That night in the wine

Author: Yang Yaowen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Wine and literati have always shared an inseparable bond. "A hundred poems from a single pot of wine," "sleeping in the midst of texts while drunk"—such unrestrained freedom serves as both a catalyst for masterpieces and an escape for the mind from itself. Cao Cao once said, "What can relieve sorrow? Only Du Kang (wine)." In fact, wine is not only remembered in times of sorrow but also when celebrating joy, gathering with friends, or bidding farewell. It seems to have become an indispensable substance in people's lives. Wine has long been intertwined with humanity, symbolizing both joy and sorrow; it is art. It can transport one into a state of merriment, exhilaration, drowsiness, and ultimately, a drunken oblivion, fully entering another realm where one can temporarily shed the constraints of the human world, roaming freely; forgetting the hustle and bustle and the various troubles of life. With a cup in hand, endless joy awaits, as a single raise and lower of the head can turn the past into clouds of the distant past. A moderate amount of alcohol helps the mind take flight, like soaring on a white crane or riding the breeze. Through the centuries and millennia, the heavens and the underworld—all are experienced between one cup and the next. Wine and literati have always shared an inseparable bond. "A hundred poems from a single pot of wine," "sleeping in the midst of texts while drunk"—such unrestrained freedom serves as both a catalyst for masterpieces and an escape for the mind from itself. Passion and ambition, joy and sorrow—all are contained within the wine. That Night in Wine selects fifty classic works by renowned Chinese essayists on wine, guiding readers to appreciate the themes, moods, and meanings from different perspectives. While offering readers a joyful spiritual experience, it also opens up a vast space for imagination.