Night Banquet of Han Xizai - Painting Core
Imagine being hired by the Emperor to spy on a high-ranking official's wild party—that's exactly how this masterpiece came to be. Emperor Li Yu of the Southern Tang dynasty sent Gu Hongzhong to sneak into Han Xizai's home to document his legendary night revels, suspecting the official of treason. The resulting handscroll unfolds like a comic strip in five distinct scenes: listening to the pipa, watching a dance, resting, playing flutes, and bidding farewell. Despite the lively atmosphere of musicians and dancers, Han Xizai appears in every scene with a surprisingly somber expression, suggesting his hedonism was a clever act to avoid political responsibility.
Location: Palace Museum, Beijing
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