Huanxindan: Chronicles of the Drunken Lantern Pavilion

On the day of the Shangyuan Festival in the Wuxu year, at the dawn of the New Year, I awoke from a deep intoxication and recorded these lines, reflecting upon the world of men.

The light descends from the heights, new and pristine. I pace the pavilion, circling beneath the vaulted canopy, gazing up at the moon and the lantern-lit towers. Fragmented thoughts wander through the text of my mind—is this reality?

Objects and emotions seem both true and false; can such things truly exist in the mortal realm? Are they meant to last only for a fleeting moment? If things were not as they are today, and if the splendor did not reside in the passing years, then I would share this intoxication in this pavilion with my like-minded friends, alongside those who remain sleepless in a world that refuses to wake. By the next day, the Southern Pole has watched through the night, and the northern reaches are steeped in wine; thus, today is the dawn of joy.

Upon the streets, the clamor of the marketplace surges like an endless sea. The air is thick with noise, dusk hides at the horizon, and the cliffs stand silent against the evening. I follow shadows in search of souls. For the traveler, the road is hard—so hard! Where does the path lie now?

Year after year, I return to this pavilion...

"Eternal Lantern Bright" - Record of the New Year's Dawn at the Drunken Lantern Pavilion is currently being drafted. Please wait a moment. Once the content is updated, please refresh the page to receive the latest version.