Hakka Rice Wine

Hakka Rice Wine

　　Hakka rice wine, also known as “filtered wine” or “brewed wine,” is commonly referred to as “brewed wine” by the Hakka people. It is made by steaming glutinous rice in a steamer to make rice, then adding distiller’s yeast, red chrysanthemum, polygonatum, fleeceflower root, red dates, and rice wine, and fermenting it for over a month.

　　According to traditional Hakka customs, Hakka rice wine could only be tasted on special occasions such as when a woman gave birth, during her postpartum confinement, or during the Spring Festival. Especially during postpartum confinement, a batch of brewed wine was always prepared, and the leftover lees (also called wine dregs or mash) from the brewing process were distributed among neighbors and relatives to share. The Hakka people often steam chicken with the brewed wine—a distinctive dish usually served to women during their postpartum period for its nourishing properties, such as boosting qi and enriching blood.

　　The Hakka method of brewing and drinking wine is said to have a history of over 1,000 years, inheriting many elements of ancient Central Plains wine culture. Initially, the Hakka used the roots and leaves of hawthorn trees, as well as their own cultivated sorghum and foxtail millet (millet), to brew wine, which had effects such as relaxing muscles and joints and providing warmth. Later, they began using sugarcane residue left over from sugar production to brew wine—this type was called “filtered wine.” In addition, they fermented glutinous rice steamed in a steamer, mixed with distiller’s yeast and red chrysanthemum. Because the resulting brew had a dark yellow hue, it was also called “Hakka yellow wine” by the locals.

　　Using premium glutinous rice and black glutinous rice as main ingredients, the wine is meticulously brewed using traditional methods and aged in cellars for years. It is sweet, mellow, and soft, containing essential amino acids, glucose, vitamins, and trace elements required by the human body. It has benefits such as promoting circulation, beautifying the skin, and nourishing health. The Gold and Silver Medal Hakka Rice Wines produced by the “Guangdong Hakka Rice Wine General Company” in Meizhou City were rated as Guangdong Famous Products and the No. 1 Yellow Wine as early as 1993; in 1994, they won the Gold Award at the National Quality Products Expo; and in 1995, they earned the title of “China Famous Brand.”

　　Hakka rice wine is one of the oldest types of wine in China. It uses glutinous rice as its main ingredient. First, the glutinous rice is dehulled but the bran is retained (commonly called brown rice) and cooked into glutinous rice. It is then cooled by spreading it on a winnowing basket. Special distiller’s yeast (commonly called wine starter) is evenly sprinkled on the rice and mixed in, then placed in an earthenware jar for about 20 days to undergo saccharification and fermentation. The fermented rice wine is filtered and transferred into another earthenware jar, which is then surrounded by straw and rice husks. The straw and husks are lit to “bake” the wine (also known as fire roasting). Red yeast rice wrapped in cloth is then added to the jar. After the wine inside boils for about two hours, the heat is turned off, and the mixture is left to cool before sealing the opening with paper.

　　Hakka rice wine has a reddish-brown color and a uniquely sweet, mellow, and fragrant flavor. The Hakka people have a special fondness for Hakka rice wine, using it for festivals, weddings, and other joyful celebrations. With an alcohol content generally around fifteen percent, it is considered a low-alcohol beverage. Its gentle nature makes it suitable for all seasons and for all ages, and it can be enjoyed directly.

　　The brewing technique of Hakka rice wine has been passed down through generations via folk traditions. “Niang wine” refers to a type of yellow wine specially made from glutinous rice, and in the Meizhou region, it is also commonly called “old wine.” It has become a beloved folk beverage deeply rooted in the local culture. There are many folk legends about the origin of “niang wine” in the Meizhou area.

　　Legend 1: The Immortal’s Gift of Wine

　　During the era of the “Five Barbarians’ Invasion of China,” life was harsh in the Central Plains, and many people migrated southward in large numbers. A group of women fleeing together crossed mountains and rivers into the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. Exhausted, they could no longer walk and fell asleep in the wilderness. At that moment, a silver-haired elder with a glowing complexion appeared holding a bamboo container. He poured a cup of reddish-brown, translucent liquid from the container and handed it to the eldest woman among them: “Drink this.” The elderly woman took a small sip. The rich, aromatic fragrance invigorated her, instantly relieving her fatigue, hunger, and thirst. The elder told them, “This is niang wine, brewed from glutinous rice.” He then taught them the brewing method. After that, the elder suddenly disappeared. The women, both shocked and overjoyed, quickly knelt down and said, “Bless us, immortal. Bless us, immortal.”

　　From then on, the migrants settled down, thrived, and passed down the tradition of Hakka rice wine, which has been preserved to this day.

　　Legend 2: Wine Offering to the Gods

　　Long ago, during a drought in the Queya Mountain area of the Hakka region, an elderly man with missing teeth passed through a village asking for tea. A farming woman explained the drought situation, saying there was no tea, so she offered him a full bowl of the wine her daughter-in-law had brewed during her postpartum confinement. The old man drank it in one gulp, transformed into a beam of white light, and floated toward Queya Mountain. The next day, a torrential rain poured down, and the villagers cheered. From then on, whenever drought struck, the villagers would take postpartum wine—also called Hakka rice wine—to Queya Mountain, burn incense, and pray for rain.

　　Legend 3: Liao Hua’s Invention

　　Liao Hua, styled Yuanjian, originally named Chun, was from Xiangyang. He once served as the chief clerk under the former general Guan Yu. After Guan Yu’s defeat, he came under the service of Wu. It is said that after joining Wu, Liao Hua wished to leave Wu and return to Shu but had no opportunity, especially since he also needed to bring his mother along.

　　While yearning for Shu, Liao Hua, feeling bored, soaked some glutinous rice in water, then steamed it in a steamer. He placed the steamed glutinous rice into a pottery vessel and added around twenty herbs collected by the She ethnic group. He wrapped the pottery with straw, humorously calling the process “taking medicine, purifying the body, and burying in grass.”

　　After the pottery sat idle for a while, a delightful aroma of wine wafted out. Thus, “yellow wine” was born. Liao Hua presented this fine wine and its “recipe” to Sun Quan. The intoxicated Sun Quan allowed Liao Hua to return home. That night, Liao Hua fled westward with his mother and, by chance, encountered Liu Bei’s eastern campaign. He then followed Liu Bei back to Shu.

　　Another version says that this yellow wine wasn’t Liao Hua’s invention, but rather taught to him by his mother. Hence, the Hakka people call this yellow wine “Hakka niang wine” in her honor. The name has been passed down and used to this day.

　　Hakka Rice Wine Chicken, also called Niang Wine Chicken, Wine Chicken, or Ginger Wine Chicken, is a flavorful dish from the Hakka region made with chicken (preferably rooster), ginger, and Hakka rice wine. It is sweet, tender, and delicious, with benefits such as strengthening the spleen, stimulating appetite, and promoting blood circulation. It is a nutritious delicacy cherished by the Hakka people and one of the main nourishing foods for Hakka women after childbirth. During postpartum confinement, family members stir-fry chicken with ginger, then add glutinous rice wine and cook it for the new mother. Today, it is no longer limited to postpartum meals but can be made anytime. During the Lunar New Year, almost every household in the Hakka region of Meizhou prepares several jars of Hakka rice wine to entertain relatives and friends.