諺語 · a single proverb
人各有志
What does 人各有志 (rén gè yǒu zhì) mean?
人各有志 (rén gè yǒu zhì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "each person has their own aspiration." In use it means: Every person has their own goals and ideals; respect the diversity of human purpose. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "each person has their own aspiration."
The reading
The field of human aspiration is not a single crop but a garden of different species, each with its own requirements and its own season and its own fruit. What one person is growing has no obligation to resemble what another is growing, and the gardener wise enough to recognize this wastes no time trying to make the plum tree bear rice.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Shi Ji 史記 (common sentiment in classical literature)
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人各有志 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人各有志 (rén gè yǒu zhì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Shi Ji 史記 (common sentiment in classical literature). 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 人各有志?
In Mandarin it is rén gè yǒu zhì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人各有志 aloud in Mandarin.