Fan Guan Bitan Wine

Fan Guan Bitan Wine

　　“Shahu tofu skin, Miancheng lotus root; Hongmiao crisp cakes, Fan Guan wine.” This is how people praise these local specialties.

　　 Fan Guan wine was already famous nationwide as early as the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. When Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, ascended the throne in Nanjing, he hosted a banquet for his ministers using Fan Guan wine, and all who drank it praised it as an excellent brew.

　　 Fan Guan (originally named Fan Gai Guan) is located by the Luo River, near Pai Lake, and became one of the nineteen well-known market towns in Mianyang during the late Yuan Dynasty. The town’s streets stretched three li, bustling with merchants and thriving in commerce. Especially notable was its brewing industry, which flourished greatly—with nine distilleries along the street, yet supply still could not meet demand. A popular folk rhyme at the time went: “One li, three distilleries, brewing day and night, everyone who comes and goes praises the fragrance of the wine.” People said, “The wine brewed here is exceptionally good; just two cups will leave you drunk and unconscious for three days.”

　　 Why is Fan Guan wine so good? There is such a legend:

　　 In the late Yuan Dynasty, an elderly man from out of town came to the distillery owned by a man surnamed Ding to buy wine. The owner poured him a jug of Xiaoqu wine, but the man said it wasn’t good; then the owner poured him a jug of Fenjiu, and he still said it wasn’t good; finally, the owner took out a jug of premium aged wine from the cellar, yet the man still said it wasn’t good. Puzzled, the owner asked, “What kind of wine would you consider good?” The old man took a wine gourd from his waist and handed it to the owner, saying, “Take a sip of this and then tell me.” The owner took a sip and found the wine had a pure taste, fragrant aroma, and a long-lasting aftertaste—far superior to the wine he brewed himself. He quickly asked, “Where did you get this wine?” The old man smiled faintly, “I made it myself.” The owner realized the old man was a master brewer and earnestly begged him to teach his techniques. The old man nodded in agreement.

　　 One day, the old man said to the owner, “I see that your brewing ingredients and techniques are quite good, but the water quality is lacking. Behind your distillery there is a large pond. At the hour of You (5–7 PM), the water quality is especially fine. Have someone draw water from there at that time to brew wine, and you will surely produce an excellent brew.” The owner followed his advice, and the resulting wine was indeed as the old man had said. Other distilleries rushed to imitate the method, and their wine quality also became as good as that of Ding’s distillery. As a result, people came ceaselessly from every direction to draw water from the pond to brew wine during that specific hour. Later, locals named the pond “San You Tan” (Three You Pond); the wine also came to be nicknamed “San You Zi.”

　　 After passing on the technique, the old man left. Many people asked the owner of Ding’s distillery, “Who was that old man?” The owner replied, “The old man never revealed his name, but judging by the words ‘Wine Immortal’ carved on the wine gourd around his waist, he must surely have been Du Kang from heaven descending to earth.”

　　 People knew that Du Kang was the founding father of the brewing industry, who brewed heavenly nectar for the Jade Emperor in heaven. That he had come down to earth to share his craft was truly a great fortune for humankind. When the news spread, many people flocked to Fan Guan to taste the fine wine and indulge their palates.

　　 In the first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1368), in January, Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne in Nanjing and used Fan Guan wine to entertain his ministers. He later designated Fan Guan wine as imperial wine for court consumption. From then on, Fan Guan wine became widely renowned.

　　 In the spring of the first year of Hongwu (1369), Grand Secretary Song Lian came to Fan Guan to sample the wine. It was exactly the hour of You (5–7 PM), and he saw the waters of San You Tan clear and azure, bathed in the glow of the evening sunset, gently caressed by the breeze, with the fragrance of wine wafting through the air. On the spot, he composed a poem:

　　 The evening glow fills the sky, the azure pond exhales wine’s perfume.

　　 Three cups and I’m not yet drunk, in a daze I pay homage to Du Kang.

　　 Later, people renamed “San You Tan” as “Bitan” (Azure Pond), and renamed Fan Guan wine as “Bitan Wine,” likely inspired by this poem.