Dūn huáng yèshì yí dào bàngwǎn dēnghuǒ cuǐcàn, zhēn yǒu pútao měijiǔ yèguāngbēi de wèidào.
When the Dunhuang night market lights up at dusk, it really has the flavor of 'fine grape wine in a cup that glows in the night.'
Tips
history
Opening line of Wang Han's (王翰, Tang dynasty) 《凉州词》 ('Song of Liangzhou'): 葡萄美酒夜光杯，欲饮琵琶马上催。醉卧沙场君莫笑，古来征战几人回 - 'Fine grape wine in a jade cup that glows in the night; just as I lift it, the pipa on horseback urges us on. Laugh not if I lie drunk on the battlefield - how many who went to war ever came back?' A masterpiece of Tang frontier poetry.
usage
夜光杯 refers to translucent jade cups, traditionally carved from Qilian Mountain jade in Jiuquan (Gansu), said to glow in moonlight. The phrase reads: 葡萄美酒 ('fine grape wine') + 夜光杯 ('night-glowing jade cup').
