Sayings · LT905

Aphorisms

Immortal maxims, inspirational epigrams, and ethical golden verses.

710works

11dynasties

185authors

Tang

100 works

618–907

  1. Homesick on the Misty River WavesCui HaoThe sun is setting: where is my homeland? Mist on the river waves fills me with sorrow.
  2. Down to Yangzhou in the Misty Blossoms of the Third MonthLi BaiMy old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower in the west and goes down to Yangzhou in the third month of misty blossoms.
  3. Clutching Coats and Stamping Feet at Xianyang BridgeDu FuThey clutch at clothes, stamp their feet and block the road weeping; the sound of their crying rises straight to the clouds.
  4. Banks Jagged Like a Dog's TeethLiu ZongyuanIts banks interlock, jagged like a dog's teeth, and its source cannot be known.
  5. Fishing Alone in the Snow on a Cold RiverLiu ZongyuanIn a lone boat an old man in straw cape and bamboo hat fishes alone in the snow on the cold river.
  6. Ten Thousand Trees in Spring Before the Withered OneLiu YuxiBeside the sunken ship a thousand sails go by; before the ailing tree ten thousand trees are in spring.
  7. Homes Where the White Clouds RiseDu MuFar up the cold mountain the stone path slants; where the white clouds rise there are homes.
  8. A Lifetime of Illness, Climbing the Heights AloneDu FuTen thousand li from home, in mournful autumn, forever a guest; a lifetime of illness, I climb the terrace alone.
  9. Hoisting a Cloud-High Sail Across the Vast SeaLi BaiThe time will come to ride the long wind and break the waves; then I will hoist my cloud-high sail and cross the vast sea.
  10. Prose Worthy of the Penglai LibraryLi BaiPenglai prose and the backbone of Jian'an, with the fresh brilliance of the Lesser Xie in between.
  11. The Road to Shu, Harder Than Climbing to HeavenLi BaiAh, how perilous, how high! The road to Shu is harder than climbing the blue sky!
  12. Until the Candle Burns to AshLi ShangyinThe spring silkworm spins until it dies; the candle's tears dry only when it burns to ash.
  13. Poetry to Mend and Inspect the GovernmentBai JuyiThose above no longer used poetry to mend and inspect the government, and those below no longer used songs to release the people's feelings.
  14. Going West Beyond Yang PassWang WeiDrink one more cup of wine, my friend; west of Yang Pass you will have no old friends.
  15. Everyone Wears Dogwood but OneWang WeiI know that where my brothers climb the heights, all wearing dogwood, there is one person missing.
  16. The Round Sun Setting over the Long RiverWang WeiOn the vast desert a lone column of smoke rises straight; over the long river the setting sun is round.
  17. Wild Geese Crying in the Autumn ChillWang BoFishing boats sing at dusk, their songs reaching the shores of Pengli; geese in formation, startled by the cold, cry until their voices fade at the banks of Hengyang.
  18. Never Abandoning Aspirations as High as the CloudsWang BoIn old age be ever more vigorous; how could white hair change one's heart? In hardship be ever firmer, never letting fall one's aspirations to the blue clouds.
  19. With Spring as Companion on the Road HomeDu FuBy day I sing aloud and must drink deep; with green spring as my companion, it is good to go home.
  20. Follow the Tree's Own NatureLiu ZongyuanI cannot make trees live long and multiply; I can only follow the tree's own nature so that it fulfils itself.
  21. The Lushan Waterfall Plunges Straight DownLi BaiThe torrent flies straight down three thousand feet; I wonder if the Milky Way has fallen from the ninth heaven.
  22. From Mount Tai's Summit All Other Peaks Look SmallDu FuOne day I shall stand upon the highest peak and see at a glance how small all other mountains are.
  23. Sorrow of Ten Thousand Ages Drowned in WineLi BaiCall the boy to take them out and trade them for fine wine, and with you I will dissolve the sorrows of ten thousand ages.
  24. No Damming, No Flow; No Halting, No AdvanceHan YuThen what is to be done? I say: without damming, there is no flow; without halting, there is no advance.
