諺語 · a single proverb
春生夏長，秋收冬藏
Simplified: 春生夏长，秋收冬藏
What does 春生夏長，秋收冬藏 (chūn shēng xià zhǎng qiū shōu dōng cáng) mean?
春生夏長，秋收冬藏 (chūn shēng xià zhǎng qiū shōu dōng cáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "spring gives birth, summer grows, autumn harvests, winter stores." In use it means: Each season has its proper activity; forcing the rhythm of one season onto another produces nothing. 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 Goat.
Literally: "spring gives birth, summer grows, autumn harvests, winter stores."
The reading
You cannot harvest in spring. The fruit is not there yet. You cannot plant in winter. The ground will not receive it. Every activity has a season that fits it, and the person who respects the calendar produces more than the one who fights it. Timing is not a constraint. It is a collaborator.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Huangdi Neijing 黃帝內經; agricultural and TCM tradition
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 春生夏長，秋收冬藏 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 春生夏長，秋收冬藏 (chūn shēng xià zhǎng qiū shōu dōng cáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Huangdi Neijing 黃帝內經; agricultural and TCM tradition. 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 春生夏長，秋收冬藏?
In Mandarin it is chūn shēng xià zhǎng qiū shōu dōng cáng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 春生夏長，秋收冬藏 aloud in Mandarin.