Sayings · LT905

Aphorisms

Immortal maxims, inspirational epigrams, and ethical golden verses.

710works

11dynasties

185authors

Jin

17 works

265–420

  1. Clear Streams and Rushing Rapids at the Orchid PavilionWang XizhiThere were also clear streams and rushing rapids, shining and winding on either side.
  2. All the Worthies Gathered at the Orchid PavilionWang XizhiAll the worthies have come; the young and the old are gathered here.
  3. Mistakenly Caught in the Dusty NetTao YuanmingBy mistake I fell into the dusty net, and was gone for thirty years.
  4. Picking Chrysanthemums by the Eastern HedgeTao YuanmingPicking chrysanthemums by the eastern hedge, at ease I catch sight of the southern hills.
  5. Returned to Nature at LastTao YuanmingLong kept within a cage, I have returned at last to nature.
  6. Unhurried, I Catch Sight of the Southern HillsTao YuanmingPicking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, unhurried, I catch sight of the southern hills.
  7. Knowing the Days to Come Can Still Be Set RightTao YuanmingI see that the past cannot be mended, and know that the future can still be pursued.
  8. Arms Reaching Below the Knees: Liu Bei's Remarkable LooksChen ShouHe was seven chi five cun tall; his hands hung below his knees, and turning his head he could see his own ears.
  9. Song Dingbo Sells a GhostGan Bao (comp.)Dingbo sold a ghost and got fifteen hundred coins.
  10. Attack Needs Double the Strength of DefenceChen ShouSince the attacker needs twice the strength of the defender, he will not dare stay long.
  11. Struck With Fear at the First Sign of the EnemyChen ShouThose in council were all struck with fear at the first sign of the enemy, and many urged Sun Quan to welcome Cao Cao.
  12. Arrows Pour Like Rain at GuanduChen ShouYuan Shao shot into the camp, arrows poured down like rain, all who walked held shields over their heads, and the men were terrified.
  13. Jackals and Wolves Fill the Roads: Zhang Zhao Rouses Sun QuanChen ShouNow that villains vie with one another and jackals and wolves fill the roads, you wish to mourn your kin and attend to the rites; that is like opening the gate and bowing to robbers.
  14. Punish the Wicked and Encourage the GoodDu YuThe fifth is to punish evil and encourage good: those who sought fame and lost it, and those who tried to hide and were exposed.
  15. All Things Gathered at the Tip of the BrushLu JiHe encloses heaven and earth within form and brings all things under control at the tip of his brush.
  16. Enclosing Heaven and Earth Within Form: Lu Ji's Rhapsody on WritingLu JiHe encloses heaven and earth within the form, and presses all things beneath the tip of his brush.
  17. White Brows Is the Best of the Five Ma BrothersChen ShouThe villagers made a saying about them: of the five Changs of the Ma family, White Brows is the best.

