諺語 · a single proverb
見仁見智
Simplified: 见仁见智
What does 見仁見智 (jiàn rén jiàn zhì) mean?
見仁見智 (jiàn rén jiàn zhì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "some see benevolence, some see wisdom." In use it means: Different people interpret the same thing differently based on their own perspective; reasonable minds can disagree. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "some see benevolence, some see wisdom."
The reading
Two people look at the same mountain. One sees a climb. The other sees a painting. Neither is wrong, and telling them they should see what the other sees is a waste of everyone's time. The mountain does not care. It holds both views without contradiction.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Changes 易經 (Xici Zhuan 繫辭傳)
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 見仁見智 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 見仁見智 (jiàn rén jiàn zhì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Changes 易經 (Xici Zhuan 繫辭傳). 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 見仁見智?
In Mandarin it is jiàn rén jiàn zhì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 見仁見智 aloud in Mandarin.