  25. No Northern Horsemen Shall Cross the Yin MountainsWang ChanglingIf only the Flying General of Dragon City were here, no northern horseman would be allowed to cross the Yin Mountains.
  26. They Simply Do Not Know Horses: Han Yu on TalentHan YuAlas! Are there truly no good horses? The truth is they simply do not know horses!
  27. Merging Silently with All Creation on Western HillLiu ZongyuanMy mind was stilled and my body released, and I merged silently with all creation.
  28. When Life Goes Well, Enjoy It to the Full: Li Bai's ToastLi BaiWhen life goes well, enjoy it to the full; never let the golden cup stand empty to the moon.
  29. Dying Before the Campaign Could Triumph: Du Fu on Zhuge LiangDu FuHe led his army out but died before victory; ever since, heroes weep until their robes are soaked.
  30. One More Cup Before You Go West: Wang Wei's FarewellWang WeiLet me urge you, drink one more cup of wine; west of Yang Pass you will find no old friends.
  31. Coming Out Only After a Thousand CallsBai JuyiOnly after a thousand calls did she come out, still holding the pipa to half hide her face.
  32. Birds Gone from a Thousand Snowy PeaksLiu ZongyuanOver a thousand mountains the birds have flown away; on ten thousand paths no footprint remains.
  33. Back to Jiangling in a Single DayLi BaiAt dawn I left Baidi among the colored clouds; a thousand li to Jiangling, and back within a day.
  34. Spent Fortunes Will Return AgainLi BaiHeaven made my talent, and it will be put to use; scatter a thousand in gold and it will all come back.
  35. Loving All Widely Is Called BenevolenceHan YuLoving broadly is called benevolence; acting fittingly is called righteousness; the path that follows from them is called the Way; being sufficient in oneself without depending on externals is called virtue.
  36. Fellow Wanderers Fallen at the Ends of the EarthBai JuyiWe are both wanderers fallen on hard times at the ends of the earth; meeting now, why must we have known each other before!
  37. The Realm Lies Broken, Yet Hills and Rivers EndureDu FuThe state is broken, yet mountains and rivers remain; spring comes to the city, and grass and trees grow deep.
  38. Sages Keep No Single TeacherHan YuThe sage has no fixed teacher.
  39. Shelter for All the Poor Scholars Under HeavenDu FuIf only I had ten million spacious halls, to shelter all the poor scholars under heaven and make their faces glad!
  40. Pearls Great and Small Falling on a Jade PlateBai JuyiHeavy and light notes played in a tangle, like pearls great and small falling onto a jade plate.
  41. Even the Ends of the Earth Feel Like Next DoorWang BoWithin the four seas I have a true friend; the ends of the earth are like next door.
  42. Heaven Gave Me Talent for a PurposeLi BaiHeaven made my talent, and it will surely find its use; scatter a thousand in gold and it will all come back.
  43. Holding One City to Shield the EmpireHan YuThey held one city and shielded the empire; with a few hundred or thousand men on the point of death they fought a host of a million that grew by the day, screened the Yangtze and Huai, and checked the enemy's advance. That the empire did not fall, whose achievement was it?
  44. Steady as a Mountain Through Wind and RainDu FuUnmoved by wind and rain, steady as a mountain.
  45. If Only There Were Ten Million Spacious HallsDu FuIf only I had ten million spacious halls, to shelter all the poor scholars under heaven and make their faces glad!
  46. My Shadow Makes Us ThreeLi BaiI raise my cup to invite the bright moon; with my shadow we make three.
  47. Into the Homes of Ordinary FolkLiu YuxiThe swallows that once nested before the halls of the Wangs and Xies now fly into the homes of ordinary folk.
  48. A Hill Need Not Be High If an Immortal Dwells ThereLiu YuxiA hill need not be high; if an immortal lives there it is famous. Water need not be deep; if a dragon dwells there it is sacred.
  49. Already Lost in Wistful ConfusionLi ShangyinMust this feeling wait to become a memory? Even then, at the time, I was already lost.
