Lujiu

Lujiu was named after it was produced in Luzhou (now Changzhi City). Its production history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty or even some further periods. Shanxi Tongzhi lists "the beauty of ancient wine" and records that "the fire wine of Fenlu is popular in the world". The so-called popularity is a commercial state, which should be the signal and precursor of the rise of Lu merchants. As early as the middle Tang Dynasty, Luzhou liquor formed a unique local style. In the first year of Tang Jinglong, when Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, was appointed as a special driver in Luzhou, the area around Luzhou was rich year after year, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. The stable and peaceful environment was the easiest way to lead people into a drunken hometown. As a result, there were more than 50 brewing workshops in various counties in Luzhou. After Li Longji became the emperor, Zeng Sanxing was fortunate in Luzhou, and local officials and gentry offered Luzhou liquor. By the Song Dynasty, the craft of Lujiu had been basically finalized, and it also formed its own marketing network. It went north through Dongyang Pass to Hebei (Hebei), south through Tianjingguan to Henan (Henan), east through Xiaonantian to Shandong (Shandong), and west through Yicheng to Shaanxi (Shaanxi). These traffic arteries are the main channels for Taihang Mountain to contact with the outside world. Under the traffic conditions at that time, it was entirely up to the merchants to carry Lu wine. On the rugged mountain road, the wine-picking merchants spilled wine fragrance in the grass branches and leaves and in the air of blue sky and white clouds. Therefore, there was a praise that "Lu wine passed the southern sky, and Wan Li was drunk in the middle of the mountain". During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Lu merchants spread all over the country, and wherever they went, they took Lu wine with them as a kind of nostalgia for their hometown. During festivals, whenever they looked at the bright moon and thought about their hometown, they tasted a glass of wine from their hometown to express their thoughts and wishes for their loved ones, so merchants specializing in Lu wine appeared. According to Sichuan's "Fuzhou Records and Products Records", "In the sixth year of Daoguang (1826), Shanxi people came to Fuzhou to manage Shanxi Lu wine." Sichuan is a place where Wuliangye and LU ZHOU LAO JIAO CO.,LTD are produced. Lu wine can occupy a place here, which shows that the quality of Lu wine is excellent, and the distribution of Lu merchants is extensive and the variety of business is diverse. During the warlords' scuffle in 1930s, Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan were "consolation" soldiers who forced a large number of Shanxi fine wines to be delivered to the front. It's winter, Fenjiu and Lu wine don't freeze all the way, so you can light it by striking a match, and there is no drop of wine left after the fire is extinguished, which shows the excellent quality of the wine. Therefore, the folk proverb says, "It is rare in the world to go to Shangdang to sell wine".
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)