Northern and Southern

52 works

420–589

  1. The Sky Like a Domed Yurt Over the GrasslandAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song)The sky is like a domed felt tent, covering the plains on every side.
  2. Sky and Mountains Share One HueWu JunWind and mist have all cleared away; sky and mountains share one color.
  3. Wondrous Peaks and Rare Waters of the FuchunWu JunFrom Fuyang to Tonglu, a hundred li or so, the wondrous mountains and rare waters are unmatched in all the world.
  4. Peering into the Valleys and Forgetting to ReturnWu JunThose who manage the world's affairs, peering into these valleys, forget to return.
  5. Wind and Haze Swept Clean over the Fuchun RiverWu JunWind and haze were all swept clean; sky and hills shared one colour.
  6. Mulan Crosses Passes and Mountains as if FlyingAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song)Ten thousand li she rode to the business of war, crossing passes and mountains as if flying.
  7. The Chile Plain Beneath the Yin MountainsAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song)The Chile Plain lies beneath the Yin Mountains.
  8. Wind Bends the Grass to Reveal the HerdsAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song)The sky is deep blue, the plain is boundless; the wind bends the grass and the cattle and sheep appear.
  9. Cliffs Where Five Colours Shine TogetherTao HongjingOn both banks the stone cliffs shine together in five colours.
  10. Entering the Fish Market and No Longer Smelling the StenchXiao GangSo those who gallop on their hunches and love fame over substance carve meat from the benevolent beast and play Xi Ke at Handan; they enter the fish market and forget its stench, and copying faults brings them disaster.
  11. Entrusted with a Young Orphan RulerFan YeDeng Yu, Marquis of Gaomi, is foremost among the founding ministers, and Cang, King of Dongping, is generous and resourceful; both can receive the charge of a young orphan and stand unbending at a great crisis.
  12. Governing the Realm Together with the RulerSu ChuoTherefore emperors of former ages always said that those who governed the realm together with them were only good prefects and governors.
  13. Diligence Keeps Want AwayJia SixieThe commentary says: 'Life depends on diligence; with diligence there is no want.'
  14. Swallowing One's Words and Pacing in SilenceBao ZhaoMy heart is not wood or stone; how can it feel nothing? I swallow my words and pace in silence, not daring to speak.
  15. Singing Out One's Feelings and NatureXiao GangI have never heard of poems that sing of feeling imitating the Domestic Regulations chapter instead.
  16. The Beauty of Hills and Streams: Tao Hongjing's LetterTao HongjingThe beauty of hills and streams has been talked of by all since ancient times.
  17. A Heart Not Made of Wood or StoneBao ZhaoThe heart is not wood or stone; how can it feel nothing? I swallow my voice and pace, not daring to speak.
  18. Thought Reaching Across a Thousand YearsLiu XieSitting still and concentrating, thought links up with a thousand years; quietly changing countenance, vision passes through ten thousand li.
  19. Spirit Vigorous and Bright in WritingLiu XieWhen the language is upright and firm, the bone of the writing is formed; when the spirit is vigorous and bright, its wind is clear.
  20. Drawing a Sword to Strike the PillarBao ZhaoFacing my table I cannot eat; I draw my sword, strike the pillar and sigh long.
  21. Stirring the Heart into Song and DanceZhong RongBreath moves things, and things move people; so the feelings are stirred and take form in dance and song.
  22. Great Is the Power of Literary PatternLiu XieGreat indeed is the power of pattern! How is it that it was born together with heaven and earth?
  23. The Willows I Planted in Years Gone ByYu XinThe willows planted in years gone by swayed softly south of the Han; now I see them shedding their leaves, a bleak sight by the river's pools. If trees fare so, how can people bear it!
  24. Spring Grass Green at the Southern Shore of PartingJiang YanSpring grass is green, spring water ripples clear; seeing you off at the southern shore, how can I bear this grief!
  25. Staff in Hand, Crossing North to Follow Liu XiuFan YeWhen he heard that Liu Xiu was pacifying the lands north of the river, he took up his staff and crossed north, catching up with him at Ye.
