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The Dream of a Butterfly
The Dream of a Butterfly
The Dream of a Butterfly
The Dream of a Butterfly is one of those proverbs that sounds wonderfully poetic! Its origins, too, are somewhat ethereal and carry a touch of melancholy hidden within. Unlike proverbs that clearly categorize things as good or bad, it has a different vibe. Why not take this opportunity to delve into the meaning behind The Dream of a Butterfly?
The Dream of a Butterfly Basic Infomation
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What does 'The Dream of a Butterfly' mean?
It signifies the blurring of lines between dreams and reality, suggesting that life is fleeting, delicate, and ephemeral.
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How did this proverb originate?
The origin is attributed to a fascinating incident described in a philosophical text called 'Zhuangzi' or 'The Equality of Things', a Chinese work. During the Warring States period, there was a philosopher named Zhuangzi.
One day, Zhuangzi dozed off and dreamed he was a butterfly, fluttering around freely and joyfully, feeling as if he was no longer human.
Upon waking, he found himself as his usual human self again. Reflecting on this event, he pondered whether he had been dreaming he was a butterfly, or if a butterfly was now dreaming it was him, leading Zhuangzi into confusion.
Was the dream real, or is reality the dream? The distinctions became hazy, suggesting that humans and butterflies, though fundamentally different beings, might not have such clear boundaries between them after all, possibly indicating how easily we might transform into one another. Zhuangzi penned these thoughts.
Interestingly, both 'butterfly' and '胡蝶' (húdié) carry the same meaning, and ancient texts used '胡蝶' to refer to butterflies, which is why 'The Dream of a Butterfly' rather than 'The Dream of a Butterfly' is used.
The Dream of a Butterfly Q&A
![The Dream of a Butterfly](/logo.webp)
Let's give 'The Dream of a Butterfly' a modern twist!
Let's try to reinterpret 'The Dream of a Butterfly' in a more contemporary way.
・A blurred scenery
・A mysterious daydream
This is what it could look like!
Related Animal Information
![Butterfly](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/animalbook-jp.appspot.com/o/animalia%2Fbutterfly%2Fbutterfly_1.jpg?alt=media)
Butterfly
The beautiful butterfly flutters from flower to flower, completely different from its appearance as a caterpillar or larva. The transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly is full of wonder and mystery. Let's go and search for the mysteries of the butterfly that make us want to ask, "How do they know that?" and "How do they do that?"
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The Dream of a Butterfly References
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- Proverb Dictionary http://kotowaza-allguide.com/ko/kotyounoyume.html
- Kotobank Digital Daijisen https://kotobank.jp/word/胡蝶の夢-502286
- Kotobank Encyclopedia Nipponica https://kotobank.jp/word/胡蝶の夢-502286
- Kotobank Dictionary of Proverbs https://kotobank.jp/word/胡蝶の夢-502286
- goo Dictionary https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/胡蝶の夢/
- Cover image https://unsplash.com/photos/-TYvt5pmKng