坐看云起时

坐看雲起時

zuòkànyúnqǐshí

phrase

Meanings

1 to sit and watch the clouds rise
2 serene acceptance of whatever life brings
3 lit. sit and watch the time when clouds rise up

Characters

Examples

退休之后，他过上了行到水穷处，坐看云起时的日子。

Tuìxiū zhīhòu, tā guòshàng le xíng dào shuǐ qióng chù, zuò kàn yún qǐ shí de rìzi.

After retiring, he lived the life of "walking to where the stream ends, sitting to watch the clouds rise".

人生遇到瓶颈，不如学学坐看云起时的豁达。

Rénshēng yùdào píngjǐng, bùrú xuéxué zuò kàn yún qǐ shí de huòdá.

When life hits a wall, better to learn the open-minded ease of "sit and watch the clouds rise".

Tips

history

From Wang Wei's (王维, Tang dynasty) 《终南别业》: 行到水穷处，坐看云起时 — 'I walk to where the stream ends, and sit to watch the clouds rise up.' Buddhist-tinged Zen quietism: when the path of action runs out, sit and observe the next thing arising. One of the most quoted couplets in Chinese literary culture.

usage

Almost invariably quoted with its first line 行到水穷处. Used in modern Chinese as a shorthand for philosophical calm in the face of dead ends.

Stroke Order

坐 zuò

看 kàn

云 yún

起 qǐ

时 shí