: 献县; traditional Chinese: 獻縣; pinyin: Xìàn Xiàn) is a county in the Cangzhou prefecture, in the Hebei province of China.

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Towns:

Townships:

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Coordinates: 38°12′N 116°07′E / 38.200°N 116.117°E / 38.200; 116.117

Xian (disambiguation)

Xian may refer to:

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