Chinese idiom · 成语
鸡犬升天
Meaning
Chickens and dogs ascend to heaven; followers benefit from another’s success.
Character by character
Origin and story
Daoist legendThe Taiping guangji preserves an immortal tale about Liu An, king of Huainan, attributed to the Shenxian zhuan. In its miraculous account, Liu An ascends to heaven after receiving instruction from immortals. Some of the elixir remains in vessels in his courtyard. The household chickens peck at it and the dogs lick it; they too rise into the heavens, with their calls sounding above the clouds.
This belongs to religious legend, not a verified account of Liu An's fate. The later saying, often introduced by 一人得道, turns the marvel into social satire: when one person becomes powerful, even otherwise undistinguished associates can be carried upward.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
他一当上经理，就把几个亲戚安排进公司，真是一人得道，鸡犬升天。
As soon as he became manager, he brought several relatives into the company—everyone connected with him rose along with him.
Usually sarcastic or critical of benefits gained through personal connections.