Feast by the meandering stream: an intellectual entertainment in China, Korea, and Japan as part of the wine order

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the specific features of traditional intellectual entertainment in China, Korea, and Japan, which were based on literary games and included ritual wine drinking. The games and rituals of the wine order that existed for over 2000 years in East Asia (as a form of entertainment of the elite) are analyzed within the ideological concept of a cultural person (Chinese: wenren, Korean: mun'in, Japanese: bunjin), embracing the knowledge of calligraphy, painting, literature, music, draughts and chess. The games developed by the intellectual community in these spheres used to be an important part of the cultural person's communication in the Far East. The adaptation of Chinese games in Korea and Japan is shown by the example of one of the most ancient wine order rituals called Feast by the Meandering Stream: the participants had to compete in making impromptu verses while a cup of wine floats down the winding channel. The analysis of the national features of this ritual helps to clarify the process of intercultural interaction.