About the China Wine Industry..

"Although wine drinking is a common cultural heritage enjoyed by various peoples world-wide, the wine drinking culture of each people is different. The origins of fermenting and drinking wine in China go far back in time. The Chinese either used wine as a libation to their forefathers to express reverence, or enjoyed it by themselves while writing poetry or prose, or to toast their relatives and friends during a feast. Without a doubt, wine occupies an important place in the culture and life of the Chinese people. Wine was intimately connected with most Chinese men of letters. It was also an inseparable part of the life of ordinary Chinese people. It was a must for the banquets of ancient emperors and kings. Every sort of wine vessel thus became an important kind of sacrificial object."

China has an uninterrupted cultural development for over 5,000 years. Just like in other cultures, also in the Chinese one it is not possible to trace the earliest discovery and the regular use of alcohol. In written sources it is mentioned "that about 5000 years ago the history of Chinese alcoholic liquor began, when people began to make wine. The Chinese people have long had the habit of drinking."

For an in-depth look at the history of Chinese Wine, please visit "WINE in CHINA, its History and Contemporary Developments" written by Pieter Eijkhoff. You may download at no cost a 200-page manuscript developed by Mr. Eijkhoff. Some portions of ChinaWineTours.com are used by permission of the Eykhoff family.

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