諺語 · a single proverb
柳暗花明又一村
What does 柳暗花明又一村 (liǔ àn huā míng yòu yī cūn) mean?
柳暗花明又一村 (liǔ àn huā míng yòu yī cūn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "past dark willows and bright flowers, another village appears." In use it means: Just when the path seems hopeless and overgrown, a clearing opens up and a whole new village appears. The darkest stretch of the journey often comes right before the breakthrough. 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 Horse.
Literally: "past dark willows and bright flowers, another village appears."
The reading
The willows closed in overhead and the path disappeared. You were about to turn back. And then the trees parted and there was a village with smoke coming from the chimneys and someone waving. The breakthrough was ten steps past the point where you almost quit. It almost always is.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Lu You 陸游, 'Travelling in Shanxi Village' 遊山西村 (Song dynasty)
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 柳暗花明又一村 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 柳暗花明又一村 (liǔ àn huā míng yòu yī cūn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Lu You 陸游, 'Travelling in Shanxi Village' 遊山西村 (Song dynasty). 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 柳暗花明又一村?
In Mandarin it is liǔ àn huā míng yòu yī cūn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 柳暗花明又一村 aloud in Mandarin.