諺語 · a single proverb
書山有路勤為徑
What does 書山有路勤為徑 (shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng) mean?
書山有路勤為徑 (shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the mountain of books has a path, diligence is the route." In use it means: In the mountain of knowledge, the only road is diligence. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "the mountain of books has a path, diligence is the route."
The reading
The mountain of books is not a metaphor for difficulty but for genuine magnitude: there is more to know than any one life can hold. And the path through it-the only path-is the one made by repeated, consistent, unhurried effort. No shortcut cuts through a mountain. You walk the path by reading one page, then another, returning the next day, and the day after that, for years.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Yu 韓愈 (Tang Dynasty couplet on learning, often paired with 學海無涯苦作舟)
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 Horse, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 書山有路勤為徑 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 書山有路勤為徑 (shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Han Yu 韓愈 (Tang Dynasty couplet on learning, often paired with 學海無涯苦作舟). 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 書山有路勤為徑?
In Mandarin it is shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 書山有路勤為徑 aloud in Mandarin.