📖 Meaning
This idiom describes the Daoist immortal practice of consuming the rosy glow of dawn and rinsing with the misty dew of night, symbolizing a transcendent existence beyond worldly concerns. It conveys a life devoted to spiritual purity and the pursuit of longevity, free from earthly desires.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from 'Long Song Ballad' (长歌行) by Jing Yaoyue (景耀月), a scholar-poet of the late Qing and early Republic of China era. The poem declares that those who dine on rosy clouds and rinse with night mist may live for a thousand autumns, questioning why people do not seek the path of immortality. The concept draws upon ancient Daoist cultivation beliefs, in which adepts consumed cosmic vapors — the colorful dawn glow (霞) and the nocturnal mist (沆瀣) — to nourish both body and spirit in pursuit of eternal life.
💡 Example Usage
修道之人餐霞漱瀣，不问世间纷扰。
The Daoist cultivator dines on rosy clouds and rinses with night mist, paying no mind to the turmoil of the world.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 餐霞漱瀣
- Pinyin: cān xiá shù xiè
- Literal Translation: dine on rosy clouds, rinse with night mist
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4