諺語 · a single proverb
山雨欲來風滿樓
Simplified: 山雨欲来风满楼
What does 山雨欲來風滿樓 (shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu) mean?
山雨欲來風滿樓 (shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the mountain rain is coming; wind fills the tower." In use it means: The signs of an approaching storm are unmistakable; a major change or upheaval is imminent. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "the mountain rain is coming; wind fills the tower."
The reading
The wind arrives before the rain. The tower shakes before the first drop falls. The person who reads the wind correctly has time to close the shutters and brace the door. The person who waits for the rain is already wet when they start preparing. Read the wind. The rain is a conclusion you can predict from the preface.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Xu Hun 許渾, poem Xian Yang Cheng Dong Lou 咸陽城東樓
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 山雨欲來風滿樓 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 山雨欲來風滿樓 (shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Xu Hun 許渾, poem Xian Yang Cheng Dong Lou 咸陽城東樓. 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 山雨欲來風滿樓?
In Mandarin it is shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 山雨欲來風滿樓 aloud in Mandarin.