諺語 · a single proverb
博愛之謂仁
What does 博愛之謂仁 (bó ài zhī wèi rén) mean?
博愛之謂仁 (bó ài zhī wèi rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "broad love is called benevolence." In use it means: Broad love for all people is the definition of benevolence. 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 Pig.
Literally: "broad love is called benevolence."
The reading
Benevolence is not a feeling reserved for the deserving or the familiar. It is a disposition toward all of life, the way the sun makes no distinctions about what it warms. What distinguishes the person of genuine benevolence is not the warmth they feel for those they like but the warmth they maintain for everyone, including those who have given them no particular reason.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Yu 韓愈·《原道》 (Yuán Dào, On the Origin of the Way, Tang Dynasty)
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 Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 博愛之謂仁 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 博愛之謂仁 (bó ài zhī wèi rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Han Yu 韓愈·《原道》 (Yuán Dào, On the Origin of the Way, Tang Dynasty). 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 博愛之謂仁?
In Mandarin it is bó ài zhī wèi rén. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 博愛之謂仁 aloud in Mandarin.