📖 Meaning
This idiom describes extraordinarily sumptuous, luxurious cuisine, as if one were preparing mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes for the table. It is used figuratively to praise exceptionally lavish feasts and rare delicacies.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom comes from the Tang Dynasty poet Li He (李贺) in his celebrated poem 'Bringing in the Wine' (将进酒), where he wrote of cooking dragon and roasting phoenix, their jade-like fat weeping — a fantastical image of aristocratic banquet excess. Li He, known for his vivid, supernatural imagery, captured the hedonistic spirit of Tang elite dining. The phrase later appeared in Yuan Dynasty playwright Dai Shanfu's zaju drama 'The Good Scenery' (风光好), cementing its place in classical Chinese literature.
💡 Example Usage
他家的年夜饭烹龙炮凤，丰盛至极。
Their New Year's Eve dinner was so sumptuous it was like cooking dragon and roasting phoenix — extravagantly lavish.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 烹龙炮凤
- Pinyin: pēng lóng páo fèng
- Literal Translation: cook, dragon, roast, phoenix
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4