諺語 · a single proverb
愚公移山
What does 愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān) mean?
愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "foolish old man moves mountain." In use it means: Persistence and determination can overcome any obstacle, no matter how large. 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 Ox.
Literally: "foolish old man moves mountain."
The reading
He was old and the mountain was old and everyone watching agreed that nothing would change. He disagreed and picked up his shovel. The children's children would carry the work forward, and the mountain, which had no opinion on the matter, eventually agreed to move. What the world calls stubborn, time sometimes calls right.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Liezi 列子·湯問 (Tāng Wèn chapter)
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 愚公移山 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Liezi 列子·湯問 (Tāng Wèn chapter). 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 愚公移山?
In Mandarin it is yú gōng yí shān. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 愚公移山 aloud in Mandarin.