Kào shān, shān dǎo; yī qiáng, qiáng tā.

靠山山倒, 依牆牆塌。

Lit [If one] depends on the mountain [for a living for too long, the] mountain [will] collapse; [if one always] leans against a wall [for support, the] wall will collapse.

Fig One should always depend on oneself.

Note [Note: kàoshān is also used with the idiomatic meaning of a patron or backer; see also the following entry.]

Topics kàoshān PATRONAGE SELF-RELIANCE