When talking about the wine culture that has been passed down for thousands of years, I believe the first thing that everyone thinks of is the "Wine Saint" Du Kang. As the legendary first person to invent wine, he not only brewed a holy product that can make all Chinese people intoxicated, but also infiltrated the customs and culture of wine making and drinking into the hearts of every Chinese people.

The history and legends about "wine" from ancient times to the present seem to linger in our ears like lingering sounds. Cao Cao, the traitor during the Three Kingdoms period, once wrote in "Dan Ge Xing": "How can only Du Kang relieve worries?" Although there are only eight words, it tells the historical achievements of Du Kang, the originator of wine making, and the relationship between wine and life. close relationship.

Happiness, anger, sadness, joy, and sorrow can all be the reasons for people to drink. The person with the deepest affection for wine was Li Bai, because he was once called "the Immortal of Wine" by Du Fu. "Li Bai wrote hundreds of poems in one fight and slept in a restaurant in Chang'an City." Although there are anecdotes about this wine god falling asleep in a restaurant after getting drunk. But after drinking, poetry can flow freely like clouds and flowing water.

Li Bai’s feelings towards wine can be described as both love and hate. He once said in his book "About Wine": "In ancient times, all the sages were lonely, and only the drinkers left their names." This kind of love and fascination for wine is something that only a few people can achieve. "Ten thousand cups of fine wine will be made in Xinfeng"; "When will the bright moon come? Ask the sky for wine" are all the drunken attitudes of ancient literati.

When it comes to this, many people may think that the Tang and Song dynasties were the dynasties that loved drinking the most. But in fact, the dynasty that really loved wine as much as their lives was neither the Tang Dynasty, which "persuaded you to drink one more glass of wine", nor the Song Dynasty, which "three glasses of wine, two cups of light wine", but the Ming Dynasty, which overthrew the dark rule of the Yuan Dynasty.

A love song about the inseparability between people and "wine" in the Ming Dynasty

Wine has been deeply loved by people since ancient times. Drinking can not only express a person's emotions, but it is also an ancient cultural heritage. During the Ming Dynasty, wine culture was prevalent, mainly because the emperor liked drinking, which made people in the Ming Dynasty have the habit of drinking. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, due to the gradual development and prosperity of handicraft industry and commerce, the wine culture gradually prospered.

1. “Wine” is a sacred thing

“Only Du Kang can relieve worries.” Wine is a holy product that relieves worries. If you think too much for a long time, you can drink alcohol to relieve your worries. Drinking alcohol can eliminate sadness. As the saying goes, one drink can relieve a thousand worries. The use of wine is a very solemn matter. During the Ming Dynasty, wine was indispensable for worshiping heaven and earth and worshiping ancestral temples. Therefore, wine has been an extremely sacred existence in people's hearts for thousands of years.

1. The reason why people in the Ming Dynasty loved drinking

The "wine" culture of the Ming Dynasty was unique. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty liked drinking. After he ascended the throne, he lifted the ban on drinking in the army. Prohibition, since then the wine culture has gradually become popular. Under the leadership of Zhu Yuanzhang, both ministers and common people liked drinking, and the emperor Jinkou Yuyan ordered the construction of restaurants, so the number of restaurants gradually increased.

During the Ming Dynasty, there was a very honorable profession, that of winemakers. As the number of people who like to drink gradually increased, restaurants also became more popular and developed, causing many people to fall in love with the wine-making industry. At that time, being able to make wine was a very glorious thing, and it also symbolized a distinguished status.

"This is Shanren's health-preserving wine. It is neither sweet nor medicinal, and it is very different from the usual products. Those who drink heavily should not speak nonsense." This describes the characteristics of wine culture. Wine has a certain health-preserving effect. , not only is it sweet in the mouth, but it can also relieve fatigue. Drinking it in moderation can promote people's physical and mental health. Moreover, drinking orders were relatively popular during the Ming Dynasty, which further promoted the development of wine culture.

The author believes that wine is a good thing. However, "a small drink is pleasant, but a large drink is harmful to the body." Therefore, do not drink a lot in daily life to avoid drinking too much and affecting people's health. Drinking too much can also cause Will have a headache. When drinking, be sure to stop drinking in moderation. Don’t get drunk all the time, and don’t drive after drinking.

