If you are exiled to a barren island and can take only one condiment, what would you pick? Salt, pepper, chili and oil may be clear choices for some. However for the people in Shaoxing, in East China's Zhejiang Province, they will answer without hesitation: "Our local huangjiu, of course."

 

Huangjiu, or yellow liquor, is a traditional alcoholic beverage brewed from grains, such as millet, rice or wheat. It can be drunk directly, or used for cooking chicken, crabs and other foods. The flavor has a pleasant taste that even impresses non-drinkers.

 

There are many types of huangjiu across the nation, and the long-standing brand of Shaoxing Huangjiu shines because of its sophisticated distilling and high quality. It is one of only two wine-related items which is inscribed in China's ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage). The other beverage is Luzhou Laojiao of Southwest Sichuan Province.

 

The preservation of the huangjiu is credited to 82-year-old Wang A'niu, who was born into a family of wine makers in Shaoxing and started working at a local distillery at age 17.

 

Unlike many other traditional crafts, the brewing business didn't adopt a custom of taking apprentices. The core technology was kept secret and young workers normally had no access to individual training.

 

Wang started his trade by making tea, serving wine and cleaning portable toilets for elder workers.

 

He watched them closely and wanted to learn everything they knew. In fact, he was almost fired one night after he was caught sneaking into the studio to watch a key wine producing process. His hardworking spirit and willingness to learn finally greatly impressed others and an experienced mentor accepted him as apprentice a year later.

 

"Shaoxing Huangjiu makes a big name because of its special raw materials," Wang says.

 

"We use the refreshing and sweet water of the nearby Jianhu Lake, superior glutinous rice and yellow-peel wheat.

 

"They are dubbed the 'blood', 'flesh' and 'bone' of the liquor," Wang says.

 

The process involves five major steps in which the rice is soaked, steamed, fermented, filtered and pasteurized.

 

Among the varieties of Shaoxing Huangjiu, huadiao, which literally means flowery-carving liquor, is hailed as the "first-class liquid cake" and enjoys great popularity. It evolves from the ancient folk custom of nu'erhong (daughter red) liquor in Shaoxing.

 

When a girl was born, the family would carve lucky designs on the containers and then bury the liquor underground. On the girl's wedding day, the family members would dig up the bottles and repaint them in flashy colors for the wedding banquet. People later began to bottle the liquor in pots with patterns carved on them.

 

Wang is renown for his excellent judgment of a good bottle of huangjiu. He is also respected for his efforts to modernize the ancient craftsmanship of Chinese liquor.

 

"The craft used to be passed down by word of mouth. Many masters were illiterate or kept technological secrets to themselves," he says.

 

His book, Regulations of the Shaoxing Liquor Making Process, is believed to be the first of its kind on the education of brewing traditional huangjiu.

 

Wang's son and grandson also work at the distillery. He has total confidence in the future of huangjiu and its craft.

 

"More and more people are drinking huangjiu instead of the white liquor. It is nutritious and good for our health," he says.

 

"The production is mechanized. Yet I still think the traditionally-handmade liquor has a special flavor."

 

(China Daily July 31, 2007)