This saying illustrates how circumstances define one's status and treatment. When someone is in power, even the lowly can act arrogant; when someone falls from grace, even the noble are treated with contempt. It reflects the fickleness of fortune and social perception.
The phoenix is a symbol of nobility and grace in Chinese culture, while the cat and chicken represent the common. The saying critiques the tendency of society to judge people by their current status rather than their inherent worth.
This saying serves as a reminder of the impermanence of power and the shallowness of social judgment. It signals that one should not be arrogant in success nor despair in failure, as fortune is cyclical.
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