諺語 · a single proverb
漁家之樂
Simplified: 渔家之乐
What does 漁家之樂 (yú jiā zhī lè) mean?
漁家之樂 (yú jiā zhī lè) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the joy of the fishing household." In use it means: Simple contentment found in a modest, unhurried life close to nature; happiness that does not require wealth. 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 Pig.
Literally: "the joy of the fishing household."
The reading
The fishing household rises with the water and sleeps with the tide. The catch is the income and the river is the office and the sunset is the closing bell. No one in the tower envies them until the tower shakes, and then everyone envies them, because the fisherman's joy is built on water that gives rather than numbers that take.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tang-Song pastoral poetry tradition; echoes Zhang Zhihe 張志和
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 漁家之樂 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 漁家之樂 (yú jiā zhī lè) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Tang-Song pastoral poetry tradition; echoes Zhang Zhihe 張志和. 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 漁家之樂?
In Mandarin it is yú jiā zhī lè. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 漁家之樂 aloud in Mandarin.