[Idiom]: A Dream Under the Southern槐 Tree

[Pinyin]: nán kē yī mèng

[Explanation]: Refers to a grand dream, or metaphorically, a futile joy.

[Story of the Idiom]:

During the late Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty, there was a man named Chunya Zun, who lived in Guangling. His house had a large and lush槐 tree in the courtyard. On a summer night, with bright stars and a clear moon, the tree's shadow swayed gently, and the cool breeze made it an ideal place for resting.

On the day of Chunya Zun's birthday, his relatives and friends came to celebrate. In a moment of excitement, he drank a few cups of wine. At night, after his guests left, he sat under the槐 tree with a little bit of alcohol in him and fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he arrived at the Kingdom of Great槐 An. It happened to be the time for the imperial examination, and he registered for the exam. After three rounds, he wrote his poems and essays very smoothly. When the results were announced, he ranked first. Soon after, the imperial examination took place, and the emperor, impressed by Chunya Zun's good looks and graceful demeanor, personally appointed him as the top scholar and married his daughter to him. As a result, Chunya Zun became a son-in-law of the emperor, and this became a popular topic in the capital.

After marriage, their relationship was very harmonious. Chunya Zun was appointed as the governor of the Nanke Prefecture and stayed there for 20 years. During his term as governor, he frequently toured the counties, making the county officials afraid to act recklessly, and he was highly praised by the local people. The emperor wanted to recall Chunya Zun to the capital for promotion several times, but when the local people learned that Governor Chunya was leaving, they all blocked the way, trying to persuade him to stay. Moved by the people's affection, Chunya Zun could only remain and submitted a memorial to the emperor explaining the situation. The emperor appreciated Chunya Zun's achievements and rewarded him with a lot of gold and jewels.

One year, enemy forces invaded, and the general of the Great槐 An Kingdom led the army to meet them, but they were repeatedly defeated by the enemy. The news of the defeat reached the capital, and the emperor was shocked. He quickly gathered his ministers to discuss strategies. Upon hearing the repeated military failures on the front lines and the approaching enemy forces, the ministers looked at each other, pale with fear, and were completely at a loss.

The emperor, seeing the ministers' behavior, was very angry and said: "You have been living in luxury and comfort all along, enjoying wealth and honor. When something happens in the court, you become like mute mouths, cowardly and hesitant, not saying a word. What use are you then?"

The prime minister immediately recommended Chunya Zun to the emperor. The emperor immediately ordered Chunya Zun to lead the country's elite troops to fight the enemy.

Upon receiving the imperial order, Chunya Zun did not delay and immediately led his troops into battle. Unfortunately, he knew nothing about military strategy. As soon as he met the enemy, he was defeated instantly, and his soldiers were slaughtered, losing their armor and weapons, fleeing in all directions. Chunya Zun almost got captured. The emperor was furious and dismissed Chunya Zun from his post, sending him back home. Chunya Zun cried out in anger and woke up from the dream, only to see the moon on the branches and the stars shining brightly. At that moment, he realized that the so-called Nanke Prefecture was just the southernmost branch of the槐 tree.