How to Read “The wise enjoy water”
ちしゃはみずをたのしむ
Meaning of “The wise enjoy water”
This proverb means that wise people prefer qualities that are flexible and full of change, just like water. Water never stays in one form. It changes shape according to its container and adjusts its movement according to the flow.
Wise people are the same way. They can flexibly change their thinking and actions according to the situation.
People use this proverb when praising someone who can respond flexibly without being trapped by fixed ideas. It’s also used when you want to convey the importance of adapting to new situations without fearing change.
It expresses the wisdom of a way of life that moves forward steadily while going with the flow, just like water. Even in modern society, this flexibility and adaptability are understood as very important qualities.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from words spoken by Confucius in the ancient Chinese classic “Analects,” specifically in the chapter “Yongye, Chapter Six.” In the original text, it forms a parallel phrase: “The wise enjoy water, the benevolent enjoy mountains.”
Behind Confucius’s words was a deep connection between views of nature and humanity in Chinese thought at the time. Water constantly flows, changes form, detours around obstacles, and naturally flows to lower places.
These qualities of water seemed to overlap with the flexible thinking and adaptability of wise people.
Meanwhile, mountains don’t move and stand firmly in place. Confucius compared this to the stable heart of a benevolent person. Through this contrast, he brilliantly expressed two ideal human types—the wise and the benevolent—by borrowing images from nature.
Chinese classics were introduced to Japan long ago, and this saying spread along with Confucian thought. Especially during the Edo period, the “Analects” was valued as essential learning for samurai.
This passage became known to many people. For Japanese people, who had a deep culture of appreciating water, this teaching may have been naturally accepted.
Usage Examples
- Just as “The wise enjoy water” suggests, she quickly adapts to new environments and thrives
- They say “The wise enjoy water,” so let’s not stick to one method and think flexibly instead
Universal Wisdom
Why have humans connected “wisdom” and “flexibility” throughout history? It’s because humanity has learned over time that true wisdom isn’t about the amount of knowledge, but how you use it.
Hard wood breaks in strong winds, but flexible trees like willows sway in the wind without falling. Similarly, people who cling to their own ideas can’t cope when facing unexpected changes, and their spirits break.
However, people with flexible hearts like water can find their own path in any situation.
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years because humans must constantly face change. Seasons cycle, eras shift, and unpredictable events keep coming in life.
Our ancestors realized that what we need to survive isn’t stubbornness, but flexibility.
Water never insists on its own shape. It becomes round in a round container and square in a square container. But this isn’t weakness.
Rather, it’s the strength to continue existing in any situation without losing your essence. True wisdom might be accepting change while maintaining your core self.
When AI Hears This
Water changes shape according to its container because molecular bonds are weak and freedom is high. In other words, water can handle any situation by “not having a fixed form.” Wise thinking is the same—without the “form” of fixed ideas, you can find optimal answers for each problem.
What’s more interesting is how water flows. When flowing slowly, it’s called laminar flow and moves in an orderly way. When speed increases, it becomes turbulent flow and creates complex eddies.
Calculated by the Reynolds number, water switches between these two depending on the situation. Wise thinking is similar, switching between thinking logically step-by-step and freely leaping between ideas depending on circumstances.
From an information theory perspective, high entropy states—states with diverse possibilities—can actually transmit information more efficiently. At the molecular level, water has countless possible arrangements and exists in a high-entropy state.
Wise people are similar. Because they maintain diverse options in their minds, they can quickly select the optimal solution the moment situations change. People who “haven’t decided yet” can make more accurate judgments than those who fixate on one answer.
Lessons for Today
For those of us living today, this proverb teaches “the courage not to fear change.” Technology evolves daily, and work styles and values are rapidly changing. In such times, yesterday’s correct answer may not work today.
What’s important is not treating your own methods and ideas as absolute. Like water, have the flexibility to change form according to the situation.
Try new tools when they appear, listen to different opinions, and think of alternative methods when you fail. These small accumulations of flexibility will help you grow.
However, this doesn’t mean you should just go with any flow. Water changes form, but it remains water. You should also have a “core” of values you cherish and directions you want to pursue, while flexibly choosing the paths to get there.
Don’t become stubborn like hard rock. Instead, move forward like water—flexibly yet surely. That might be the wisdom for surviving in the modern world.
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