The Dream of the Yellow Millet is a famous Chinese fable from the novel “The Story of the Pillow’ by the Tang Dynasty writer Shen Jiji.
A poor scholar surnamed Lu chanced upon an old Taoist priest surnamed Lü at an inn in Handan, whilst on his way to sit the imperial examinations. Lu lamented his difficult circumstances to the Taoist priest, who then handed him a pillow, saying that his wishes would come true the moment he rested his head upon it.
Just then, the innkeeper had begun to light the fire to cook a meal of yellow millet, and Lu fell asleep with his head on the pillow. In his dream, he married a beautiful wife from a distinguished and influential family, passed the imperial examinations, was promoted repeatedly, and rose to the highest rank in the civil service; yet he also suffered setbacks and was even imprisoned. He was blessed with numerous children and grandchildren, enjoyed every luxury and splendour, and eventually died of illness in his eighties; it was only then that he suddenly awoke from his dream. Upon waking, the innkeeper’s yellow millet rice was not yet cooked.
Lu realised with a start: in this world, wealth and honour, favour and disgrace, gain and loss, sentiments and passions, … …, are as fleeting and illusory as a dream. From then on, he let go of his obsession with fame, fortune and worldly gain.
‘The Dream of the Yellow Millet’ has become a classic idiom, symbolising that wealth and honour are as illusory and fleeting as a dream, serving as a warning to people not to indulge in unrealistic fantasies.
#41 黄粱梦
黄粱梦是中国著名的寓言故事，出自唐代文学家沈既济的传奇小说《枕中记》。
贫寒书生卢生在赶考的路上在邯郸客店偶遇道士吕翁，向他慨叹自己生活困顿。吕翁递给他一个枕头，说枕上即可实现心愿。
这时店家刚开始生火用黄粱米做饭，卢生枕着枕头睡去。梦中他娶了高门大族出身的美貌妻子，考中进士，屡次升官，官至极品，但也曾遭受打击甚至入狱。他儿孙满堂，享尽荣华富贵，最终八十多岁时老病死去，这时他才猛然从梦中惊醒。醒来时，店家的黄粱米饭还没煮熟。
卢生恍然大悟：人生在世，富贵荣华、宠辱得失、七情六欲、 … 就像一场梦一样短暂而虚幻。从此，他放下了对功名利禄的执着。
“黄粱梦”成为一个经典成语， 寓意是荣华富贵如梦幻般虚幻、短暂， 警醒人们不要沉迷于不切实际的幻想。