酒池肉林

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Chinese

rows of meat suspended in the shape of trees; wanton extravagance
trad. (酒池肉林) 酒池 肉林
simp. #(酒池肉林) 酒池 肉林
Literally: “pool of wine and forest of meat”.

Etymology

Originally referring to the recreational facility built by King Zhou of Shang:

大冣樂戲於沙丘，以酒為池，縣肉為林，使男女倮相逐其閒，為長夜之飲。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
大冣乐戏于沙丘，以酒为池，县肉为林，使男女倮相逐其闲，为长夜之饮。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
Dà jù yuè xì yú shāqiū, yǐ jiǔ wèi chí, xuán ròu wèi lín, shǐ nánnǚ luǒ xiàng zhú qíjiān, wèi chángyè zhī yǐn.
(King Zhou) gathered entertainers at a dune and built a pool with wine and a forest with meat there. He also let boys and girls chase each other naked and had drinking parties overnight.

Pronunciation

Idiom

酒池肉林

  1. debauched activities; excessive extravagance

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (酒池肉林):
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