Invitation to Wine - Part II. 将进酒

I am not much of a drinker and my capacity for liquor 酒量 jiǔliàng is not good. I do not enjoy getting drunk because I do not believe one can drown one’s worries in drink 借酒浇愁 jièjiǔ-jiāochóu or forget oneself in one’s cups 酒后失态 jiǔhòushītài.

I do enjoy a drink or two in quiet setting and good conversation. So I do not really “share” the joy of drinking 酒兴 jiǔxìng as brought up in this and other drinking poems. But I can appreciate the beauty and romanticism of release and abandonment from mundane existence and “endless worries” through wine especially in the age of the gentlemen scholar.

Having paused before the wonderful calligraphy, the strong drinkers turned to head towards the bar to continue their 进酒 jìnjiǔ toasts. While we, the group of weaker drinkers already over our head in wine headed the other directions to the safety of our beds and our drunken dreams. I wondered if I will enjoy drinking more if I can hold my liquor better? To be honest, probably. But I being what I am, can only enjoy the poems on drinking more than the drinks itself; maybe more than some famous drinkers...

与君歌一曲, 请君为我侧耳听。
yǔ jūn gē yī qū, qǐng jūn wèi wǒ cè'ěr tīng 。
钟鼓馔玉不足贵, 但愿长醉不愿醒。
zhōng gǔ zhuàn yù bùzú guì, dànyuàn cháng zuì bù yuàn xǐng 。
古来圣贤皆寂寞, 惟有饮者留其名。
gǔlái shèngxián jiē jìmò, wéiyǒu yǐn zhě liú qí míng 。
陈王昔时宴平乐, 斗酒十千恣欢谑。
chén wáng xī shí yàn pínglè, dòu jiǔ shí qiān zì huān xuè 。
主人何为言少钱, 径须沽取对君酌。
zhǔrén hé wèi yán shǎo qián, jìng xū gū qǔ duì jūn zhuó 。
五花马,千金裘, 呼儿将出换美酒,
wǔ huā mǎ, qiān jīn qiú, hū ér jiāng chū huàn měijiǔ,
与尔同销万古愁。
yǔ ěr tóng xiāo wàngǔ chóu。

For you I will sing a tune,
Please do hear me sing.
Bells and drums, delicacies and jades are not that precious,
I only wish I could stay drunk and not wake.
The ancient sages were all lonely,
Only the drinkers leave their names.
King Chen threw a feast in Ping Le,
Ten thousand rounds of toasts and happy banters.
My host, why complain lack of money?
Just buy more drinks for your guests
With my rare horse and expensive fur,
In exchange for more fragrant wine,
To melt away our endless worries.

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