Ancient Tombs Are Plowed To Become Fields, And Pines And Cypresses Are Broken To Become Firewood: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read “Ancient tombs are plowed to become fields, and pines and cypresses are broken to become firewood”

Kobo sukarete ta to nari, shōhaku kudakarete takigi to naru

Meaning of “Ancient tombs are plowed to become fields, and pines and cypresses are broken to become firewood”

This proverb means that even things that seem permanent will change over time and eventually disappear. Tombs are built with the hope they will last forever after death. Pines and cypresses are planted as symbols of permanence.

However, even the strongest tombs are eventually plowed and turned into fields. Trees that symbolize eternity are cut down and burned as firewood.

This proverb teaches us that even things humans create or natural things we think are eternal become powerless before time. Power, fame, wealth, and buildings that we believe will last forever change form and become something else in the long flow of time.

Today, we can feel this truth when we see the rise and fall of companies. We also see it when ruins of once-prosperous civilizations become farmland.

Origin and Etymology

This proverb is believed to come from ancient Chinese classics. “Ancient tombs” means old graves. “Plowed” means tilled with a plow. “Pines and cypresses” are evergreen trees planted in cemeteries. “Broken” means snapped and crushed.

In ancient China, pines and cypresses were almost always planted at burial sites. These trees stay green all year round. They symbolized eternal life and unchanging loyalty.

Powerful people built magnificent tombs and planted pines and cypresses there. They hoped their names would remain forever.

But in reality, even the grandest tombs are forgotten over time. Eventually, farmers plow them with their tools and turn them into fields. The pines and cypresses that were supposed to symbolize eternity are cut down for firewood.

This expression connects deeply with the Buddhist concept of impermanence. No matter how much power or wealth you have, everything changes. The proverb uses tombs as an example because they are places where people most desire permanence. This makes the message even more powerful.

It contrasts the fragility of human endeavors with the overwhelming power of time. This proverb contains deep insight into the nature of existence.

Usage Examples

• That big company went bankrupt. It’s truly “Ancient tombs are plowed to become fields, and pines and cypresses are broken to become firewood.”
• When I see the site of a once-glorious dynasty now turned into farmland, I remember “Ancient tombs are plowed to become fields, and pines and cypresses are broken to become firewood.”

Universal Wisdom

This proverb has been passed down because humans instinctively seek “eternity.” We want to leave our names behind. We want to pass what we created to future generations. We want memories with loved ones to last forever.

When powerful people built huge tombs and planted evergreen trees there, they were expressing exactly this wish.

But no matter how much we wish, everything changes. Accepting this reality is one of the most difficult challenges for humans. That’s why our ancestors tried to convey this truth through this proverb.

What’s interesting is that this proverb doesn’t simply preach nihilism. When a tomb becomes a field, death transforms into a place that nurtures new life. Pines and cypresses that become firewood warm people and cook their meals.

In other words, disappearance is also transformation and the creation of new value.

Humans seek eternity, yet we actually live within change. This proverb sees through this contradictory nature of humanity. It teaches us wisdom to accept change as natural law rather than fear it.

This insight that people reached thousands of years ago still resonates deeply in our hearts today.

When AI Hears This

The phenomenon of tombs and pine trees in “ordered states” changing into fields and firewood in “disordered states” is a perfect example of the law of entropy increase that governs the entire universe. Entropy is a physical quantity representing “the degree of disorder.” In the universe, this value can only move in the direction of increase.

What’s noteworthy is that building tombs and growing pines are actually acts that go against the natural flow. To build a tomb by stacking stones, you need to gather scattered stones in one place and create order. This is an act that locally decreases entropy.

However, according to the second law of thermodynamics, if left alone, things will inevitably return to their original disordered state. In other words, tombs crumbling and becoming farmland is not something that “might happen” but something that “must happen.”

Even more interesting is that to resist this law, you must continuously pour in energy. Maintaining a tomb requires regular care. The moment you stop, decay begins. Human civilization and authority are the same. Unless you keep paying maintenance costs, physical laws will mercilessly dismantle them.

This proverb goes beyond the psychological lesson that human endeavors are fleeting before the absolute power of time. It actually describes the physical laws of the universe itself.

Order is temporary, and disorder is the universe’s final destination. Ancient people saw through this scientific truth through experience.

Lessons for Today

What this proverb teaches modern people is the courage to let go of attachment. What you’re desperately trying to protect right now, what you believe will last forever—is it really unchangeable?

Your position at work, the relationships you’ve built, the achievements you’ve accumulated. These are certainly important. But if you cling to them too tightly, you’ll suffer when waves of change come. When your company changes direction or your environment shifts, you won’t be able to respond flexibly.

Instead, by living with the premise that everything changes, you become free. You cherish what you have now while not fearing when it changes form. This kind of mental flexibility enriches your life.

Just as old tombs becoming fields nurture new life, in your life too, something ending might be a signal for a new beginning. Accept change not as an enemy but as a chance for growth.

Having this flexible mindset is the most valuable message this proverb gives to those of us living in modern times.