Shixian Taibai Baijiu: Transmitting the Beauty of Life Through Poetry and Baijiu

Shixian Taibai Baijiu:  
Transmitting the Beauty of Life Through Poetry and Baijiu
巴人佳酿诗仙太白 诗酒精神传递生活美学

Each place has its own way of brewing its liquor. In various parts of our country, due to the different climates and geological conditions, liquors not only possess unique flavors but also carry distinctive historical and cultural significance, such as Beijing’s Erguotou, Guizhou’s Maotai, Shanxi’s Fenjiu, and Yibin’s Wuliangye. Meanwhile, Shixian Taibai embodies Chongqing’s wine culture.

Ba People’s Great Skills in Brewing Famous Liquors

The wine culture of China is extensive and profound, running through the entire Chinese civilization. China is one of the world’s earliest countries to possess winemaking techniques. Over thousands of years of evolution, our wine culture has permeated every aspect of people’s lives and gained acclaim both at home and abroad.

The liquor brewed by ancient Ba people is famous for “Baxiangqing”. According to “The Commentary on the Water Classic: Yangtze River”, “The Yangtze River flows through Yufu County (in present-day Three Gorges area of Chongqing) to Guling... On the left bank of the Yangtze River is Baxiang Village, in which residents are good at brewing liquors and producing famous brands.” This liquor was precious and highly reputed. When King Zhao of Qin signed a treaty of alliance with the Bandun Man, this liquor was included in the clauses and conditions. It takes a long time to brew a strained liquor. As it is brewed in winter and obtained in summer, this kind of liquor is clear and mellow, regarded as a top-grade liquor.

With a history of over 2,000 years, the Ba liquor has been selected as a tribute wine for its unique flavor and aroma. Since then, baijiu became popular around the country, attracting so many scholars and literati who created numerous masterpieces, while tasting the liquor.

In 1915, the Three-Hundred-Year-Old Laojiao Daqu produced by Wenyongsheng Distillery in Luzhou garnered international recognition by receiving the prestigious gold medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco, United States. Hearing the news, Bao Nianrong, a businessman from Wanzhou who was determined to uncover the secrets of brewing excellent wine, embarked on a journey upstream by boat, heading to Luzhou to conduct investigations and learn. In 1917, Bao Nianrong purchased cellar mud and yeast starter at a high price from Wenyongsheng Distillery. He returned to Wanzhou and established Hualinchun Distillery. This marked the predecessor of the Shixian Taibai brand and initiated a century-long bond with the production of strong aroma liquor.

A Bottle of Fine Wine Coming with Great Effort

Every city boasts its unique imprints and flavors. It is said that one flavor represents one city. This is an expression of historical and cultural deposits as well as the local customs of the city.

Shixian Taibai was born in Wanzhou, Chongqing, which is known as the Golden Triangle of Chinese liquor, located at 30° north latitude. Wanzhou is a natural brewing ground for microbial fermentation, aroma production, and ester production,” said Zhu Kunchang, General Manager of Shixian Taibai Liquor Sales Co., Ltd. “We carefully select red sorghum from the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, as well as the Xiefeng Mountain Spring at an altitude of 1,318 meters. With the help of century-old cellars, we strictly follow the six ancient brewing methods inherited from the Shang and Zhou dynasties and uphold industry-leading high-quality monitoring standards.”

As the company continuously innovated in the techniques of brewing Shixian Taibai, it has developed modern baijiu products with profound Eastern aesthetic significance and pioneered the “Dual Aging” brewing technique: first, the brewed base liquor is placed in pottery jars, and then it undergoes multiple rounds of dynamic cellar aging in a temperature and humidity-controlled wine cellar. After being mixed and finalized by national-level masters, it is then placed in a pottery jar. The produced liquor is naturally aromatic with a smooth and mellow taste.

The ancient cellars for Shixian Taibai have been rated as a cultural relic protection unit of Wanzhou District, while the brewing technique has been inscribed on Chongqing’s intangible cultural heritage list. The “Dual Aging” brewing technique has been awarded the second prize in the Chongqing Science and Technology Progress Awards. Throughout the journey, the product quality has been significantly improved, with a series of technological upgrades and capacity expansions as well as quality enhancements and efficiency improvements.

Shixian Taibai Presented as a Chongqing Gift for Foreign Affairs

Throughout history, liquor has been a universal “language” that plays a crucial role in promoting friendly exchanges between countries. “Chongqing Gifts for Foreign Affairs serve as a bridge and testimony to international exchanges, carrying the unique historical and cultural heritage of Chongqing. Shixian Taibai is such a gift,” said Zhu Kunchang.

