Home › Poems › Drinking Alone Under the Moon
Yuè Xià Dú ZhuóDrinking Alone Under the Moon 月下独酌
Li Bai makes friends with the moon and his own shadow.
Original Chinese text with pinyin
花间一壶酒
huā jiān yī hú jiǔ
独酌无相亲
dú zhuó wú xiāng qīn
举杯邀明月
jǔ bēi yāo míng yuè
对影成三人
duì yǐng chéng sān rén
月既不解饮
yuè jì bù jiě yǐn
影徒随我身
yǐng tú suí wǒ shēn
暂伴月将影
zàn bàn yuè jiāng yǐng
行乐须及春
xíng lè xū jí chūn
我歌月徘徊
wǒ gē yuè pái huái
我舞影零乱
wǒ wǔ yǐng líng luàn
醒时同交欢
xǐng shí tóng jiāo huān
醉后各分散
zuì hòu gè fēn sàn
永结无情游
yǒng jié wú qíng yóu
相期邈云汉
xiāng qī miǎo yún hàn
Simplified characters; traditional title: 月下獨酌.
English translation
From a pot of wine among the flowers
I drank alone. There was no one with me—
Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
Alas, the moon was unable to drink
And my shadow tagged me vacantly;
But still for a while I had these friends
To cheer me through the end of spring…
I sang. The moon encouraged me.
I danced. My shadow tumbled after.
As long as I knew, we were boon companions.
And then I was drunk, and we lost one another…
Shall goodwill ever be secure?
I watch the long road of the River of Stars.
Original translation by Poetune — literal but poetic, written for this site.
Line by line
Meaning and imagery
Loneliness is the starting point, but Li Bai turns it into play: the moon and his shadow become drinking companions. He then admits, with a wink, that they are poor company — the moon cannot drink, the shadow only copies him. The dance scenes are joyful and slightly unsteady. The ending raises the game to a cosmic vow, a "friendship without feeling" with nature itself, to be renewed among the stars. Humor and melancholy are perfectly balanced.
Background
The first of four poems with this title, written around 744 in Chang'an, when Li Bai's position at court was becoming difficult.
Key words
- 独酌 dú zhuó
- drinking alone
- 邀 yāo
- to invite
- 无情游 wú qíng yóu
- friendship free of worldly feeling
- 云汉 yún hàn
- the Milky Way
About the poet: Li Bai
Li Bai (also romanized Li Po; courtesy name Taibai) is celebrated as the "Immortal of Poetry." Raised in Sichuan, he spent much of his life wandering, briefly served at the court of Emperor Xuanzong in Chang'an, and is remembered for his love of wine, the moon and untamed nature. He and Du Fu are regarded as the two greatest poets of the Tang dynasty.
Lifetime: 701–762. Other famous works: Farewell to a Friend (送友人); Song of Qiupu (White Hair) (秋浦歌); Midnight Song of Wu (Autumn) (子夜吴歌); Question and Answer in the Mountains (山中问答); For Wang Lun (赠汪伦); The Road Is Hard (行路难); Sitting Alone Facing Jingting Mountain (独坐敬亭山); Written as a Traveler (客中作); Song of the Moon over Mount Emei (峨眉山月歌); Resentment (怨情); Farewell to Meng Haoran at Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵); Quiet Night Thoughts (静夜思); Bring In the Wine (将进酒); Drinking Alone Under the Moon (月下独酌); Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu (望庐山瀑布); Leaving Baidi City at Dawn (早发白帝城); The Hard Road to Shu (蜀道难).
Names from this poem
More by Li Bai
- Quiet Night Thoughts静夜思
- Farewell to Meng Haoran at Yellow Crane Tower黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵
- Leaving Baidi City at Dawn早发白帝城
- Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu望庐山瀑布
- Midnight Song of Wu (Autumn)子夜吴歌
- Song of the Moon over Mount Emei峨眉山月歌
- Song of Qiupu (White Hair)秋浦歌
- Farewell to a Friend送友人