Chinese Food Culture: Wine, the Beverage of Romance (2)
Continue: Wine since ancient times were closely interwoven with peoples’ daily lives. People use wine to pay tribute to ancestors, showing respect; or for self-enjoyment while writing poems and composing rhymes; or when treating friends and family, heightening the lively atmosphere. Wine undoubtedly holds a very important place in Chinese culture and living.
Ancient kings and princes’ banquets and feasts cannot go on without wine. All kinds of wine vessels therefore became important objects of courtesy. The most important of which were the bronze Jue, Zun, Yi and other drink containers which symbolize social status and ranks. From archeological findings around China, bronze wine vessels were once the fashion of the times. The lifting of the ban against wine for the common citizens usually takes place during times of changes in dynastic rule or the succession of sovereignty, as well as important imperial activities.
The Chinese in ancient times often used crops to make wine. Therefore a good or bad harvest during the year strongly influenced the decisions of the dynastic rulers to either impose wine ban or certain amount of wine tax. And correspondingly, a strong or weak year for wine production reflected the crop yield of the year. Wine in the past was directly related to people’s livelihood and taxation. Since the third year of the Tianhan period under Emperor Han Wudi (98 A.D.), after the central court exercised the exclusive right to sell and buy wine, duties collected from the wine industry became an important source of government treasury revenue of subsequent feudal dynasties.
Wine and most Chinese literati have always had an intimate connection. In medieval times, there were many written accounts of the important personage of the Wei & Jin Period (220-420 A.D.) and poets of the Tang Dynasty being wine lovers. It was the two very important periods linking “wine and Chinese culture” together in history. In actuality, the connection between the literati and wine did not begin in the Wei & Jin Period. However, it is still rare to find binge drinkers such as the “Seven Wise Men of the Bamboo Forest” who drank heavily for no special reason. Drinking took up much of the time of these men in the Wei & Jin Period. Those wen- people who lived during socially turbulent times, who used wine to ease their worries for society and escape from misfortune. Sometimes they expressed zealous objections about the government after having drinks. Such acts are a reflection of the helplessness of the literati class during those restless years. From then on, binge drinking by scholars is no longer viewed as corrupt and hideous, rather regarded as admirable and romantic. It seems as though all Tang Dynasty Poets enjoy drinking boldly. Famous poets such as Li Bai and Du Fu are all great men of liquor known throughout China and abroad. Their poems have the nature of wine and wine fuels their creativity. Traditional Chinese art forms such as poetry, music, painting, calligraphy and others are all very emotionally expressive. Wine can help the artist achieve the uninhibited natural and honest state of being, stir up their creative juices. So people now imagine a very romantic connection between wine, poetry and the literati.
The Chinese pay attention to the “drinking mood,” something that one must have to truly enjoy drinking as a real charm of life. “One thousand cups of wine is too few when with a bosom friend,” a common saying that suitably embodies the emphasis which the Chinese places on harmony of relations between people, meaning to share with others moments of joy. Wine enriched the affections of the Chinese. Playing finger-guessing games, composing impromptu music, poetry or even dance, are all fun-adding games for drinking during banquets. They are also the highlight of Chinese drinking habits. Both sides playing the drinking games, sometimes, are like two opposing armies, swinging their arms and jutting their fists, while howling the game lyrics. The game is a match of wits, courage and alcohol tolerance, and is truly quite fun. Dining together and playing drinking games has become a unique and favorite pastime of the Chinese, its objective is to communicate friendship and increase family love. So a banquet could last for quite a long time, ranging from a couple of hours to the entire night.
Hospitality of the Chinese is expressed to the fullest extent at a banquet with alcohol drinks. The communication of affection most often gets a boost of sincerity and directness. Many places welcome and treat guests with wine. When old friends reunite and when friends meet, a few cups of wine can be most delightful as wine produces an air of warmth and harmony. “Bottom’s up” is a custom practiced widely in both south and north China. When a banquet begins, the host usually delivers a few words of welcome, follows by the first toast. The host first finishes his cup until the last drop, in what we call “finishing first as respect” for the guests. Sometimes, the host will also need to propose toasts to the guests individually in the order of importance. Anyone not returning the favor would be considered disrespectful and would often be subject to punishment in the form of more drinks. Therefore, guests must return the toast to the host. Guests can also propose toasts amongst themselves. Moreover, it is best not to be tardy for a banquet, or the host and guests will suggest punishing the late attendee with many drinks. When proposing a toast, the initiator and the receiver must all stand up. Most toasts are limited to three cups. The more the guest drinks, the happier the host will be. A very interesting thing is that the toast initiator would like others to drink more than he or she. Especially for some very hospitable minority nationalities, drinking unrestrained is a “must do” when with a guest. Take the Mongolian nationality for instance, the host often hold bowls of wine in both hands while singing the toast song, and keep feeding drinks to the guests one by one until they are all completely drunk. The Miao, Dai, and Yi nationalities of southwestern China practice a “sucking” method when having alcohol. This involves using a long reed stalk or bamboo shoot to suck from large wine jars or pots. It is usually done in the order from the eldest to the youngest person. Wine holds another clever use among the minority nationalities in one of the oldest traditions. When becoming blood siblings or swearing oath of alliance, chicken or sheep is slaughtered, or sometimes arms of the oath takers are cut, to allow blood to drip into bowls of wine. The minorities see blood wine as a sacred bonding element for people who drink it.
Unfinished, to be continued …………… (http://www.nicechinesefood.com/chinese-culture/chinese-food-culture-wine-the-beverage-of-romance-3.html)
