Lord Ye, also known as Ye Zigao, was a nobleman of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. Lord Ye always boasted to people about how much he loved dragons. He drew dragons on his clothes hooks, carved dragons on his wine utensils, and carved dragons in every place where patterns were carved in his house and bedroom. The real dragon in the sky was moved to know how much Lord Ye loved dragons. One day, the real dragon decided to visit Lord Ye. It landed at Lord Ye's home, poked its head through the window, and dragged its tail on the hall. Lord Ye was so frightened that his face turned pale. He turned around and ran away. The real dragon felt inexplicable and very disappointed. In fact, Lord Ye didn't really like dragons, he just liked them formally and verbally. This idiom is used to metaphorically describe someone who verbally says he loves something well, but in reality does not truly enjoy it.
叶公，名子高，是春秋时楚国贵族。叶公总向人吹嘘自己是如何如何喜欢龙，他在衣带钩上画着龙，在酒具上刻着龙，他的房屋卧室凡是雕刻花纹的地方也全都雕刻着龙。天上的真龙知道叶子高是如此喜欢龙，很是感动。一天，真龙决定去拜访叶子高，它降落到叶子高的家里，把头伸进窗户里探望，把尾巴拖在厅堂上。这叶子高见了，吓得脸都变了颜色，惊恐万状，回头就跑。真龙感到莫名其妙，很是失望。其实叶公并非真的喜欢龙，只不过是形式上、口头上喜欢罢了。这个成语用来比喻口头上说爱好某事物，而实际上并不真正地爱好。
