諺語 · a single proverb
青山不改，綠水長流
Simplified: 青山不改，绿水长流
What does 青山不改，綠水長流 (qīng shān bù gǎi lǜ shuǐ cháng liú) mean?
青山不改，綠水長流 (qīng shān bù gǎi lǜ shuǐ cháng liú) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the green mountains do not change; the clear water flows forever." In use it means: A farewell that promises the relationship endures; the landscape stands for the bond that outlasts departure. 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: "the green mountains do not change; the clear water flows forever."
The reading
The mountain will be here when you come back. The water will still be flowing. These are the oldest promises in the Chinese farewell vocabulary, because they invoke the only things humans trust to keep their shape: the land itself. The message is not about geography. The message is: I am as permanent as this mountain. Come back and find me unchanged.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common wuxia and literary farewell expression; deeply embedded in Chinese culture
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 青山不改，綠水長流 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 青山不改，綠水長流 (qīng shān bù gǎi lǜ shuǐ cháng liú) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Common wuxia and literary farewell expression; deeply embedded in Chinese culture. 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 青山不改，綠水長流?
In Mandarin it is qīng shān bù gǎi lǜ shuǐ cháng liú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 青山不改，綠水長流 aloud in Mandarin.