諺語 · a single proverb
冬至陽生春又來
What does 冬至陽生春又來 (dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái) mean?
冬至陽生春又來 (dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "winter solstice yang born, spring again comes." In use it means: At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "winter solstice yang born, spring again comes."
The reading
The winter solstice is the year's longest night and also the night after which every night gets shorter. At the very depth of the dark, the yang turns. This is the nature of all cycles: the reversal is hidden inside the extreme, and what seems like the lowest point is actually the first moment of the climb. Trust the solstice.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese seasonal observation (tied to Chinese calendar and cosmology)
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 冬至陽生春又來 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 冬至陽生春又來 (dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Traditional Chinese seasonal observation (tied to Chinese calendar and cosmology). 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 冬至陽生春又來?
In Mandarin it is dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 冬至陽生春又來 aloud in Mandarin.