諺語 · a single proverb
坐山觀虎鬥
Simplified: 坐山观虎斗
What does 坐山觀虎鬥 (zuò shān guān hǔ dòu) mean?
坐山觀虎鬥 (zuò shān guān hǔ dòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight." In use it means: Let your rivals exhaust each other while you wait safely; strategic patience and non-involvement. 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 Monkey.
Literally: "sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight."
The reading
Two tigers on the valley floor, tearing at each other. You sit on the ridge with a clear view and a packed lunch. When one tiger lies dead and the other limps away, you walk down and claim the valley. Is it cowardice or is it geometry? It depends on whether you care more about honor or about outcomes.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Attributed to Bian Zhuangzi story; Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 坐山觀虎鬥 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 坐山觀虎鬥 (zuò shān guān hǔ dòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Attributed to Bian Zhuangzi story; Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策. 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 坐山觀虎鬥?
In Mandarin it is zuò shān guān hǔ dòu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 坐山觀虎鬥 aloud in Mandarin.