2. Production and brewing of wine

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the ruling class paid more attention to the recuperation of the people and the development of agriculture, and promoted the prosperity of farming. Therefore, The living conditions of the people gradually improved. By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, economic development and cultural progress promoted the development of the brewing industry.

The Ming Dynasty was a period when restaurants flourished. Wines of different varieties and vintages have gradually entered people's lives, and people will classify wines into different grades according to the identity of the winemaker.

The highest level is the imperial wine, the next level is the wine made according to the Ouchi brewing method, the third level is the home brew of the scholar-bureaucrats, and the last level is the wine brewed by the people.

The distillation technology used to make wine in ancient times has been improved and improved, and the variety and quantity of wine have also increased. Fruit wine began to appear in the mid-Ming Dynasty, and the more common ones are wine, jujube wine and lychee wine. Shaoxing wine and Shanxi Fenjiu are also famous far and wide. The Bamboo Leaf Green produced in Shaoxing was a relatively famous variety at that time.

The author believes that wine is a drink made from pure grains, and the purity of wine is relatively high. Proper drinking is helpful to people’s health, so you can drink wine appropriately during the diet. Especially when gathering with friends, it is best to eat some meat or fruit before drinking to avoid long-term drinking that may harm people's liver health.

3. Jintan began to be used to seal wine in the Ming Dynasty

Many people pay attention to the age of the wine when drinking. The older the wine, the higher the purity and the better the taste. Therefore, ancient people would use the method of sealing wine in a golden altar to increase the aroma and mellowness of the wine. This method began during the period of Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty and has been passed down to form the current wine sealing culture.

It is said that Zhu Yuanzhang led the peasants to revolt against the heavy oppression of the Yuan Dynasty. Because the people did a lot of practical things, when passing by Gulong Mountain in Jintan, the people offered rice wine they brewed, including wine and meat. Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy at that time. After drinking the rice wine, he was still not satisfied, so he ordered people to bury the remaining wine in the ground and wait for the day of victory before opening the altar to drink.

After Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor, Jintan officials offered the leftover wine to Zhu Yuanzhang. Since the wine was buried underground for many years, the purity of the wine was better, and the taste was superior, so Zhu Yuanzhang called this wine "sealed vat wine". From then on, Jintan Feng wine became a way to store wine. People put the wine they brew in a wine vat, and when it reaches a certain age, they dig it out and drink it. It will be sweet and fragrant.

I think that "Jintan sealed wine" can make the wine taste better and increase the aroma and mellowness of the wine after being buried for a long time, so people who like wine tasting should choose high-purity wine for burial. It lies underground and can be dug up again after a few years to drink. The drink will taste sweeter and will be unforgettable for a long time after drinking it.

4. The culture of drinking wine during the Ming Dynasty

When people in ancient times drank to their heart's content, they would talk about the drinking order. "How are you guys! Five leaders! Six and six are smooth" is a kind of punching game during the drinking process. This kind of drinking order can not only stimulate the interest in drinking, but also is a unique drinking culture.

The origin of drinking orders is mainly to enliven the atmosphere at the wine table. It is said that as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, the earliest drinking orders appeared. This is also a set of rhetoric when people drink, which is a rule of drinking. . The literati's order to sober up is to guess charades or couplets, while most people's order to sober up is to make punches.

In the Ming Dynasty, most people liked to drink, so the words of the drinking order were more colorful. Some people would guess animals, write romantic poems, etc. as a drinking order, which also represented a period of time. The social form and the atmosphere of the time. The Ming Dynasty was a very rich culture, and most people drank with friends, and two people who hated each other would drink to drown their grudges.

5. Drinking culture during the Ming Dynasty

During the Ming Dynasty, people did not have too many prohibitions on alcohol. Drinking was not taxed and could prolong life, so alcohol was an important part of the common people's dining table. An indispensable item when eating, just like eating, wine must be included with every meal. Moreover, there were also phenomena of persuading people to drink, fighting over wine, and punishing people with drinking on the wine table, which had a certain role in promoting the development of the drinking industry in the Ming Dynasty.

