諺語 · a single proverb
花無百日紅
Simplified: 花无百日红
What does 花無百日紅 (huā wú bǎi rì hóng) mean?
花無百日紅 (huā wú bǎi rì hóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "flower has no hundred days red." In use it means: Nothing beautiful or good lasts forever; enjoy what you have while it lasts. 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: "flower has no hundred days red."
The reading
The peony at full bloom does not argue against the coming of autumn, nor does it bloom twice to make up for what was missed. It is entirely what it is for exactly as long as it is that, and then the petals go where petals go. There is no shame in being temporary when you are, for a moment, magnificent.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu)
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 Rabbit.
Questions
Is 花無百日紅 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 花無百日紅 (huā wú bǎi rì hóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu). 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 花無百日紅?
In Mandarin it is huā wú bǎi rì hóng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 花無百日紅 aloud in Mandarin.