諺語 · a single proverb
修身齊家治國平天下
Simplified: 修身齐家治国平天下
What does 修身齊家治國平天下 (xiū shēn qí jiā zhì guó píng tiān xià) mean?
修身齊家治國平天下 (xiū shēn qí jiā zhì guó píng tiān xià) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world." In use it means: Personal cultivation is the root of all social order; start with yourself. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, bring peace to the world."
The reading
Everything begins in the same place: the room inside you that you have not yet tidied. The family, the village, the nation-all of them are outward expressions of what the person at the center has or has not done with themselves. The great work starts where you are standing.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Da Xue 大學 (Dà Xué, The Great Learning)
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 修身齊家治國平天下 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 修身齊家治國平天下 (xiū shēn qí jiā zhì guó píng tiān xià) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Da Xue 大學 (Dà Xué, The Great Learning). 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 修身齊家治國平天下?
In Mandarin it is xiū shēn qí jiā zhì guó píng tiān xià. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 修身齊家治國平天下 aloud in Mandarin.