Proverbs on Philosophies

All proverbs contain philosophies. "Proverbs on Philosophies" reflect people's basic way of thinking and experiences, and represent the unfocused, unoriented and universal philosophies through abstract generalization and integration of diverse phenomena.

Some of proverbs convey explicit ideas, such as "With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can't take a step". Whereas some of them signify implicit ideas such as "If there is an entrance, there must be an exit."

"The Niangguo dukou canoes (a kind of canoe on Yariung Zangbo River ) are made of wood, and the canoe maker knows the exact amount of wood a canoe needs."---- Tibetan Proverb

"Shadow puppets can't move on its own and there are puppeteers behind the curtain."---- Hubei Proverb

"High as the clouds are, they are always behind the sun."---- Guangdong Proverb

Proverbs on Self-Cultivation

This kind of proverbs reflect the basic experience and ways of self-cultivaition among different classes in the society and cover a lot of aspects, such as the cultivation of wills, virtues, wisdoms and behaviors, etc..

For instance, "One can see the bottom of an ocean when it runs dry , but can never see clearly a man's heart when he dies." Yielding to others does not mean weakness; self- possession outweighs others' strength."

"If you want to have people's mind changed, the best way is to go and have a visit at Zhurong (Chinese fire god) Mountains."---- Hunan Proverb

Proverbs on Sociality

This kind of proverbs reflect the basic experience and ways of communications among communities and individuals from all walks of life and cover a wide range of areas, such as making friends, ways of handling different matters, ways of speaking and conversing and abilities to handle emergencies.

For instance, "short accounts make long friendship." "Kind words make one feel warm even in harsh winter, while unpleasant talking makes one feel cold in midsummer."

"Great trees are good for shade."---- Guangdong Proverb

Proverbs on Politics

This kind of proverbs reflect basic political experience and laws, and cover a lot of aspects, such as states, nations, politics, laws, and armies, wealth, poverty, enemies, friends and social practices.

For instance, "Subjects will support a just and fair country and people will be easy under the leadership of incorruptible rulers."

"Strengthening the military overawes the public and wiping out the evil consolidates a country. "

"Without a leader, a flock of wild geese cannot fly in a line."---- Fujian Proverb

"The people are the foundation of the state; the state will be stable if the foundation is firm."

"A family without family rules will break up, while a state without state laws will be in chaos. "

"A board following the thread will be cut straight, and a man taking good advice will be just and fair. "

"Man follows the times, and water flows with the tides. "

"Better keep the soldiers idle for a hundred years, than to find them absent for one day. "

"A tree cannot grow without its root and a flower cannot bloom without its centercore. "

Proverbs on Life

This kind of proverbs reflect the basic experience and laws in people's daily lives, and it cover many aspects, such as clothing, food, accommodation, transportation, birth, aging, illness and death, etc. .
For example, "Don't be picky about what you wear and eat, be it square or round."

"Smiles make one younger; worries make one older."

"Man lives by the soil for a whole life and the soil buries him only one time. "---- Shanxi Proverb

"Spring is the best time to visit Tiantai Mountain and autumn is the best time to visit Yandang Mountain. "---- Zhejiang Proverb

Proverbs on Household

This kind of proverbs reflect the basic experience and laws of people's family life and cover many aspects, such as housekeeping, families, child raising, getting along with neighbors, etc..

For example, "Salt is the best of all seasonings; mother is the dearest one in the world."

"No one knows a man better than his own father does."

"Sending your children to school is better than keeping loads of gold."---- Zhejiang Proverb

Proverbs on Social Customs

All proverbs come from "natural conditions and social customs". This kind or proverbs reflect the special local conditions and customs, and cover many aspects such as local customs, local conditions, local lifestyles, religious beliefs, etc..

For instance, "Live in Yangzhou, tour in Hangzhou, eat in Suzhou and bury in Liuzhou."

"Jilin boasts three special treasures: ginseng, marten skin and wula grass."

"Within the 800-li-width of Taihu Lke, there are 72 mountains."---- Jiangsu Proverb

"The highest snow mountain is the Chomolungma and the oldest palace is Yumbulakhang Palace."----Tibetan Proverb

"The first day of lunar New Year is less ceremonious than the Lantern Festival."---- Jiangsu Proverb

"Dongting Lake is the lake of all lakes and Yueyang Tower is the tower of all towers."---- Hunan Proverb

Proverbs on Nature

This kind of proverbs reflect the objective laws of natural phenomena and their relations with human beings and cover many aspects, such as astronomical phenomena, weather, seasons, disasters, etc..
For example, "Snowing on the Lantern Festival signifies a bumper harvest the whole year."

"If the stone becomes wet, it is likely to rain heavily."

"Tides bring wind and rainbow stops rains." ---- Guangdong Proverb

Proverbs on Farming and Sideline

This kind of proverbs reflect the experience and laws of farming, and cover many aspects, such as farming, forestry, animal husbandry, sideline production and fishery and hunting, etc..

For example, "Of all trades, agriculture is of the greatest importance."

"People cultivate trees when there is no disaster, and live on trees when there is a disaster."

"A bumper harvest of grain in Suzhou and Changzhou sustains the whole society." ---- Jiangsu Proverb

"The sheep will be full 9 times a day when they eat gritty grass." ---- Ningxia Proverb

Proverbs on Trades and Business

This kind of proverbs reflect the experience and laws of different trades and business, and cover many aspects, such as selling, buying, trades, crafts, goods transportation, money loan and pawn, etc..For example,

"Large costs with small profits can make large returns; small costs with big profits can only make small returns ."

"Carpenters often prefer long materials, blacksmiths choose short iron and mason and painter seek dirty materials."

The stonemason's tool is a hammer and the blacksmith's one is a hammering block.----Hunan Proverb

Proverbs on Culture and Education

This kind of proverbs reflect the experience and laws Jot culture and education and over many aspects, such as I ducation, literature, arts, and sports ,etc..For example,
"Literature adds glory to a state and poetry and rituals add legacy to a household."

"The trick of storytelling is in the plot-joints, and the magic of theater performance is in sleeves."

While there are 300 followers listening to the Taoist teachings in the monastery, there are 1000 students studying in the academy of classical learning.----Hunan Proverb

High stilts won't hurt, a bowed back will.----Shanxi Proverb