The development of the wine industry in the Ming Dynasty

During the Ming Dynasty, the wine making industry developed and expanded, and the varieties of wine were diverse and the output was significantly higher than in other periods. In the Ming Dynasty, both ordinary people and soldiers could drink, and they could brew rice wine or fruit wine with different tastes at home. There were even early wines, which greatly promoted the development of wine culture.

1. Rice wine and shochu during the Ming Dynasty

During the Ming Dynasty, due to the country’s relaxation of control over alcohol, alcohol was also in a stage of diversified development. The most famous one at that time was rice wine. and soju. In the early Ming Dynasty, the production of rice wine in Zhejiang was relatively high, and it became the mainstream in the wine market at that time. Rice wine is mainly divided into three types: sauce-flavored, strong-flavored and rice-flavored. Rice wine is sweet, fragrant and has a long aftertaste.

With the development and advancement of brewing technology, rice wine has gradually been replaced by shochu. Since rice wine consumes a lot of raw materials and has a relatively low alcohol content, most people liked to drink shochu in the late Ming Dynasty. There is a saying in "Qing Shi Duo" that "Yellow wine is expensive and the price is high, and white wine is low and the price is high." There is a big difference in price between different types of wine.

The author believes that most people drink wine mainly for "essence". Fine pure wine is fragrant and delicious, which can make people have endless aftertaste. Although the price is slightly more expensive, the most important thing about drinking wine is tasting it. Drinking heavily can easily lead to drunkenness and is not good for people's health. Therefore, rice wine has been the first choice for drinkers for thousands of years.

2. Seven famous wines during the Ming Dynasty

People in the Ming Dynasty liked drinking very much, but the wines of the Ming Dynasty were not recorded in detail in relevant documents. Several famous medicinal wines are recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica. These medicinal wines can prevent diseases and nourish the body and mind. Appropriate drinking can relieve fatigue and promote blood circulation.

1. Shandong Autumn Dew White

"The jade dew condenses in the clouds in the sky, and the silver trough is empty and weeps the autumn red. The Xue family's new lotus color makes it easy to hold the Qingzun next to the blue tube." This is the kind of shochu made from pure sorghum. It tastes sweet, pure and sweet, and has an endless aftertaste. It can be called the best in wine.

2. Huaian mung bean wine

“Huai’an mung bean wine contains mung beans, which can detoxify. However, it also contains ash, which is not beautiful.” Mung beans have the effects of clearing away heat, detoxifying and removing dampness. Therefore, this kind of wine has good medicinal value and can clear away heat and detoxify. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Huaian mung bean wine was an essential wine for entertaining guests. Countryside weddings and country exams were celebrated by drinking.

3. Other famous medicinal wines

Kuocang Jinpanlu, Wuzhou Jinhua wine, Jianchang Magu wine, Taiping quarrying wine, and Suzhou small bottle wine are all recorded in the book famous wine. It has certain health-preserving effects. If you have headaches, thirst, or local blood stasis, you can choose to drink alcohol to relieve it. You can taste the wine and avoid taking medicine, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

The author believes that the development of the brewing industry in the Ming Dynasty has a certain connection with the economic prosperity of the Ming Dynasty. Due to the rapid economic development at that time and the support of the ruling class, the wine culture prospered and developed. Ordinary people can also brew high-quality wine at home, and the emergence of fruit wine has further promoted the glory of the brewing industry.

Conclusion

Since ancient times, "wine" has a unique status in people's hearts. "I urge you to have one more glass of wine. There will be no old friends when you leave Yangguan in the west." It is necessary to drink alcohol when seeing off to express the pain of separation. "The luminous cup of grape wine will prompt you to drink the pipa immediately." When you go out to fight, you need to drink to strengthen your hero's courage, so the wine culture has had profound meaning since ancient times.

Drinking is a way to make friends. Drinking is also a technique for relieving worries. Fruit wine is also a sacred product for beauty and health care. Wine is used for sacrifices and farewells. It is also necessary to drink wine at the bridal chamber. , Jinbang inscriptions have to drink alcohol, so alcohol plays an important role in people's lives, but do not drink too much, as alcoholism affects people's physical and mental health.