諺語 · a single proverb
柳暗花明
What does 柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) mean?
柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "willows dark, flowers bright." In use it means: After darkness comes light; when things seem hopeless, a new way opens. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "willows dark, flowers bright."
The reading
The path that closes into shadow has not ended; it has only not yet shown you what lies past the bend. The willows crowd in and the light seems to stop, and then without announcement the world opens into blossoms again. This is the shape of almost every story that turned out well.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Lu You 陸游·《遊山西村》 (Yóu Shān Xī Cūn, Song Dynasty poem)
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 柳暗花明 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 柳暗花明 (liǔ àn huā míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Lu You 陸游·《遊山西村》 (Yóu Shān Xī Cūn, Song Dynasty poem). 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?
In Mandarin it is liǔ àn huā míng. 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 aloud in Mandarin.