諺語 · a single proverb
凡事預則立，不預則廢
Simplified: 凡事预则立，不预则废
What does 凡事預則立，不預則廢 (fán shì yù zé lì bù yù zé fèi) mean?
凡事預則立，不預則廢 (fán shì yù zé lì bù yù zé fèi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "all matters prepared then stand, not prepared then fail." In use it means: Planning before action leads to success; lack of planning leads to failure. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "all matters prepared then stand, not prepared then fail."
The reading
The tent that stands through the storm was pegged into the ground before the wind came, not during it. All the scrambling that happens after the event that was not planned for is the expensive education that preparation would have made unnecessary. Forethought is not pessimism; it is the practical form of hope.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Li Ji 禮記·中庸 (Zhōng Yōng, Doctrine of the Mean)
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 凡事預則立，不預則廢 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 凡事預則立，不預則廢 (fán shì yù zé lì bù yù zé fèi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Li Ji 禮記·中庸 (Zhōng Yōng, Doctrine of the Mean). 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 凡事預則立，不預則廢?
In Mandarin it is fán shì yù zé lì bù yù zé fèi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 凡事預則立，不預則廢 aloud in Mandarin.