南柯之夢(남가지몽)

남가(南柯)의 꿈을 가리킨다. 
흔히 남쪽으로 뻗은 나뭇가지 아래의 꿈이라고도 한다.
순우분이라는 사람이 꿈에 괴안국이라는 나라에 가서 남가태수가 되어 부귀영화를 누린 우화에서 유래한다.  
인생은 한낱 허무한 꿈에 지나지 않다.
부귀영화도 잠깐이고, 한낱 덧없는 꿈에 지나지 않다.
한 때의 헛된 부귀영화를 비유적으로 가리킨다.
개미의 구멍으로 들어가 꾼 꿈이라는 의미에서 蟻夢(의몽)이라고도 한다.
南柯一夢(남가일몽)이라고도 한다.
일본에도 《아키노스케의 꿈》(あきのすけの夢 The Dream of Akinosuke)이라고 하는 비슷한 설화가 있다.
Nanke dream
a dream of Nanke 
the Dream of Southern Branch
a fond dream
an empty dream
Alnaschar's dream 
fleeting glory
passing glory

李公佐(唐) 《南柯太守传》 淳于棼梦至槐安国，国王以女妻之，任南柯太守，荣华富贵，显赫一时。后出征失败，公主亦死，被遣回。醒后见槐树下有蚁穴，即梦中所历槐安国。
이공좌(당) 《남가태수전》 순우분몽지괴안국，국왕이녀처지，임남가태수，영화부귀，현혁일시。후출정실패，공주역사，피견회。성후견괴수하유의혈，즉몽중소력괴안국。
At the alternative period of Dynasty Sui and Tang, a man named Chun Yuzun(淳于棼) lives in Guangling. On his birthday, his relatives and friends come to celebrate and he is pleased, drunken and slept under a big locust tree in the court. 
In his dream, he has arrived in Kingdom Da Huai’an, just when they hold an exam in the capital. Yu applies for the qualification to attend the exam and performs well in poetry writing, ranking No.1. In the final imperial examination (presided over by the emperor). The emperor likes him for his striking appearance, appointing him of Number One Scholar (title conferred on the one who came first in the highest imperial examination) and betroths his daughter to him before long. Their marriage is sweet and happy; the princess is quite considerate and filial to parents, giving birth to five sons and two daughters. 
Later, Yu is dispatched to County Nanke(南柯) as Prefecture Chief (governor) where he is beloved by the people for twenty years. During this period, his subordinates are honest and diligent, the emperor appreciates him very much. His five sons all have title of nobility and daughters marry to princes and marquises, highly honored in this kingdom. 
Kingdom Da Huai’an is attracted by the neighbor country, defeated several times, unable to counterattack. The emperor is angry, ordering Yu to lead the army to fight, upon the advice of the prime minister. However, Yu knows little of military science, losing and then his wife dies of illness. When returning to the capital, the emperor is so angry to put his sons in jail, sending him back to his hometown without any investigation. Yu yells, waking up. 
Soon, Yu sees an ant hole in the tree, where there are some palaces and fortresses made of soil. He suddenly realizes what he experienced is just a dream and the kingdom is the ant hole actually. 
Yu recalls what happens in Nanke in his dream, considering the impermanence of life and all wealth and honor easily gone. He lives in seclusion, converting to superstitious sects and secret societies finally.

순우분(淳于棼 a man who dreamed that he became the governor of Nanke in the Kingdom of the Ants)이라는 사람이 술에 취하여 집 앞에 있는 느티나무 아래에서 잠을 자다가 꿈에 괴안국(槐安国)에 가게 된다. 순우분은 괴안국에서 국왕의 부마가 되고, 남가태수로 임명된다. 순우분은 부귀영화를 누린다. 그러나 영광도 잠깐이고, 이웃하고 있는 단라군(檀萝国)이 쳐들어와 순우분은 군대를 거느리고 필사적으로 싸우지만 참패한다. 엎친데 덮친격으로 아내(공주)마저 죽는다. 국왕은 순우분을 고향으로 돌려보낸다. 잠에서 깬 순우분은 홰나무 아래에서 꿈 속에서 괴안국으로 들어간 개미의 굴을 발견한다.
 

華胥之夢(화서지몽)