"Fu Gui Fu Yun" (Wealth and Rank Are but Floating Clouds) comes from The Analects, Shu Er. Confucius said, "To eat coarse food, drink plain water, and pillow oneself on a bent arm—there is pleasure to be found in these things. But wealth and position gained through inappropriate means—these are to me like floating clouds." It means that even when eating coarse grain and drinking cold water, with a bent arm as a pillow, happiness can still be found. Wealth and honor obtained through improper means are, to me, like floating clouds in the sky. Later, the idiom "Fu Gui Fu Yun" came to describe regarding wealth and honor as light as floating clouds, referring to a life attitude that does not seek fame and profit but remains detached and indifferent. It carries a positive connotation and is often used to praise those who do not pursue material comfort and who uphold morality or noble aspirations. In terms of cultural background, it embodies the Confucian idea of being content with poverty and delighting in the Way, valuing righteousness over profit, and it also influenced later literati such as Tao Yuanming and Su Shi in their pursuit of spiritual freedom. It is mostly used to evaluate a person's character, express personal aspirations, or advise others not to cling to glory and wealth.
📝 Example
1. He resigned from a high-paying position and returned to the countryside to teach. Such an attitude of treating wealth and honor as floating clouds is truly admirable. (Meaning: To regard wealth and honor as lightly as floating clouds, and not to crave fame and profit.)
2. Faced with a acquisition offer from a business giant, the old professor smiled calmly, regarded wealth and honor as floating clouds, and continued to bury himself in research. (Meaning: To view wealth and honor as floating clouds, detached and indifferent.)