諺語 · a single proverb
鐵匠的門環自己打
Simplified: 铁匠的门环自己打
What does 鐵匠的門環自己打 (tiě jiàng de mén huán zì jǐ dǎ) mean?
鐵匠的門環自己打 (tiě jiàng de mén huán zì jǐ dǎ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "The blacksmith forges his own door ring." In use it means: A true craftsperson applies their skill to their own life, not just to their clients' orders. Integrity in craft means practicing what you produce. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "The blacksmith forges his own door ring."
The reading
Walk past a blacksmith's shop and look at the door hardware. If the hinges are rusty and the ring is rough, you learn something about the person inside. The smith who puts care into the small, unpaid piece that hangs on his own door reveals the standards he holds when no customer is watching. This proverb tests character through a simple trade observation. The best artisans live inside their craft at all hours, not only during transactions.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese blacksmithing folk saying
Sits beside
井底之蛙
jǐng dǐ zhī wā
Someone with an extremely narrow view of the world, who mistakes the small circle of sky above the well for the whole sky.
冰凍三尺，非一日之寒
bīng dòng sān chǐ, fēi yī rì zhī hán
Nothing deep-a skill, a habit, a ruin-forms overnight.
心急吃不了熱豆腐
xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòu fu
Impatience will not speed things up.
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 鐵匠的門環自己打 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 鐵匠的門環自己打 (tiě jiàng de mén huán zì jǐ dǎ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese blacksmithing folk saying. 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 鐵匠的門環自己打?
In Mandarin it is tiě jiàng de mén huán zì jǐ dǎ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 鐵匠的門環自己打 aloud in Mandarin.