Huangjiu (Yellow Wine) Jar

Huangjiu Jar

　　Huangjiu Jar

　　In the rural areas of Huangjiu Jar Town, it was customary for local households to brew their own yellow wine for weddings, funerals, or festivals. Once the wine was fermented, the original mash was transferred into earthenware jars, then steeped in hot water like tea. A bamboo tube, lined with a sieve at the bottom (to separate the mash), was inserted into the jar for sipping. This method of drinking from the wine jar was especially popular in the rural villages of Nansanzhen, particularly during midsummer and the dog days of summer. After the exhausting wheat harvest, taking a few sips not only quenched thirst and cravings but also relieved heat and fatigue, making for a truly refreshing experience. In some areas of the Miao ethnic minority in Yunnan, this way of drinking is also prevalent, accompanied by a popular folk poem: “A thousand-mile pearl is gathered in one jar, even kings bow their heads before it. The Five Sacred Mountains embrace the pillar that holds up the sky, as the Yellow River flows backward, drained by each sip.”