Proverbs are generally defined as short, sometimes unique sayings that

carry a form of wisdom, truth, moral, and traditional values said in a metaphorical,
memorable way and is handed down from generation to generation. The different
parts of the world have their own proverbs that in some way represents the culture of
the particular nation. Proverbs come from a variety of sources, some are the product
of the pondering and crafting of the people of history like Confucius and Plato. Others
are taken from poetry, stories and songs.
The Chinese have a plethora of proverbs that range from education,
family, love and life. The history of education in China can be tracked back to the 16th
century B.C. In ancient times, learning Confucius was the most efficient way to gain a
higher status through higher education for normal people.from the Han dynasty to
modern times, education has been crucially important to the Chinese. Therefore, it’s
no surprise that the Mandarin language has a variety of proverbs that center around
education. For example, “Studying is like climbing a mountain.”. This means that
education requires perseverance and hard work. The proverb tells people to not give
up. Another example, is “One cannot become become useful without being educated.”.
This proverb stresses the importance of education and how it helps people contribute
back to the world around them. Aside from that, the proverb “To learn is to know
one’s ignorance.” teaches that through education and knowledge we learn the depth of
our misunderstandings and obliviousness and through that we earn a greater sense of
understanding and respect for other people and cultures. The proverb also speaks of a
thirst of knowledge in an effort to lessen our own ignorance.
Chinese people place attach great importance to family because they
believe that family is the foundation of society, and that whatever a person goes
through in life, their family will always be there as pillars of support, comfort and aid.
What’s more, the Chinese believe that a harmonious family is the foundation of
success and well-being, while a estranged, troubled family will make achieving
success and happiness more difficult. As a result, their familial values and beliefs are
represented through their proverbs. For example, the proverb “Cherish a bad broom as
if it were a thousand ounces of gold.” means that we have to embrace all our family
members, even the ones we quarrel and disagree with because they are our flesh and
blood. This proverb emphasizes the importance of maintaining familial ties regardless
of arguments or past grievances. In addition, the proverb “One can’t tell the cost of
the fuel and rice without being the head of the family.” talks about the responsibility
placed on the head of the family to provide for the members under their care. It also
invokes a greater sense of respect for the burdens that the head of the family must
endure in order to be prudent and economical when managing their family’s expenses.
As it is one of the most powerful human emotions, appearing multiple
times in stories, songs, art and poetry. there is a wide array of proverbs about love.
This is no less true for Chinese proverbs. For example, the proverb “In heaven we
shall be birds flying side by side, and on earth we shall be twinned trunks flowering
springs on the same branch. This proverb speaks of the eternal nature of love in both
the mortal and immortal realms. Aside from that, the proverb “Beauty is in the eye of
the beholder.” means that love is blind, and that love allows for a greater depth of
perception of allure and attraction that has nothing to do with physical appeal. Finally,
“Love the house,also the crow.” means that when you love someone, you learn to love
the things that the person you love is associated with. This proverb shows we have to
accept the person we love whether for good or bad.
The wisdom of Chinese traditional proverbs is reflected not only through
the material civilization, but also through the spiritual civilization. Life awards us
with new creations, achievements, discoveries and advancements. Through
experience and ruminations come proverbs about making our way through life and
facing and overcoming the obstacles that challenge us. For example, the proverb “One
meal won’t make a fat man.” means that we must not get too overconfident with one
achievement. There are no such things as instant benefits, you cannot build up a
constitution with just one mouthful. True success comes from continuously trying
new things and working hard towards new goals. We must have a deep understanding
of both numerous failures and successes. Another proverb is “Just as distance tests a
horse’s strength, time can reveal a person’s heart. “. This means that time tells all. We
should not give immediate assertions to anything, we should be patient and allow our
cognition and opinion to grow over time. Aside from that, the proverb “It takes more
than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep.” means that we should not
give up when faced with difficulties or failures. We should be determined and keep
working hard to achieve our goals. Long -term effort will yield its rewards.
Friendships are important to everyone. By having and valuing the friends
in our lives, we become happier, less lonely, more well-rounded people. The proverbs
about friendship are too numerous to count or recall, but the Chinese have a select few
that contain a deep resonance . For example, the proverb “Friendship, knowledge and
food are the three most valuable things in the world.” displays the importance the
Chinese place on friendship. This proverb reminds us that friends are a priority in our
lives and have to be regarded as such. Aside from that, the proverb “Only when the
year grows cold do we see the pine and cypresses are the last to fade.” shows us that
in times of trouble and strife our true friends will stand by us. Finally, “Just as a fence
has to be built with pegs, an able person needs the help of three others.” means that
we should work together with our friends to achieve our goals, as teamwork will
make the work easier and more efficient.
Proverbs are a place of wisdom and culture. They transcend barriers of
race, religion and gender and they resonate across the globe and they impart
knowledge and advice. The have been passed on through history, generation after
generation, and will continue to do so for many lifetimes to come.