S5E10 | Life is But a Dream
Saying: “Dream of golden millet fig”
Pinyin: Huáng Liáng Měi Mèng
Chinese: 黄粱美梦
For the Chinese Sayings Podcast Season 5 closer, we reach into the treasure box to bring you another useful and memorable Chinese chengyu. This time we tell the story of the Golden Millet Dream, the Huáng Liáng Měi Mèng 黄粱美梦. A bitter petty official, dissatisfied with his lot in life, after a chance encounter with a Daoist priest, learns a powerful life lesson. This is a good Chinese saying for all dreamers out there. That's going to be it for this Fifth Season of the Chinese Sayings Podcast. We'll be back soon with another slate of useful and interesting chengyu's in Season 6.
Thanks to everyone who have tuned in and enjoyed the CSP. And last but not least a heartfelt thanks to Emma for all her hard work.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Zhěn Zhōng Jì | 枕中记 | The World Inside a Pillow. Other English names for this work include The Pillow Tale or The Dream on the Pillow. |
| chéngyǔ | 成语 | A Chinese saying or idiom |
| Chuánqí | 传奇 | A genre of Chinese fiction featuring stories of the strange, mysterious and supernatural |
| Zhìguài Xiǎoshuō | 志怪小说 | A genre of Chinese novels featuring stories of the strange, mysterious and supernatural |
| Táng Dynasty | 唐朝 | Imperial dynasty that lasted 618-907 |
| Qīng Dynasty | 清朝 | Imperial dynasty that lasted 1644-1912 |
| Pú Sōnglíng | 蒲松龄 | 1640-1715, Qing era author of "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio, Qing Dynasty book of strange and supernatural tales |
| Shěn Jìjì | 沈既济 | 750-797, writer of the Zhen Zhong Ji, the book containing this story of The Golden Millet Dream |
| Sùzōng | 唐肃宗 | Tang emperor who reigned 756-762 |
| Dàizōng | 唐代宗 | Tang emperor who reigned 762-779 |
| Dézōng | 德宗 | Tang emperor who reigned 779-805 |
| Huáng Liáng Měi Mèng | 黄粱美梦 | The Golden Millet Dream |
| Huángliáng | 黄粱 | a fine strain of millet. |
| měimèng | 美梦 | A beautiful dream |
| Hándān | 邯郸 | City in Hebei |
| Zhào State | 赵国 | One of the Seven States of the Warring States Period |
| Zhōu Dynasty | 周朝 | Ancient Bronze Age Dynasty that lasted 1046 to 221 BC |
| Warring States Period | 战国时代 | The part of the Zhou Dynasty that lasted 770-221 BC |
| Shāng Dynasty | 商朝 | Ancient Bronze Age Dynasty that lasted 1600-1046 BC |
| Ānyáng | 安阳 | City in northern Henan |
| Xuánzōng | 唐玄宗 | Tang emperor who reigned 712-756 |
| Lǚ Dòngbīn | 呂洞賓 | One of the Eight Immortals of Taoist mythology |
| Zhōnglí Quán | 钟离权 | Another one of the Eight Immortals of Taoist mythology |
| Lǚ Wēng | 吕翁 | An old Daoist priest, "Old Man" Lü |
| Lú Shēng | 卢生 | One of the main characters in the Golden Millet Dream story |
| Miss Cuī | 崔 | A beautiful girl from Lu Sheng's dream |
| Wèinán County | 渭南 | A county in east-central Shaanxī |
| Shǎnzhōu District | 陕州 | A place in western Henan Province |
| Lǐ | 里 | A traditional unit of length, also referred to as a "Chinese Mile" that was equal to 150 zhang 市丈, equivelent to about half a kilometer |
| Biànzhōu | 汴州 | Modern day Kaifeng |
| Tibetan Tǔbō | 土蕃 | The Tibetan Tubo Dynasty ran between the 7th and 11th century (in Tibet) |
| Gānsù | 甘肃 | Province in western China, capital is Lanzhou |
| Guāzhōu | 瓜州 | A county located inside Gansu |
| Duānzhōu | 端州 | A place in southern Guangdong province |
| Xián xiàng | 贤相 | A title called "The Virtuous Minister" |
| Xiáoshān | 崤山 | A city not far from the Shaanxi capital of Xian |
| Duke of Zhào | 赵国 公 | There were many Dukes of Zhao who ruled the state |
| Lǐngnán | 岭南 | A traditional term for southern China, especially Guangdong and Guangxi |
