王小波's 1992 novella 《黄金时代》 (published in Taiwan that year, mainland 1994) turned the phrase into a literary touchstone — the 'golden age' of youth set against the Cultural Revolution. Many educated Chinese readers associate the idiom with that book before its older meaning.
usage
Two scopes: personal (one's prime — youth, creative peak, athletic peak) and historical (an era of flourishing). Context usually makes it clear. Adjective form: 黄金般的.
