Drinking Alone Under the Moon

Among the flowers, a pot of wine, Drinking alone, with no companion. Raising my cup, I invite the bright moon, With my shadow we become three people.

A wine jar rests among spring blooms, I drink alone, no friend in sight. I lift my cup and toast the moon, My shadow joins—now we are three.

This is perhaps Li Bai's most famous poem about drinking and solitude. Li Bai was known for his love of wine and his eccentric, romantic personality. The poem shows his ability to find joy and companionship even in isolation, using nature and imagination. The moon has special significance in Chinese culture as a symbol of reunion and longing, making its role as a drinking companion both playful and melancholic.