諺語 · a single proverb
姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤
Simplified: 姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩
What does 姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤 (jiāng tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu) mean?
姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤 (jiāng tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語). Word for word it reads "Jiang Taigong fishes, the willing bite the hook." In use it means: The old sage fished with a straight hook. He was not trying to catch fish. He was waiting for the right person to come to him. Patience and genuine worth attract what is meant for you without force or trickery. 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 Snake.
Literally: "Jiang Taigong fishes, the willing bite the hook."
The reading
The hook was straight. Everyone knew it would not catch anything. But Jiang Taigong was not fishing for fish. He was fishing for a king. And the king came, not because of the hook, but because of the fisherman. When you are the real thing, the right opportunity finds you. You do not need a barb.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk legend of Jiang Ziya 姜子牙; Fengshen Yanyi 封神演義
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 Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤 (jiāng tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語), and it comes from folk legend of Jiang Ziya 姜子牙; Fengshen Yanyi 封神演義. 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 姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤?
In Mandarin it is jiāng tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤 aloud in Mandarin.