📖 Meaning
Literally a pool of wine and a forest of meat. It describes an extravagantly decadent and hedonistic lifestyle of extreme indulgence. It can also refer to an abundance of food and drink.
📜 Origin Story
According to legend, King Zhou of Shang (商纣王) ordered a pool to be filled with wine and meat to be hung from trees in a forest, hosting all-night drinking feasts. The story is recorded in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (《史记·殷本纪》), which describes how Zhou indulged in reckless debauchery under the influence of his consort Daji. The term also appears in the Book of Han (《汉书·张骞传》), referencing lavish imperial banquets. King Zhou's tyranny and moral corruption eventually led to the fall of the Shang dynasty.
💡 Example Usage
纣王造酒池肉林，终日荒淫无度，最终招致亡国之祸。
King Zhou built pools of wine and forests of meat, indulging in endless debauchery until it ultimately brought about the ruin of his kingdom.
🏷️ Category
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🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 酒池肉林
- Pinyin: jiǔ chí ròu lín
- Literal Translation: wine, pool, meat, forest
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4