  50. No Unlettered Callers at My DoorLiu YuxiAmong those who talk and laugh here are great scholars; among those who come and go, none is unlettered.
  51. Fearing Cheap Charcoal, He Wishes the Weather ColderBai JuyiPitiful: the clothes on his back are thin, yet fearing charcoal will be cheap, he wishes the weather colder!
  52. Foolish Brook of YongzhouLiu ZongyuanIn ancient times there was the Valley of the Foolish Old Man; now I have made my home by this stream, whose name no one could settle and over which the locals still argued. It had to be changed, so I changed it to Foolish Brook.
  53. Grieving the Times, Tears Fall on the FlowersDu FuGrieving the times, tears splash on the flowers; hating parting, the birds startle my heart.
  54. Over Wine We Talk of Mulberry and HempMeng HaoranWe open the window to face the threshing floor and garden, and over wine we talk of mulberry and hemp.
  55. Writing Should Be Composed for Its Own TimesBai JuyiOnly then did I understand that prose should be written for its times, and poems composed for real events.
  56. Bright Moonlight Shining Down Through the PinesWang WeiThe bright moon shines among the pines; the clear spring flows over the stones.
  57. Sleeping Through the Spring Dawn UnawaresMeng HaoranSleeping in spring, I did not notice the dawn; everywhere I hear the birds singing.
  58. Grass That Springs Up Again in the Spring WindBai JuyiWildfire cannot burn it all away; when the spring wind blows, it grows again.
  59. Each Craft and Field of Learning Has Its MastersHan YuSome grasp the Way sooner, some later; each has a field of mastery; that is all there is to it.
  60. A Pause in the Music More Moving Than SoundBai JuyiA different kind of hidden sorrow and secret grief arose; at that moment silence was better than sound.
  61. Missing One's Family Twice as Much on Every FestivalWang WeiAlone in a strange land, a stranger, on every festival I miss my family twice as much.
  62. Lovebirds Flying Wing to Wing in HeavenBai JuyiIn heaven, may we be two birds flying wing to wing; on earth, two trees with branches grown together.
  63. A True Friend Somewhere Within the Four SeasWang BoIf within the four seas you have a true friend, the ends of the earth are like next door.
  64. Spring Rain Moistening All Things Without a SoundDu FuIt steals in with the wind at night, moistening all things finely, without a sound.
  65. Clear Spring Water Flowing Over the Mountain StonesWang WeiThe bright moon shines among the pines; the clear spring flows over the stones.
  66. Like the Woodcutter Whose Axe Handle Rotted AwayLiu YuxiRecalling old friends, I chant in vain the flute rhapsody; coming home, I am like the man whose axe handle rotted.
  67. Still Half-Hiding Her Face Behind the PipaBai JuyiOnly after a thousand calls did she come out, still holding her pipa to hide half her face.
  68. The Bright Sun Sinking Behind the Western HillsWang ZhihuanThe bright sun sinks along the mountains; the Yellow River flows into the sea.
  69. Every Grain of the Meal on One's PlateLi ShenWho knows that of the meal on the plate, every single grain is hard labour?
  70. Hard It Is to Meet, and Harder Still to PartLi ShangyinHard it is to meet, and hard to part; the east wind has no strength and the hundred flowers fade.
  71. Lush Grass Spreading Across the Ancient PlainBai JuyiLush, lush, the grass upon the plain, withering and flourishing once every year.
  72. An Autumn Day Surpasses Any Spring MorningLiu YuxiSince ancient times, people meeting autumn have mourned its loneliness; I say an autumn day surpasses a spring morning.
  73. The Moon of Qin Above the Frontier Passes of HanWang ChanglingThe moon of Qin, the passes of Han; those who marched ten thousand li have not returned.
  74. Every Grain Is Hard-Won ToilLi ShenWho knows that of the food on the plate, every single grain is hard toil?
  75. Flowers Recall Her FaceLi BaiClouds call to mind her robes, flowers call to mind her face; the spring wind brushes the railing, and the dew lies thick and bright.
