In modern people's cognition, vegetarian wine is the wine brewed from plant grains, and the so-called meat wine is the meat used in the brewing process. In fact, this is mainly related to ancient brewing methods, which are different from modern ones. Modern brewing methods generally use grains. But in ancient times, there was a practice called mutton brewing.

Mainly use glutinous rice, soak it, then add fat mutton and Jiuqu, add a little almond and cook it together, and finally brew it. The brewed wine, also called sheep wine, actually has a long history and was once presented as a tribute to the court at that time. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, this wine was specially used for Yang Guifei's birthday, and the so-called drunken princess also used this wine. Besides mutton wine, there are dog meat and tiger bones, dog meat wine and tiger bone wine.

In fact, it is to use animals or parts of animals to make wine or soak wine. For example, some snake wine actually belongs to meat wine. But the so-called meat is not just the meat defined by Buddhism, but refers to those things with pungent smell, such as onions, garlic, ginger, leeks, Hu Cai and so on. Therefore, the meat wine that was refused to be drunk by Tang Priest in The Journey to the West actually included the wine that ordinary people drank normally at that time, because the popular wine at that time had a certain pungent smell, and people could have promiscuity if they drank too much.

The vegetarian wine that Tang Sanzang in The Journey to the West has drunk many times is actually wine. However, ancient wine is a little different from modern wine. Because of the brewing technology, ancient wine is actually only a drink at best, and the alcohol content is almost negligible. So in the eyes of the ancients, things made from these grapes can't be called wine. Moreover, the vegetarian wine in The Journey to the West is not only wine, but also coconut wine made of coconut.