Being drunk
By 2011-6-24 18:42:44
Alcohol, more than any other beverage, had a great impact on Chinese artists as it seems that many of them produced their peak masterpieces in states of drunkenness. Being drunk, and so being released of inhibition, was and is an important way for Chinese artists to unleash their artistic and creative talents. After drinking the mysterious liquid, many famous poets, such as Li Bai and Du Fu, excelled in writing and left us surprisingly marvelous poems. Not only poetry but also painting and calligraphy were elevated to new heights with the consumption of alcohol. Wang Xizhi, the famous Chinese calligrapher respectfully called the Saint of Calligraphy, tried dozens of times to outdo his most outstanding work, Lantingxu (Orchid Pavilion Prologue), which was finished when he was drunk, but he failed. The original one was the best.
From cultural-china.com