  76. How Many Blossoms Fell in the NightMeng HaoranLast night came the sound of wind and rain; who knows how many blossoms fell?
  77. The Light Boat Has Passed Ten Thousand PeaksLi BaiOn both banks the gibbons cry without ceasing, and my light boat has already passed ten thousand peaks.
  78. Branches Grown Together as OneBai JuyiIn heaven we would be birds flying wing to wing; on earth, two trees with branches grown as one.
  79. No Sun, They Say, Yet the Sun Is OutLiu YuxiThe sun comes out in the east while rain falls in the west; no sun, they say, and yet the sun is out.
  80. Wildfire Cannot Burn the Grass AwayBai JuyiWildfire cannot burn it all away; when the spring wind blows, it grows again.
  81. Hoeing the Fields Under the Noonday SunLi ShenHoeing the crops under the noonday sun, his sweat drips into the soil beneath them.
  82. Light and Shade Split Dusk from DawnDu FuNature gathered here all wonder and beauty; its north and south split dusk from dawn.
  83. Frost-Touched Leaves Redder Than Spring FlowersDu MuI stop my carriage, for I love the maple woods at dusk; the frost-touched leaves are redder than the flowers of spring.
  84. Dew Lies Thick and Bright on the PeoniesLi BaiClouds call to mind her robes, flowers call to mind her face; the spring wind brushes the railing, and the dew lies thick and bright.
  85. My Native Accent UnchangedHe ZhizhangI left home young and return old; my native accent has not changed, but the hair at my temples has thinned.
  86. Recover the Divine Land: Wang Dao Rebukes the Weeping ExilesFang Xuanling (comp.)We should join our strength for the royal house and recover the Divine Land; why sit weeping at one another like prisoners of Chu?
  87. Leaves Falling on Lake DongtingShangguan Wan'erWhen the leaves first fall on Lake Dongting, I think of you more than ten thousand li away.
  88. The Seventeenth of the Fourth Month: Wei Zhuang's Day of PartingWei ZhuangThe seventeenth of the fourth month: a year ago today I parted from you.
  89. Rotten Reins on a Racing Carriage: Wei Zheng's WarningWei ZhengWater carries the boat and overturns it; one must be deeply careful. Driving a racing carriage with rotten reins, how can one be careless!
  90. Little Hills Layered on the Screen: Wen Tingyun's Morning BoudoirWen TingyunLittle hills overlap, their gold glinting and fading; the cloud of hair at her temple would drift across the fragrant snow of her cheek.
  91. Holding the Centre of the RingSikong Tu (traditionally attributed)Go beyond the images and hold the centre of the ring.
  92. Curbing Extravagance with ThriftWei ZhengNot to think of danger in peace or check extravagance with thrift is like cutting the roots to make the tree flourish, or blocking the source to make the stream run long.
  93. Flowing East Day and Night Without RestYu XuanjiFlowing east day and night, with never a moment's rest.
  94. Warm Fragrance Coaxing Dreams Beneath Mandarin-Duck BrocadeWen TingyunBehind the crystal curtain, on the glass pillow, warm fragrance coaxes dreams beneath the mandarin-duck brocade.
  95. Moonset Over an Empty Brocade ScreenShangguan Wan'erThe dew is heavy and the scented quilt cold; the moon sets and the brocade screen stands empty.
  96. Wind in the Pines and the Moon on the WaterLi Shimin (Emperor Taizong of Tang)Wind in the pines and the moon on the water cannot match his purity and brilliance; immortal dew and bright pearls can hardly equal his clarity and lustre.
  97. Reeds Under Night Frost in the Land of WatersXue TaoIn the land of waters the reeds are frosted at night; the cold moon and the colour of the hills are both a misty grey.
  98. Washing One's Feet at Fusang Where the Sun RisesSikong Tu (traditionally attributed)At dawn I whip on the six great turtles and wash my feet at Fusang.
  99. Ape-Like Arms and a Born Archer: Young Liu CongFang Xuanling (comp.)At fifteen he learned to fight; with ape-like arms he shot superbly and drew a bow of three hundred jin.
  100. Buying Spring Wine in a Jade FlaskSikong Tu (traditionally attributed)With a jade flask I buy spring wine and watch the rain from a thatched hut.