靈臺

靈臺

1. (literary, poetic) beautiful building; marvellous structure

   文王以民力為臺為沼，而民歡樂之，謂其臺曰靈臺。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   文王以民力为台为沼，而民欢乐之，谓其台曰灵台。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: Mencius, circa 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

   Wénwáng yǐ mínlì wéi tái wéi zhǎo, ér mín huānlè zhī, wèi qí tái yuē Língtái. [Pinyin]

   King Wen used the strength of the people to make his tower and his pond, and yet the people rejoiced to do the work, calling the tower "the marvellous tower."

2. (literary, poetic, figuratively) mind; psyche; soul

   故其靈臺一而不桎。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   故其灵台一而不桎。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

   Gù qí língtái yī ér bù zhì. [Pinyin]

   And so his Intelligence was entire and encountered no resistance.

   靈臺無計逃神矢 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   灵台无计逃神矢 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: 1903, Lu Xun, 《自題小像》(Poem on a miniature photograph of my own)

   língtái wú jì táo shén shǐ [Pinyin]

   My psyche cannot be spared of Eros's arrowhead.