諺語 · a single proverb
仁者樂山，智者樂水
What does 仁者樂山，智者樂水 (rén zhě lè shān zhì zhě lè shuǐ) mean?
仁者樂山，智者樂水 (rén zhě lè shān zhì zhě lè shuǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "benevolent person delights in mountains, wise person delights in water." In use it means: The virtuous love mountains for their steadiness; the wise love water for its adaptability. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "benevolent person delights in mountains, wise person delights in water."
The reading
The mountain stands without moving and the river runs without stopping and both are forms of the persistent. What you are drawn to in nature is also what you are drawn toward in yourself: the virtue that wants to be as solid as the mountain, the intelligence that wants to be as flexible as the river. Nature is also a mirror, showing us who we aspire to be.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects of Confucius 論語·雍也 (Yōng Yě VI)
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Rabbit.
Questions
Is 仁者樂山，智者樂水 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 仁者樂山，智者樂水 (rén zhě lè shān zhì zhě lè shuǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Analects of Confucius 論語·雍也 (Yōng Yě VI). 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 仁者樂山，智者樂水?
In Mandarin it is rén zhě lè shān zhì zhě lè shuǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 仁者樂山，智者樂水 aloud in Mandarin.