Source: Liu Xiang's Five Miscellanies of New Order in Han Dynasty
Ye Gong: During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a nobleman named Gao in the State of Chu who was sealed in Ye (the ancient city name, now Ye County, Henan Province). Good: preference. Verbally saying that you like something is actually not a real hobby, and you may even be afraid. This is a metaphor.
Classical Chinese:
Ye loves dragons, and only carved dragons on long hooks and wine vessels, and carved dragons at home. In this way, when he was known by the dragon in the sky, he fell from the sky to Ye Gong's home. Someone visited him on the windowsill, and his dragon tail reached into the hall. When Ye Gong saw a dragon, he turned around and ran away, scaring him like a lost soul, terrified and unable to control himself. Therefore, Ye doesn't really like dragons. He just likes things that look like dragons, not dragons.
Translation:
Ye Gong likes dragons. The clothes are hooked, the wine vessel is engraved with dragons, and the room is decorated with dragons. He liked dragons so much that he was known by the real dragons in the sky. Then he descended from the sky and came to Ye Gong's home. The dragon head was placed on the window sill to visit, and the dragon tail arrived in the hall. When Lord Ye saw that it was a real dragon, he turned and ran away. He was scared like a lost soul, terrified and unable to control himself. From this point of view, Ye Gong doesn't really like dragons. He only likes things that look like dragons but are not dragons.
Think about it:
Why does Ye Ye like dragons?