Savoring yellow rice wine in Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang, a famous water town in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, with several large distilleries, has over the years developed a distinctive yellow rice wine culture.

Rice wine of Zhouzhuang. [Photo/zhouzhuang.net]

"Wan San" rice wine is a well-known brand over 200 years old named after Shen Wansan, a businessman of the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Shen, one of the richest men in the area south of the Yangtze River, started his career with farming in Zhouzhuang. He used to treat banquet guests with rice wine made from local water, helping the alcoholic beverage win a great reputation in the country.

"Yuanfengshun", founded in 1821 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), became the largest folk liquor workshop in Zhouzhuang. Throughout the years, the workshop has created its distinctive taste of rice wine through careful selection of high-quality ingredients including local water and cereal grains such as rice, sorghum, millet and wheat.

"Yuanfengshun" workshop in Zhouzhuang. [Photo/zhouzhuang.net]

Inside the liquor workshop. [Photo/zhouzhuang.net]

Today, people in Zhouzhuang still follow the special brewing process of the local rice wine, offering guests an incredibly wonderful flavor.