Once there was a scholar surnamed Lu who spent his days lamenting his poverty and lack of glory. While traveling to Handan, he met an old Daoist named Lu Weng at an inn and poured out his troubles. The old man gave him a porcelain pillow and told him to sleep. The innkeeper was cooking golden millet at the time. The scholar fell asleep and dreamed a magnificent dream - he passed the imperial exams, married a beautiful wife, had children, rose to the rank of prime minister, and enjoyed fifty years of wealth and honor. When he awoke, everything was as before. The innkeeper's millet had not even finished cooking.
从前有个姓卢的读书人，整天都为得不到荣华富贵而苦恼。一次，他在去邯郸的旅店里，遇到了道士吕翁，就向吕翁诉说自己的贫困和苦恼。吕翁给他一个枕头，叫他睡觉。这时旅店的主人正在煮黄粱（小米）饭。读书人在枕头上睡着后，就做起了美梦，梦见自己封官拜相，娶妻生子，享尽了荣华富贵。可是一觉醒来，他看到一切依旧，连店主人的黄粱饭都还没煮熟。刚才自己所享受的一切，不过是人家煮黄粱时自己做的一个梦罢了。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
Life's glories are as fleeting as a dream. What we chase with such urgency may dissolve before the pot boils. The idiom reminds us that worldly ambitions are illusory.
Life's glories are as fleeting as a dream. What we chase with such urgency may dissolve before the pot boils. The idiom reminds us that worldly ambitions are illusory.