Eight Immortals of Wine Scroll” (Yin Zhong Ba Xian Tu Juan)
Attributed to Yuan Dynasty painter Ren Renfa (1254–1327), this 26.7 x 447.3 cm handscroll vividly depicts the “Eight Immortals of Wine”—eight Tang Dynasty literati famed for their eccentricity and love of wine, as immortalized in Du Fu’s poem Ode to the Eight Immortals of Wine. The scenes capture their drunken antics:

• He Zhizhang (贺知章) swaying on horseback, “as if sailing a boat” after wine.
• Li Jin (李琎), an imperial prince, eyeing wine carts with longing.
• Li Shizhi (李适之), the deposed chancellor, drowning political sorrows in lavish feasts.
• Cui Zongzhi (崔宗之), a dashing youth toasting the moon with defiance.
• Su Jin (苏晋), torn between Buddhist vows and wine.
• Li Bai (李白), sprawled in a tavern, declaring himself “Immortal of Wine” even when summoned by the emperor.
• Zhang Xu (张旭), the “Sage of Cursive Script,” calligraphing wildly bareheaded.
• Jiao Sui (焦遂), a commoner whose eloquence dazzled after five cups.

Artistic Context:
Though traditionally ascribed to Ren Renfa—a hydraulic engineer turned painter influenced by Li Gonglin—the brushwork’s subdued vigor suggests a Ming Dynasty reinterpretation. The scroll blends poetic whimsy with social critique, notably in Li Shizhi’s sidelined grandeur and Li Bai’s rebellious iconoclasm.

Provenance:
Housed in Taipei’s National Palace Museum, the scroll bears imperial seals of Qianlong (who transcribed Du Fu’s poem) and collector Xiang Yuanbian’s seals. Its blend of lyrical imagery and historical allegory epitomizes the enduring cultural fascination with Tang-era literati freedom.

Key Themes:

• Wine as liberation: From He Zhizhang’s nautical drunkenness to Zhang Xu’s calligraphic abandon.
• Political satire: Li Shizhi’s fall mirrors Tang court intrigues.
• Daoist nonconformity: Li Bai’s refusal of imperial summons embodies anti-authoritarian ideals.

This scroll transcends mere illustration, offering a visual symphony of Tang Dynasty intellectual rebellion, where wine becomes both muse and metaphor.