諺語 · a single proverb
為卻迎難而上
Simplified: 为却迎难而上
What does 為卻迎難而上 (wéi què yíng nán ér shàng) mean?
為卻迎難而上 (wéi què yíng nán ér shàng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "rising to meet the difficulty head-on." In use it means: Choosing to advance toward a challenge rather than away from it; the decision to engage the problem directly. 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 Tiger.
Literally: "rising to meet the difficulty head-on."
The reading
The hill is steep. Everyone else is going around it. You are going up it. Not because you enjoy climbing, but because the thing you need is at the top, and the detour takes longer than the climb. Directness is not recklessness. It is efficiency, when the difficulty is the point.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common modern expression; reform and perseverance tradition
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 為卻迎難而上 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 為卻迎難而上 (wéi què yíng nán ér shàng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common modern expression; reform and perseverance tradition. 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 為卻迎難而上?
In Mandarin it is wéi què yíng nán ér shàng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 為卻迎難而上 aloud in Mandarin.