諺語 · a single proverb
源遠流長
Simplified: 源远流长
What does 源遠流長 (yuán yuǎn liú cháng) mean?
源遠流長 (yuán yuǎn liú cháng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "source distant, current long." In use it means: A distant source sustains a long river; a long heritage ensures lasting influence. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "source distant, current long."
The reading
The river that has been running for centuries carries in it the rain of a hundred mountain winters and ten thousand springs. What comes from far back has been filtered and shaped by everything it has passed through. Depth of origin is what gives a thing its staying power in the world.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tang Dynasty 唐·韓愈《原道》 (Yuán Dào, Han Yu essay)
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 源遠流長 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 源遠流長 (yuán yuǎn liú cháng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Tang Dynasty 唐·韓愈《原道》 (Yuán Dào, Han Yu essay). 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 源遠流長?
In Mandarin it is yuán yuǎn liú cháng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 源遠流長 aloud in Mandarin.