Wine China History
Wine was being made in China 2000 years ago. Was called ‘Liu Chang’ and not ‘Tsiu’, as it is tody. The wine was brought to China from Persia in about 130 B.C after the conquests of Alexander the Great. However, it was the Chu dynasty which spread I throughout China in 11th century A.D. Marco Polo relates that when he visited China he found wines growing abundantly in the Chan-si province. In the 17th century, Emperor K’anghi brought wines from Turkestan and planted the first great vineyards.
Although vines grow wild in southern China, the Chinese have never been particularly fond of wine. With the exception of a few of the Emperor’s courtesans and poets such as Li Po, who wrote verses praise of wine, most Chinese prefer alcoholic drinks based on rice. Even today, beer or lemonade are drunk with meal. Wine is reserved for rare occasions.
