諺語 · a single proverb
精誠所至，金石為開
What does 精誠所至，金石為開 (jīng chéng suǒ zhì jīn shí wéi kāi) mean?
精誠所至，金石為開 (jīng chéng suǒ zhì jīn shí wéi kāi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "where pure sincerity reaches, gold and stone open." In use it means: Absolute sincerity can move even the hardest things; genuine dedication overcomes all obstacles. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "where pure sincerity reaches, gold and stone open."
The reading
The archer who practiced for years to hit the stone target eventually shot an arrow that buried itself into granite, because every fiber of his intention was aimed in the same direction at once. When sincerity reaches that concentration, gold and stone are no longer the hardest things in the field. The softest power, fully gathered, overcomes the hardest matter.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Hou Han Shu 後漢書·廣陵思王荊傳 (Guǎng Líng Sī Wáng Jīng biography)
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 精誠所至，金石為開 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 精誠所至，金石為開 (jīng chéng suǒ zhì jīn shí wéi kāi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Hou Han Shu 後漢書·廣陵思王荊傳 (Guǎng Líng Sī Wáng Jīng biography). 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 精誠所至，金石為開?
In Mandarin it is jīng chéng suǒ zhì jīn shí wéi kāi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 精誠所至，金石為開 aloud in Mandarin.