諺語 · a single proverb
風流雲散
Simplified: 风流云散
What does 風流雲散 (fēng liú yún sàn) mean?
風流雲散 (fēng liú yún sàn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the wind flows and the clouds scatter." In use it means: A gathering breaks apart; once-close companions go their separate ways, scattered by the winds of change. 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 Horse.
Literally: "the wind flows and the clouds scatter."
The reading
The party ends. The clouds that gathered for the afternoon go their separate ways, pulled by winds they did not choose. No one is at fault. The sky simply changes direction, and the shapes that held together for a few bright hours dissolve into the blue. Remember the hours. Do not mourn the dissolution. Both are part of the same weather.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Wang Can 王粲; Cao Zhi 曹植; common literary phrase in Six Dynasties poetry
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 Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 風流雲散 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 風流雲散 (fēng liú yún sàn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Wang Can 王粲; Cao Zhi 曹植; common literary phrase in Six Dynasties poetry. 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 風流雲散?
In Mandarin it is fēng liú yún sàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 風流雲散 aloud in Mandarin.