Once upon a time, a poor scholar met a Taoist priest. Before sleeping, the priest gave him a special pillow and said,

“If you rest your head on this pillow, you will have the life you desire.”

While the innkeeper was cooking millet rice (called “huang liang”), the scholar fell asleep and dreamed of living a wealthy, prosperous life, with great official success. Near the end of his dream, when he was about to die, he suddenly woke up. He found the Taoist still standing beside him and saw that the millet rice was still not cooked.

It turned out all the wealth and glory he experienced were just a fleeting dream.

Summary：

  • Idiom : 黄粱一梦
  • Pinyin : huáng liáng yī mèng
  • Literal Translation : a dream of millet cooking
  • Extended Meaning : Used to describe something illusory or unreal, like a fleeting or empty dream. Also known as “黄粱美梦.”

Character Introduction:

  • 穷书生 (Poor Scholar)
    A humble man who dreams of prosperity and success.
  • 道士 (Taoist Priest)
    A mysterious figure who gives the scholar the magical pillow.