Li Bai calls for wine, never mind the cost

Self-mythologising, and maybe even a touch of self-parody

Bring In the Wine
Li Bai

Friends, do you not know?
Water falls from heaven,
It forms the Yellow River,
River flows to ocean,
And then is gone forever.
  Friends do you not see?
  Bright mirrors in your hall
  Show hair of mournful white,
  The sable there at dawn
  Has turned to snow by night.
So celebrate success!
Take care to live it up.
Let moonbeams never rest
On an empty cup.
  The talents nature lent
  Ensure that we can earn.
  When money is all spent,
  It surely will return.
Call roast meats for your pleasure:
Bullocks, lambs, and swine,
And drink the classic measure:
Three hundred cups of wine!
  Cen, Danqiu, bring in the wine,
  May your cups keep pace with mine.
  I will sing a song, my friends,
  Please listen till it ends.
Not sumptuous foods, nor drum,
Nor bell, make luxury.
It’s better to stay drunk,
And scorn sobriety.
  For pious saints have never
  Attracted friends or fame.
  But drinkers live forever!
  We still recall their names.
The king of Chen took time
To feast at Ping-le tower,
With thousand dollar wine
Indulged hour after hour.
  No host makes recitation
  That finances are stressed.
  His role is procuration,
  And drinking with his guest.
That fine thoroughbred,
Delicately piebald,
And this fancy doublet,
Like the poet Xiangru sold—
  Have servants sell each treasure,
  Get wine for horse and clothes.
  Tonight, we three together
  Will drown man’s age-old woes.

李白  将进酒
君不见黄河之水天上来，奔流到海不复回。
君不见高堂明镜悲白发，朝如青丝暮成雪。
人生得意须尽欢，莫使金尊空对月。
天生我材必有用，千金散尽还复来。
烹羊宰牛且为乐，会须一饮三百杯。
岑夫子，丹丘生，将进酒，杯莫停。
与君歌一曲，请君为我侧耳听。
钟鼓馔玉不足贵，但愿长醉不复醒。
古来圣贤皆寂寞，惟有饮者留其名。
陈王昔时宴平乐，斗酒十千恣欢谑。
主人何为言少钱，径须酤取对君酌。
五花马，千金裘，呼儿将出换美酒，与尔同销万古愁。

---

In the movie 30,000 Miles from Chang’an, this poem is used for a great fantastical set piece, with Li Bai and his friends mounting cranes, and flying through the universe in the company of mythical beasts. It’s a strong, celebratory reading of this poem. This promotional video gives the audio, but the images are not exactly how it plays out in the film.

There are definitely other ways to read the poem, though. As with all carpe diem kinds of art, there’s a measure of desperation here: Li starts by noting that the river is never coming back, and their hair has turned white. He ends by telling his host to sell all his worldly goods for wine. The extremity of his commitment to the bottle, and his simple lack of courtesy, suggest to me that he is playing up to his own reputation.

Bring in the Wine was also a piece of music, which had been around in one form or another since at least the Han Dynasty. Li Bai was adding his name to a living tradition. There are a few other poems of this name from the Tang Dynasty. I’ll try to share them in the next couple of weeks.

Notes:

The classic measure comes from a legendary tale of drinking. Zheng Xuan was a newly-arrived official, and the corrupt local leader of the militia, Yuan Shao, wanted to embarrass him. At a party, Yuan organized three hundred of his men to individually toast with Zheng Xuan, downing a shot each time, but at the end of the night, Zheng was still standing. 300 cups became a byword for massive binge drinking.

Cen and Danqiu were friends of Li Bai’s.

The king of Chen was Cao Zhi, founder of the state of Chen at the end of the Three Kingdoms period. He partied in a viewing tower outside the capital.

The poet Xiangru was Sima Xiangru, revered as the greatest poet of the Han Dynasty. He was of special importance to Li Bai, as they both came from Sichuan.

---

And just in case you’re curious, the subtitles used in the movie offer a very creditable version of this poem as well:

Can you see the Yellow River decanting from the sky

And racing to the sea never to return?

Can you see the grief of white hair in the mirrors

As dawn's black silk turns to evening snow?

When life goes well, be joyous

Never show the moon an empty cup

Heaven gave me talent for a reason

Spend now, riches return in season

Stew the lamb, prepare the ox, let us feast

Tonight we'll drink three hundred cups at least

Master Cen, Master Danqiu

drink and don't put down your cups

I'll sing for you —

Please lend your ears

Bells and jades are not so precious

As eternal inebriation

Ancient sages leave no name

It’s great drinkers who enjoy great fame

At the table of Prince Chen of old

Wine flowed like water

Hosts shouldn't fret over costs —

Buy more wine and fill those cups

Fine horses, expensive robes —

Tell the servant to sell these for wine

We’ll banish sorrow from this world