Nguyen Du’s drinking set

Nguyen Du’s drinking set

Ladies and gentlemen!
During his lifetime, the “poetry book” and the “wine gourd” were the two items that the great poet Nguyen Du was always associated with. Those who read the Tale of Kieu know that he considered drinking wine a joy in life, so much so that regarding the friendship between Kim and Kieu after their reunion, he wrote:
          “Drinking wine, playing chess.
            Watching flowers bloom, waiting for the moon to rise”.
In his poems in Chinese characters, Nguyen Du mentioned his own drinking habit many times, such as:
          “If I don’t empty my jug while I’m alive
            Who will water my grave with wine?”
In front of you is the set of wine-drinking utensils that Nguyen Du often used. The set, dating back to the 18th century, is currently being preserved and displayed at the Nguyen Du Memorial Site.