諺語 · a single proverb
人生路漫漫
What does 人生路漫漫 (rén shēng lù màn màn) mean?
人生路漫漫 (rén shēng lù màn màn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "life's road long and winding." In use it means: Life's path is long and winding; the journey of life is extended and not easily completed. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "life's road long and winding."
The reading
The road does not shorten for those who wish it shorter or lengthen for those who wish more time. It is exactly as long as a life is long, and every bend withholds what is around it until you arrive. The person who accepts the length of the road as given rather than arguing with it travels more comfortably, and often, somehow, arrives not later but in better condition.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk expression (common in literary and social contexts)
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人生路漫漫 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人生路漫漫 (rén shēng lù màn màn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk expression (common in literary and social contexts). 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 人生路漫漫?
In Mandarin it is rén shēng lù màn màn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人生路漫漫 aloud in Mandarin.