Chinese saying that praises individualism

Chinese saying that praises individualism
Jan 20, 2008 03:39
guesttom	It is said that China is a colletivist society. It also praises individualism. I have learnt several Chinese saying that praises individualism: 人不为己，天诛地灭 ren（2）bu(4) wei(4) ji (3), tian(1）zhu(2) di(4) mie(4): It means: Unless a man looks out for himself, Heaven and Earth will destroy him. This is a literary translation. To put it in another way: everyone for himself and let the devil take the hindermost. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. Look after number one. This saying is a stament about the egoism.Another saying that praises individualism is：　个人自扫门前雪，莫管他家瓦上霜。 Ge(4) ren(2) zi(4) sao(3) men(2) qian(2) xue(3), mo(3) guan(3) ta(1) ren(2) wa(3) shang(4) shuang(1). It means: Each one sweeps the snow from his own doorstep and doesn't bother about the frost on his neighbor's roof--for every individual to keep within his own province, refraining from encroaching upon others. （To hoe one's own row. Let every man skin his own skunk.)

Jan 20, 2008 03:39

guesttom

It is said that China is a colletivist society. It also praises individualism. I have learnt several Chinese saying that praises individualism:
人不为己，天诛地灭 ren（2）bu(4) wei(4) ji (3), tian(1）zhu(2) di(4) mie(4):

It means:
Unless a man looks out for himself, Heaven and Earth will destroy him.
This is a literary translation.

To put it in another way: everyone for himself and let the devil take the hindermost. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. Look after number one.

This saying is a stament about the egoism.Another saying that praises individualism is：　个人自扫门前雪，莫管他家瓦上霜。 Ge(4) ren(2) zi(4) sao(3) men(2) qian(2) xue(3), mo(3) guan(3) ta(1) ren(2) wa(3) shang(4) shuang(1).

It means:
Each one sweeps the snow from his own doorstep and doesn't bother about the frost on his neighbor's roof--for every individual to keep within his own province, refraining from encroaching upon others. （To hoe one's own row. Let every man skin his own skunk.)

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