The Night Revels of Han Xizai is a handscroll painting in ink and color on silk, attributed to Gu Hongzhong and dated to the 960s, with the extant version being a 12th-century Song dynasty copy. The work depicts the private evening gatherings of Han Xizai, a high-ranking official of the Southern Tang court during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. According to historical accounts, the original painting was commissioned by the Southern Tang emperor Li Yu, who instructed Gu Hongzhong to observe and record Han Xizai’s activities, reportedly out of concern for Han’s conduct. The painting unfolds as a continuous narrative across several scenes, showing Han Xizai and his guests engaged in music, conversation, and leisure within an interior setting.

The composition is organized into five sections, each capturing a different aspect of the revelry, such as listening to music, watching dancers, and resting. Figures are rendered with fine, expressive brushwork and subtle coloration, set against detailed furnishings and textiles that convey the refined atmosphere of a scholar-official’s residence. Key details, such as musical instruments, elaborate robes, and attentive servants, highlight the cultural milieu of the late 10th-century elite. The original handscroll by Gu Hongzhong is no longer extant; the best-known surviving version is a Song dynasty copy, which is preserved today in the Palace Museum, Beijing.

Over the centuries, the painting has been widely studied and reproduced, becoming an important reference for both art historians and scholars of Chinese social history. Its detailed portrayal of courtly life and its association with a documented imperial commission have contributed to its enduring reputation as a masterpiece of early Chinese narrative painting.