諺語 · a single proverb
龍飛鳳舞
Simplified: 龙飞凤舞
What does 龍飛鳳舞 (lóng fēi fèng wǔ) mean?
龍飛鳳舞 (lóng fēi fèng wǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "dragon flies, phoenix dances." In use it means: Lively and vigorous; powerful and graceful movement; also used for fine calligraphy. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "dragon flies, phoenix dances."
The reading
The dragon does not apologize for the scale of its flight, and the phoenix does not contain its color for the benefit of the gray sky. When power and grace move together in a single form, the result is something the eye cannot stop tracking. This is what excellence looks like when it is not self-conscious: abundant, moving, and entirely itself.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Song Dynasty 宋·蘇軾《表忠觀碑》 (Biǎo Zhōng Guān Bēi)
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 龍飛鳳舞 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 龍飛鳳舞 (lóng fēi fèng wǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Song Dynasty 宋·蘇軾《表忠觀碑》 (Biǎo Zhōng Guān Bēi). 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 龍飛鳳舞?
In Mandarin it is lóng fēi fèng wǔ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 龍飛鳳舞 aloud in Mandarin.