一人得道，雞犬升天

Chinese
 
a person; one person; someone
a person; one person; someone; emperor
 to attain the Way; to become enlightened; to attain salvation fowl; chicken dog
 
to ascend into heaven; to go up to the sky; to die
to ascend into heaven; to go up to the sky; to die; to pass away
trad. (一人得道，雞犬升天/一人得道，鷄犬升天) 一人 得道 ， 雞/鷄 犬 升天
simp. (一人得道，鸡犬升天) 一人 得道 ， 鸡 犬 升天
Literally: “When a man attains the Tao, even his pets ascend to heaven.”

Etymology

The idiom derives from an account of Liu An ascending to heaven in Lunheng:

淮南王學道，招會天下有道之人，傾一國之尊，下道術之士，是以道術之士並會淮南，奇方異術，莫不爭出。王遂得道，舉家升天，畜產皆仙，犬吠於天上，雞鳴於雲中。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
淮南王学道，招会天下有道之人，倾一国之尊，下道术之士，是以道术之士并会淮南，奇方异术，莫不争出。王遂得道，举家升天，畜产皆仙，犬吠于天上，鸡鸣于云中。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Wang Chong, Lun Heng (Discussive Weighing), 80 CE
Huáinán wáng xuédào, zhāohuì tiānxià yǒu dào zhī rén, qīng yī guó zhī zūn, xià dàoshù zhī shì, shì yǐ dàoshù zhī shì bìng huì Huáinán, qífāng yìshù, mò bù zhēng chū. Wáng suì dédào, jǔjiā shēngtiān, xùchǎn jiē xiān, quǎn fèi yú tiān shàng, jī míng yú yún zhōng. [Pinyin]
The king of Huainan studied Taoism, recruited Taoist people from all over the world, and gained the respect of the country. He also valued Taoist magicians, so the Taoist magicians gathered in Huainan, and developed strange prescriptions and magic, competing for favors. The king then attained enlightenment, his family ascended to heaven, his livestock all became immortals. The dogs barked in the sky, and the roosters crowed in the clouds.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): yīrén dédào, jīquǎn shēngtiān
    (Zhuyin): ㄧ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄜˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄐㄧ ㄑㄩㄢˇ ㄕㄥ ㄊㄧㄢ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): jat1 jan4 dak1 dou6, gai1 hyun2 sing1 tin1
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: yīrén dédào, jīquǎn shēngtiān [Phonetic: yìrén dédào, jīquǎn shēngtiān]
      • Zhuyin: ㄧ ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄜˊ ㄉㄠˋ , ㄐㄧ ㄑㄩㄢˇ ㄕㄥ ㄊㄧㄢ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: yirén dédào, jicyuǎn shengtian
      • Wade–Giles: i1-jên2 tê2-tao4, chi1-chʻüan3 shêng1-tʻien1
      • Yale: yī-rén dé-dàu-, jī-chywǎn shēng-tyān
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iren derdaw, jicheuan shengtian
      • Palladius: ижэнь дэдао, цзицюань шэнтянь (ižɛnʹ dɛdao, czicjuanʹ šɛntjanʹ)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ tɤ³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese

Proverb

一人得道，雞犬升天

  1. once a person gains power and influence (as an official), everyone associated with them also benefits
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