春有百花秋有月

chūnyǒubǎihuāqiūyǒuyuè

phrase

Meanings

1 spring has its hundred flowers, autumn has its moon
2 (fig.) every season brings its own grace — wanting nothing else is itself freedom
3 (lit.) spring has hundred-flowers, autumn has moon

Characters

flower (百花 = hundreds of flowers)

moon (autumn moon = Mid-Autumn)

Examples

春有百花秋有月，每个季节都值得享受。

Chūn yǒu bǎi huā qiū yǒu yuè, měi gè jìjié dōu zhídé xiǎngshòu.

'Spring has hundred flowers, autumn has moon' — every season is worth savoring.

师父开导弟子：春有百花秋有月，不必执着于一时一事。

Shīfu kāidǎo dìzǐ: chūn yǒu bǎi huā qiū yǒu yuè, bùbì zhízhuó yú yī shí yī shì.

The master counseled his disciple: 'spring has flowers, autumn moon — don't cling to one moment, one matter.'

Tips

history

From 无门慧开《颂》(Wumen Huikai, Song dynasty Chan master, 13th c.), a verse in his koan collection 《无门关》(The Gateless Barrier): 春有百花秋有月，夏有凉风冬有雪。若无闲事挂心头，便是人间好时节 (Spring has hundred flowers, autumn has the moon; summer has cool breeze, winter has snow. If no idle matters burden the mind, then every season of this world is the best). Quoted universally as a Chan/Zen teaching on present-moment contentment; influential on Japanese zen and haiku.

usage

Always part of a four-line verse — usually recited with 若无闲事挂心头，便是人间好时节 as the moral punchline. The four season images parallel each other and should be read as one unit.

Stroke Order

春 chūn

有 yǒu

百 bǎi

花 huā

秋 qiū

月 yuè