寻欢作乐 xún huān zuò lè seek pleasure

Explanation

寻求快乐，追求享乐。

To seek pleasure and enjoyment.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，长安城内有一位富家公子，名叫李明，家财万贯，却整日沉迷于寻欢作乐之中。他每日里出入酒楼歌坊，与歌妓舞女厮混，挥金如土，生活糜烂。一日，李明在醉仙楼上与一班狐朋狗友寻欢作乐，酒过三巡，李明醉眼朦胧，指着窗外盛开的牡丹花，吟诗道：‘富贵荣华如春花，今朝有酒今朝醉。’他身边的朋友纷纷附和，一时间，酒楼里充满了纸醉金迷的奢靡之气。然而，好景不长，安史之乱爆发，李明家道中落，昔日的荣华富贵化为乌有。他沦落街头，衣衫褴褛，昔日那些与他寻欢作乐的朋友也早已逃散，无人问津。李明这才明白，寻欢作乐并非人生的真谛，真正的快乐并非建立在挥霍享乐之上，而是在于内心的平和与满足。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqī, cháng'ān chéng nèi yǒu yī wèi fùjiā gōngzi, míng jiào lǐ míng, jiā cái wàn guàn, què zhěng rì chénmí yú xún huān zuò lè zhī zhōng. tā měi rì lǐ chū rù jiǔlóu gēfāng, yǔ gē jì wǔ nǚ sī hùn, huī jīn rú tǔ, shēnghuó milàn. yī rì, lǐ míng zài zuì xiān lóu shàng yǔ yī bān hú péng gǒu yǒu xún huān zuò lè, jiǔ guò sān xún, lǐ míng zuì yǎn méng lóng, zhǐ zhe chuāng wài shèng kāi de mǔdān huā, yín shī dào: ‘fù guì róng huá rú chūn huā, jīn zhāo yǒu jiǔ jīn zhāo zuì.’ tā shēn biān de péngyǒu fēn fēn fù hè, yī shí jiān, jiǔ lóu lǐ chōngmǎn le zhǐ zuì jīn mí de shē mí zhī qì. rán'ér, hǎo jǐng bù cháng, ānshǐ zhī luàn bàofā, lǐ míng jiā dào zhōng luò, xī rì de róng huá fù guì huà wéi wú yǒu. tā lún luò jiētóu, yī shān lán lǚ, xī rì nàxiē yǔ tā xún huān zuò lè de péngyǒu yě zǎo yǐ táosǎn, wú rén wèn jīn. lǐ míng cái cái míngbái, xún huān zuò lè bìng fēi rén shēng de zhēn dì, zhēnzhèng de kuàilè bìng fēi jiàn lì zài huīhuò xiǎnglè zhī shàng, ér zài yú nèixīn de pínghé yǔ mǎnzú.

It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a wealthy young man named Li Ming in Chang'an City. He possessed a vast fortune but spent his days indulging in pleasure. He frequented taverns and entertainment venues, consorted with singers and dancers, squandered money, and led a dissolute life. One day, in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Li Ming was enjoying himself with a group of friends. After several rounds of drinking, Li Ming, his eyes hazy with intoxication, pointed to the blooming peony flowers outside the window and recited a poem: ‘Wealth and glory are like spring flowers; today we have wine, so let us drink today.’ His friends echoed his sentiments, and the tavern was filled with the extravagant and decadent atmosphere of revelry. However, this good fortune was short-lived. The An Lushan Rebellion broke out, and Li Ming's family fell into ruin, his past wealth and glory vanished. He ended up on the street, ragged and destitute, his former friends who had reveled with him having long since scattered, leaving him alone and neglected. Li Ming then realized that seeking pleasure was not the true meaning of life, and true happiness doesn't lie in extravagance and indulgence, but in inner peace and contentment.

Usage

形容追求享乐，过着奢侈的生活。

xiángróng zhuīqiú xiǎnglè, guòzhe shēchī de shēnghuó

describes the pursuit of pleasure and a life of luxury.

Examples

• 周末，他们去郊外寻欢作乐，尽情享受大自然的美好。

  zhōumò, tāmen qù jiāowài xún huān zuò lè, jǐnqíng xiǎngshòu dà zìrán de měihǎo.

  At the weekend, they went to the countryside to have fun and enjoy the beauty of nature to the fullest.

• 年轻人喜欢寻欢作乐，追求刺激和快乐。

  niánqīng rén xǐhuan xún huān zuò lè, zhuīqiú cìjī hé kuàilè

  Young people like to seek pleasure, excitement and happiness.

Related Idioms

• 花天酒地

• 纸醉金迷

Opposite Idioms

• 勤俭节约

• 艰苦朴素