The painting depicts Han Xizai, a minister from Southern Tang under the imperial government of emperor Li Yu, accompanied with realistic portrayals of more than forty people.

In one version of the story, Han Xizai repeatedly missed morning audiences with Li Yu because of his revelry and needed to be shamed into dignified behavior.

Viewed from right to left, the parts show Han Xizai listening to a pipa, striking a drum for dancers, resting, watching five female musicians playing flutes, and seeing off his guests.

With high hat and full beard, Han Xizai is sitting on a couch with red-robed Lang Can, a scholar who ranked first in the highest imperial examination.

Everybody is focusing on her movements except Han's friend the monk Deming, who crosses his hands in front of his chest and bows his head.

There remains an inscription about Han Xizai, twenty words in length, at the beginning of the scroll by a collector of the Southern Song.

The Ming calligrapher Cheng Nanyun (active early fifteenth century) wrote a three-word title "Night Revelry" (Yeyan tu).