諺語 · a single proverb
山不在高，有仙則名
Simplified: 山不在高，有仙则名
What does 山不在高，有仙則名 (shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng) mean?
山不在高，有仙則名 (shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "A mountain need not be high; with an immortal dwelling there, it becomes famous." In use it means: What gives a place or person distinction is not outward grandeur but the quality of spirit within. Inner worth outweighs external scale. 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 Goat.
Literally: "A mountain need not be high; with an immortal dwelling there, it becomes famous.."
The reading
Height is a measurement; fame is a judgment, and the two have little to do with each other. A modest hill sheltering one sage draws more pilgrims than a towering peak with nothing to teach. The world remembers places not for their size but for who chose to live there and what they left behind. Seeking to be tall is vanity; seeking to be worthy is purpose.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Liú Yǔxī (刘禹锡), Lòu Shì Míng (陋室铭), Tang Dynasty
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 山不在高，有仙則名 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 山不在高，有仙則名 (shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Liú Yǔxī (刘禹锡), Lòu Shì Míng (陋室铭), Tang Dynasty. 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 山不在高，有仙則名?
In Mandarin it is shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 山不在高，有仙則名 aloud in Mandarin.