諺語 · a single proverb
先禮後兵
Simplified: 先礼后兵
What does 先禮後兵 (xiān lǐ hòu bīng) mean?
先禮後兵 (xiān lǐ hòu bīng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "courtesy first, force after." In use it means: Try diplomacy before resorting to confrontation; exhaust peaceful means before turning to harder measures. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "courtesy first, force after."
The reading
The letter arrives before the army. This is not weakness. This is efficiency. If the letter works, the army stays home and everyone saves blood. If it does not, the army arrives with a clean conscience and a clear record of having tried the gentler way first. Always write the letter.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志; common military-diplomatic maxim
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 先禮後兵 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 先禮後兵 (xiān lǐ hòu bīng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志; common military-diplomatic maxim. 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 先禮後兵?
In Mandarin it is xiān lǐ hòu bīng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 先禮後兵 aloud in Mandarin.