諺語 · a single proverb
百鳥朝鳳
Simplified: 百鸟朝凤
What does 百鳥朝鳳 (bǎi niǎo cháo fèng) mean?
百鳥朝鳳 (bǎi niǎo cháo fèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "a hundred birds pay court to the phoenix." In use it means: The most worthy leader naturally attracts followers; excellence draws admiration from all directions. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "a hundred birds pay court to the phoenix."
The reading
The phoenix did not summon them. They came. Not because they were ordered, but because what the phoenix represented called to something in each of them. Genuine leadership has this quality: it creates a gathering without issuing invitations. The birds come because the phoenix is worth the flight.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Classical allusion; appears in poetry and folk art symbolism
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 百鳥朝鳳 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 百鳥朝鳳 (bǎi niǎo cháo fèng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Classical allusion; appears in poetry and folk art symbolism. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 百鳥朝鳳?
In Mandarin it is bǎi niǎo cháo fèng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 百鳥朝鳳 aloud in Mandarin.