The Butterfly dream may sound like an unusual idiom: but in Chinese, it makes perfect sense. The butterfly dream, Zhuang Zhou Meng Die (庄周梦蝶 ) in Chinese, is a chengyu, an idiom, usually a four-character phrase.

Zhuang Zhou Meng Die isn’t just a chengyu, but also a philosophy concept developed by the Taoist philosopher, Zhuangzi. Through the story of dreaming of being a butterfly, Zhuangzi poses a philosophical question: how does one understand reality? If the dream feels real enough, nobody could know whether he was in a dream or awake.

Along with French philosopher René Descartes’ theories in Meditations on First Philosophy, the two represent the “dream argument” in Eastern and Western philosophy.

Throughout history, Chinese intellectuals have interpreted this story and used it in their writings. One of the most famous comments on it is by 张潮 Zhāng Cháo, a Qing dynasty writer: “庄周梦为蝴蝶，庄周之幸也；蝴蝶梦为庄周，蝴蝶之不幸也 (Zhuāngzhōumèng wèi húdié, zhuāng zhōu zhī xìngyě; húdié mèng wèi zhuāng zhōu, húdié zhī bùxìng yě)。” Meaning, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, ’twas Zhuangzhou’s fortune; butterfly dreamed it was Zhuangzhou, ’twas the butterfly’s misfortune.”

The chengyu and the story:

庄周梦蝶 Zhuāng Zhōu mèng dié

“Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn’t know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn’t know if he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi. Between Zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things. (2, tr. Burton Watson 1968:49)”

Chinese:

昔者庄周梦为蝴蝶，栩栩然蝴蝶也。自喻适志与！不知周也。俄然觉，则蘧蘧然周也。不知周之梦为蝴蝶与？蝴蝶之梦为周与？周与蝴蝶则必有分矣。此之谓物化。（《庄子·齐物论》）

Pinyin:

“Xī zhě zhuāngzhōu mèng wéi húdié, xǔ xǔ rán húdié yě. Zì yù shìzhì yǔ! bùzhī zhōu yě. Érán jué, zé qú qú rán zhōu yě. Bùzhī zhōu zhī mèng wéi húdié yǔ? Húdié zhī mèng wéi zhōu yǔ? Zhōu yǔ húdié zé bì yǒu fēn yǐ. Cǐ zhī wèi wùhuà.”

H/T chinadventurer.com.

Interested in chengyu? Learn the right chengyu the right way.

Many Chinese idioms have English equivalents. Here are 10.