  26. The Vital Breath Stirs All ThingsZhong RongThe vital breath moves things, and things move people; so feelings are stirred and find expression in dance and song.
  27. Wild Blossoms Filling the Room in Yu Xin's Small GardenYu XinFallen leaves cover half the bed, wild blossoms fill the room.
  28. Arrows Rain Down on KunyangFan YeMassed crossbows fired at will, arrows fell like rain, and in the city people carried doors on their backs to fetch water.
  29. How Hard It Is to Find a True Listener: Liu Xie's LamentLiu XieHow hard it is to find a true listener! The music is hard to know, those who know it hard to meet; to meet one happens once in a thousand years!
  30. Lavish Ornament, Scant Feeling: Liu Xie on Hollow WritingLiu XieLavish in ornament and scant in feeling, it is sure to weary those who savour it.
  31. Framing Words Straight and Upright: Liu Xie's Bone of WritingLiu XieWhen words are framed straight and upright, the bone of writing is formed; when the spirit is brisk and vigorous, its wind is clear.
  32. Creeping Weeds Twine Round the Bones: Jiang Yan's Rhapsody on RegretJiang YanLook out across the plain: creeping weeds twine round the bones, and great trees gather the souls.
  33. Vision Reaching Ten Thousand Li: Liu Xie on the ImaginationLiu XieIn silent concentration, thought joins a thousand years; with a quiet change of countenance, vision reaches ten thousand li.
  34. Seeing You Off at the Southern ShoreJiang YanThe spring grass is green, the spring water ripples clear; I see you off at the southern shore, and how can I bear the grief!
  35. The Patterning of the Dao in NatureLiu XieSun and moon, like paired discs of jade, hang down the bright images of heaven; mountains and rivers, gleaming like brocade, spread out the ordered forms of earth. This is the patterning of the Dao.
  36. Leaping City Walls and Clearing Moats: Lü Bu's Red HareFan YeBu always rode a fine horse called Red Hare, which could gallop over city walls and leap across moats.
  37. Telling River Trees Apart Among the CloudsXie TiaoAt the sky's edge I recognise returning boats; among the clouds I make out the river trees.
  38. First Spring Light Displaces the Lingering WindXie LingyunThe first light of spring displaces the lingering wind; the new sun changes the old shade.
  39. South Wind, Blow My Dream to West IsleAnonymous (Southern Dynasties yuefu folk song)South wind, if you know my heart, blow my dream to the Western Islet.
  40. Why Walk Timidly with Drooping Wings?Bao ZhaoHow long does a man have in this life? How can he shuffle along with drooping wings!
  41. Alone and Upright, Like UsBao ZhaoSince ancient times the sages have all been poor and lowly; how much more men like us, alone and upright!
  42. Pattern Rests on SubstanceLiu XieWater is yielding by nature, and ripples form on it; wood is solid in substance, and blossoms open on it: pattern rests on substance.
  43. Catkins Rising on the Wind: Xie Daoyun's Snow SimileLiu Yiqing (comp.)Better to liken it to willow catkins rising on the wind.
  44. A Fairyland in the Realm of Desire: Tao Hongjing's Mountain LetterTao HongjingThis is truly a fairyland in the realm of desire. Since the Duke of Kangle, no one has been able to share in its wonders.
  45. Water Poured on Level Ground Runs Every Way: Bao Zhao on FateBao ZhaoPour water on level ground and it flows off east, west, south and north. Human life too is ruled by fate; how can I sigh as I walk and grieve as I sit?
  46. Ascending the Dragon Gate: An Audience with Li YingFan YeAny scholar who was received by him was said to have ascended the Dragon Gate.
  47. What Does the Falling Snow Resemble? Xie An's Question to His FamilyLiu Yiqing (comp.)Suddenly the snow came down hard, and the Duke asked with delight: what does the swirling white snow resemble?
  48. Lotus Seeds Clear as Water: The Song of West IsletAnonymous (Southern Dynasties folk song)She bends her head to play with the lotus seeds; the lotus seeds are as clear as water.
  49. Marquis Cai's Paper: Cai Lun's Gift to WritingFan YeAnd so everyone under heaven called it Marquis Cai's paper.
  50. Shattering the Coral with an Iron Ruyi: Shi Chong's Contest of WealthLiu Yiqing (comp.)When Shi Chong had looked at it, he struck it with an iron ruyi, and it shattered at the blow.
  51. Heaven Dark and Earth YellowZhou XingsiHeaven is dark, earth is yellow; the universe is vast and primeval.
  52. The Universe Vast and PrimevalZhou XingsiHeaven is dark, earth is yellow; the universe is vast and primeval.

