諺語 · a single proverb
前人種樹，後人乘涼
Simplified: 前人种树，后人乘凉
What does 前人種樹，後人乘涼 (qián rén zhòng shù hòu rén chéng liáng) mean?
前人種樹，後人乘涼 (qián rén zhòng shù hòu rén chéng liáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "former people plant trees, later people enjoy cool shade." In use it means: Those who come before plant trees; those who come after enjoy the shade-the value of contributing to what outlasts you. 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: "former people plant trees, later people enjoy cool shade."
The reading
The old man who plants a tree he will never sit under has understood something about time that most people spend their whole lives arguing against. Generosity extended forward into years you will not see is the longest form of love. What is planted in one life becomes shelter in another.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb; recorded in Qing dynasty collections
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 前人種樹，後人乘涼 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 前人種樹，後人乘涼 (qián rén zhòng shù hòu rén chéng liáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb; recorded in Qing dynasty collections. 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 前人種樹，後人乘涼?
In Mandarin it is qián rén zhòng shù hòu rén chéng liáng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 前人種樹，後人乘涼 aloud in Mandarin.