Dui Jiu Dang Ge – Facing wine, sing a song

Idiom Story:

Cao Cao’s Short Song Style is a poetic masterpiece that vividly expresses his intense desire to achieve great accomplishments and his yearning for talented individuals to help him in his endeavors. According to legend, this poem was composed on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs. Cao Cao, after gathering and feasting with his generals, stood by the river, holding a long spear, and recited this poem.

The poem consists of thirty-two lines, grouped into eight rhyming stanzas. The first two stanzas reflect on the brevity of life and Cao Cao’s anxiety about finding the right talents to help him unify the country. The middle four stanzas convey his deep longing for virtuous and capable people. The final two stanzas use historical allusions to express his determination to treat worthy individuals with respect, just as the Duke of Zhou did.

The first eight lines of the poem are as follows:

对酒当歌，人生几何？
譬如朝露，去日苦多。
慨当以慷，幽思难忘。
何以解忧？唯有杜康。

Translation:

Facing wine, sing a song; how long is life?
It’s like morning dew, the past days are too many to count.
We should sing with passion; hidden thoughts are hard to forget.
What can ease my sorrow? Only Du Kang (wine) can.

The poem reflects the idea that life is short, like the morning dew that quickly disappears. Cao Cao ponders the fleeting nature of time and the many days that have passed, filled with unfulfilled ambitions. He questions how to alleviate his worries, suggesting that perhaps only wine, symbolized by Du Kang, can provide temporary relief.

This idiom, “对酒当歌,” originally depicted the scene of enjoying wine and song at a feast but later came to symbolize indulgence in pleasures, particularly those related to drinking and revelry.