Lake Wine

Last updated 2026-11-08 — Anciently known as Ling Wine, also called Ling Liquor. It became a tribute wine for the imperial court as early as the Northern Wei Dynasty and was used as the finest sacrificial wine by emperors throughout the dynasties when worshipping their ancestors. Lake Wine originally started as homemade "family brew" by farmers near Ling Lake, but gradually entered the market. The 1935 Shanghai edition of China's Industrial Magazine recorded that during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, there were 179 distilleries in Hengyang City, producing up to 32,600 dan of liquor annually. Back then, Hengyang was filled with taverns on every street and alley, earning the praise of "a hundred wines at the Green Grass Bridge." Today, every household in the rural areas around Hengyang knows how to brew it. During festivals and celebrations, such as weddings and funerals, Lake Wine is served to guests. The uses of Lake Wine are diverse: apart from being a beverage, it is also used as a cooking ingredient to eliminate odors and enhance flavor and color. Its lees, mixed with starch and beaten eggs, or sweet lees used to cook glutinous rice balls, create delicious dishes. The Huanglong Jade Liquid series of Lake Wine, produced by Hengyang Xiangnan Winery, is exported to various countries in Southeast Asia and enjoys international fame. In 1988, it was awarded the titles of Provincial and Ministerial Quality Product, and also received a Bronze Medal at the First China Food Expo.