Yuanfen

Yuan (缘) or Yuanfen (缘份; pinyin: yuán fèn. Vietnamese: duyên phận) is a Buddhist-related Chinese concept that means the predetermined principle that dictates a person's relationships and encounters, usually positive, such as the affinity among friends or lovers. In common usage the term can be defined as the "binding force" that links two persons together in any relationship. The concept of synchronicity from the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung can be seen as similar to "yuánfèn", which Chinese people also believe to be a universal force governing the happening of things to some people at some places. "Yuánfèn" belongs to the family of concepts known in theology as determinism.

Some believe that the driving forces and causes behind "yuánfèn" are the actions done in the previous reincarnations. Therefore, it can be understood as the relational- as opposed to the physical- aspect of "karma" in Buddhism. However, while "karma" often refers to the consequences of an individual's actions on him- or herself, "yuán" is always used in conjunction with two persons.

The proverb "yǒu yuán wú fèn" (有緣無份), "Have fate without destiny," is sometimes used to describe couples who meet, but who do not for whatever reason stay together.

Unlike other Chinese social relations, which describe abstract, but easily noticeable, connections between people, nowadays, Chinese merely use this word poetically or to emphasize a meant-to-be relationship, and almost never in a serious business or legal situation.

Usage

200 px|right|thumb|"Have fate without destiny"; custom tattoo.

* The proverbial saying "Have without destiny" refers to couples who were fated to come together, but not destined to "stay" together, and as such is sometimes used as a break-up line.
* Upon meeting a person (of either gender) who is hard to find, one might aptly exclaim: "It is "yuánfèn" that has brought us together!"
* When one encounters another repeatedly in various locations such that it seems to be more than coincidence, one can refer to "yuánfèn".
* As a counter-example, when two people know each other, e.g. as penpals, but never have the opportunity to meet face-to-face, it can be said that their "yuánfèn" is too superficial or thin.

The proverb: 百世修来同船渡，千载修得共枕眠 (pinyin: bǎi shì xiū lái tóng chuán dù, qiān zǎi xiū dé gòng zhěn mián)

* Literally: It takes hundreds of reincarnations to bring two persons to ride in the same boat; it takes a thousand eons to bring two persons to share the same pillow. This goes to show just how precious "yuánfèn" is.

* An alternative of this proverb is: 十年修得同船渡，百年修得共枕眠 (pinyin: shí nián xiū dé tóng chuán dù, bǎi nián xiū dé gòng zhěn mián),which means literally: ten years of meditation (or good deeds) bring two people to cross a river in the same ferry, and a hundred years of meditation (or good deeds) bring two people to rest their heads on the same pillow. It conveys the same message.

Translations

Often "yuánfèn" is said to be the equivalent of "fate" (as is with the title of a 1984 movie, given the western name "Behind the Yellow Line", starring Leslie Cheung) or "destiny". However, these words do not have the element of the past playing a role in deciding the outcome of the uncertain future. The most common Chinese term for "fate" or "destiny" is "mìngyùn" (命運), literally "the turn of events in life".

"Providence" and "predestination" are also not exact translations, because these words imply that the things happen by the will of God or gods, whereas "yuánfèn" does not necessarily involve divine intervention.

See also

* Chinese social relations