Tang

31 works

618–907

  1. One Man Holds the PassLi BaiThe Sword Pass towers high and steep; let one man hold it, and ten thousand cannot force it open.
  2. A True Friend Makes Distant Lands Feel NearWang BoAs long as there is a true friend within the four seas, the ends of the earth are like next door.
  3. No Ancients Before, No Successors AfterChen Zi'angBefore me I cannot see the ancients; after me I cannot see those to come.
  4. Three Visits Pressing for a Plan for the RealmDu FuThree visits, pressing him for a plan for the realm; through two reigns he founded and sustained, with an old minister's heart.
  5. The Endless Yangtze Rolling OnDu FuBoundless leaves fall rustling down; the endless Yangtze comes rolling on.
  6. Founding and Sustaining Two Reigns With a Veteran's HeartDu FuThree visits, pressing him for a plan for the realm; two reigns founded and sustained by an old minister's heart.
  7. The Charcoal Seller's Grizzled TemplesBai JuyiHis face is all dust and ash, the color of smoke and fire; his temples are gray, his ten fingers black.
  8. Clouds Recall Her Gown, Flowers Her FaceLi BaiClouds call to mind her robes, flowers her face; the spring wind brushes the railing, and the dew lies thick on the blossoms.
  9. Clouds and Rosy Mists Flickering Over Mount TianmuLi BaiThe people of Yue speak of Tianmu, which may be glimpsed as clouds and mists flicker bright and dim.
  10. What Shabbiness Could a Humble Room HaveLiu YuxiZhuge Liang's hut in Nanyang, Yang Xiong's pavilion in Western Shu. As Confucius said: what shabbiness is there?
  11. The Painted Beauties of the Six Palaces Lose Their ColorBai JuyiShe turned and smiled with a hundred charms, and the painted beauties of the six palaces lost their color.
  12. A Chill That Pierces Spirit and BoneLiu ZongyuanSitting by the pool, ringed by bamboo and trees, with no one about, I felt a chill in my spirit and bones, hushed, sad and deep.
  13. The Epang Palace Pitifully Burned to Scorched EarthDu MuThe garrison soldiers cried out, the Hangu Pass fell; one torch from Chu, and alas, all was scorched earth.
  14. Hills and Streams Show Off Their Skills to the Little HillLiu ZongyuanLooking out from it, the height of the hills, the drift of the clouds, the flow of the streams and the roaming of birds and beasts all joyfully showed off their skills and offered their arts beneath this hill.
  15. The Midnight Bell of Hanshan TempleZhang JiFrom Hanshan Temple outside the city of Gusu, the midnight bell reaches the traveler's boat.
  16. A Lone Plume of Smoke Over the Great DesertWang WeiOver the great desert a lone plume of smoke rises straight; above the long river the setting sun is round.
  17. Claiming There Are No Fine Horses in the WorldHan YuHe stands before it, whip in hand, and says: 'There are no good horses in the world!' Alas, are there truly no good horses? The truth is that he does not know horses.
  18. Good Rain Knows When to FallDu FuGood rain knows its season; when spring arrives, it comes to life.
  19. A Lone Sail Coming From Beside the SunLi BaiThe green hills on both banks step out to face each other; a lone sail comes from beside the sun.
  20. A Lone Sail's Fading Shadow on the BlueLi BaiThe lone sail's distant shadow vanishes into the blue sky; I see only the Yangtze flowing to the edge of heaven.
  21. Desolate Hills of Ba and Waters of ChuLiu YuxiIn the bleak lands of Ba's hills and Chu's waters, I have been cast aside for twenty-three years.
  22. Words Run Out but Grief Never EndsHan YuAlas! Words have their end, but feeling cannot be exhausted; do you know it, or do you not?
  23. Drawing the Sword and Looking Around at a LossLi BaiI stop my cup and throw down my chopsticks, unable to eat; I draw my sword and look all around, my heart at a loss.
  24. Boundless Falling Leaves Rustling DownDu FuBoundless trees shed their leaves, rustling down; the endless Yangtze comes rolling on.
  25. Swallows of the Old Wang and Xie HallsLiu YuxiThe swallows that nested before the halls of the Wangs and Xies of old now fly into the homes of common people.
  26. The Dead Are Gone Forever at ShihaoDu FuThe living barely survive, and the dead are gone forever!
  27. Riverside Maples and Fishermen's LanternsZhang JiThe moon sets, crows caw, and frost fills the sky; riverside maples and fishing lights face my sleepless sorrow.
  28. A Thousand Sails Pass the Sunken BoatLiu YuxiBeside the sunken boat a thousand sails go by; before the withered tree ten thousand trees are in spring.
  29. Venting and Guiding the People's Feelings Through SongBai JuyiThose above no longer used poems to examine their government, and those below no longer used songs to vent and guide their feelings.
  30. Fishing Boats Singing Home at DuskWang BoFishing boats sing in the evening, their songs reaching the farthest shores of Pengli.
  31. Rolling Up the Books in Wild DelightDu FuCarelessly I roll up my books and poems, wild with joy.