諺語 · a single proverb
明知山有虎，偏向虎山行
What does 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 (míng zhī shān yǒu hǔ piān xiàng hǔ shān xíng) mean?
明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 (míng zhī shān yǒu hǔ piān xiàng hǔ shān xíng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "knowing full well there is a tiger on the mountain, still choosing to walk toward it." In use it means: Deliberately facing known danger because the cause or principle demands it; courage with open eyes. 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: "knowing full well there is a tiger on the mountain, still choosing to walk toward it."
The reading
You knew. That is what makes it different from ignorance. You saw the warning, understood the cost, and went anyway because the thing on the other side of the tiger was worth the tiger. That is not recklessness. Recklessness does not read the sign. You read it and walked through.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk proverb; Water Margin 水滸傳 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 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 (míng zhī shān yǒu hǔ piān xiàng hǔ shān xíng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk proverb; Water Margin 水滸傳 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 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行?
In Mandarin it is míng zhī shān yǒu hǔ piān xiàng hǔ shān xíng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 aloud in Mandarin.