From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak;
far, near, high, low, no two parts alike.
Why can't I tell the true shape of Lu-shan?
Because I myself am in the mountain.

横看成岭侧成峰，远近高低各不同。
不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。

Original text (Chinese)

Notes from Wikiquote

"Written on the Wall at West Forest Temple" (《题西林壁》) (1084), in Selected Poems of Su Tung-p'o, trans. Burton Watson (Port Townsend, Wash.: Copper Canyon Press, 1994), p. 108

More quotes by Su Shi

For ten long years the living of the dead knows nought.
Though to my mind not brought,
Could the dead be forgot?

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Sources of Chinese Tradition: From Earliest Times to 1600 (1999)

The brimming waves delight the eye on sunny days;
The dimming hills give a rare view in rainy haze.
The West Lake looks like the fair lady at her best
Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed.

Families when a child is born
Hope it will turn out intelligent.
I, through intelligence
Having wrecked my whole life,
Only hope that the baby will prove
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Then he'll be happy all his days
And grow into a cabinet minister.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Su Shi (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.

From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak;far, near, high, low, no two parts alike.Why can't I tell the true shape of Lu-shan?Because I myself am in the mountain.

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Notes from Wikiquote

More quotes by Su Shi

Attribution

From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak;
far, near, high, low, no two parts alike.
Why can't I tell the true shape of Lu-shan?
Because I myself am in the mountain.