只缘身在此山中

只緣身在此山中

zhǐyuánshēnzàicǐshānzhōng

phrase

Meanings

1 only because one is inside this very mountain
2 can't see the true shape because you're inside it — can't see the forest for the trees

Characters

because of (classical)

Examples

当局者迷，只缘身在此山中。

Dāngjúzhě mí, zhǐ yuán shēn zài cǐ shān zhōng.

Those in the thick of things are lost, only because they are inside the mountain itself.

他看不清公司的问题，只缘身在此山中。

Tā kànbuqīng gōngsī de wèntí, zhǐ yuán shēn zài cǐ shān zhōng.

He can't see the company's problems clearly — only because he's inside the mountain.

Tips

history

From Su Shi 苏轼's Song dynasty poem 《题西林壁》: ‘不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。’ (I cannot know Mount Lu's true face, only because I am inside this mountain.) A meditation on perspective: to see something clearly you must step outside it.

usage

Always paired with the preceding line 不识庐山真面目. 缘 here = ‘because / due to’ (classical), not ‘fate.’

Stroke Order

只 zhǐ

缘 yuán

身 shēn

在 zài

此 cǐ

山 shān

中 zhōng