諺語 · a single proverb
和而不同
What does 和而不同 (hé ér bù tóng) mean?
和而不同 (hé ér bù tóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "harmonious yet not identical." In use it means: Harmony does not require uniformity; one can be in accord without being the same. 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: "harmonious yet not identical."
The reading
The orchestra is not one instrument played together but many instruments playing differently toward the same silence between notes. Agreement does not require sameness, only a shared willingness to listen while making one's own sound. This is the difference between harmony and echo.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects of Confucius 論語·子路 (Zǐ Lù XIII)
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 和而不同 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 和而不同 (hé ér bù tóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Analects of Confucius 論語·子路 (Zǐ Lù XIII). 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 和而不同?
In Mandarin it is hé ér bù tóng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 和而不同 aloud in Mandarin.