Shixian Taibai has been presented as a Chongqing gift for foreign affairs many times. By participating in events such as the SCO Heads of Region Meeting, the Belt and Road Forum for Interconnected Land-Sea Development, the Global Travel Agents Conference, the China Digital Economy Cooperation Conference, and the China International Alcoholic Drinks Expo, and engaging in programs like CCTV’s Chinese Poetry Conference, we have showcased Shixian Taibai, allowing people to taste this liquor and gain insights into the essence of Chinese wine culture. It has also received honors such as the Gold Award at the International Spirits Challenge 2020 and engaged in communication and exchanges with world-renowned liquor brands.

As an important part of traditional Chinese culture, baijiu embodies artistic aesthetics and wisdom in life. Zhu Kunchang believes that conveying the aesthetics of Eastern lifestyle and showcasing China’s cultural confidence is a social responsibility that modern liquor companies should undertake, and Shixian Taibai has always practiced this concept.

Since 2019, Shixian Taibai has successfully held two sessions of the China (Chongqing) Poetry and Liquor Culture Festival, and the brand’s cultural IP continues to grow, becoming a new business card for Chongqing’s cultural tourism brand. Through activities such as the “Spring Brewing Ceremony”, “Tang Banquet”, and “Thousand People’s Aromatic Liquor Tasting”, it has achieved the dissemination of poetry, liquor, and corporate culture, enabling the brand to take root and empowering culture.

“Shixian Taibai is reshaping the spirit of poetry and liquor in the new era, and inheriting and innovating it in a modern way, awakening the cultural genes in consumers’ blood,” Zhu Kunchang said.

诗仙太白亮相中国国际酒业博览会。

一方水土酿一方酒。中国各地气候、地质条件不同，所酿的酒不仅各具风味，还有独特的历史文化底蕴，比如北京二锅头、贵州茅台、山西汾酒、宜宾五粮液等，而“诗仙太白”则体现了重庆的酒文化。

巴人善酿 郡出名酒

中国酒文化博大精深，贯穿了整个中华文明。中国是世界上最早拥有酿酒技术的国家之一，历经几千年演变，酒文化渗透到了百姓生活的方方面面，并享誉中外。

古代巴人的酒，以“巴乡清”著称于世。《水经·江水注》记载：“江水又迳鱼腹县（今重庆三峡地区）之故陵……江之左岸有巴乡村，村人善酿，郡出名酒。”此酒名贵，饮誉遐迩，以致秦昭王与板楯蛮订立盟约时，以此为质。清酒酿造时间长，冬酿夏熟，色清味重，为酒中上品。

创新研发“双重陈藏”酿造技艺。

巴酒发展两千余年，因独特的酒香而被选为贡酒。此后，白酒在全国流行开来，文人骚客争相到访，饮酒之余，还留下佳作无数。

1915年，泸州温永盛酒坊所产的“三百年老窖大曲”荣获在美国旧金山举办的“巴拿马太平洋万国博览会”金奖而声名远扬。一心探寻酿好酒秘诀的万州商人鲍念荣听闻消息便乘船逆江而上，到泸州考察学习。1917年，鲍念荣从泸州温永盛酒坊重金购买窖泥和母糟，回万州创建“花林春”酒坊，此为“诗仙太白”前身，从此开启浓香一脉的百年情缘。

一瓶好酒 来之不易

每座城市都有属于自己的印记和味道。所谓一城一味，是历史文化沉淀与风土人情的表达。

      “诗仙太白产于北纬30°的中国白酒金三角重庆万州，是微生物发酵、产香、产酯的天然酿酒温床。”诗仙太白酒类销售有限公司总经理朱坤昌介绍，“我们优选三峡库区红高粱，海拔1318米的歇凤山泉，借助百年宝藏窖池，严格按照商周古遗六法酿造，坚持行业领先高质量监控标准。”

      诗仙太白在酿造技法上不断创新，研发了具有东方美学意义的现代白酒产品，并独创了“双重陈藏”酿造技艺：将酿造好的基酒先放在陶坛中，在恒温、恒湿的酒窖中多轮动态窖藏。经过国家级大师调制定型后，再将其放置在陶坛中。所产生的酒体醇香自然，口感更柔更顺。

      诗仙太白酿酒老窖池被评为万州区文物保护单位，其酿酒技艺也被列入市级非物质文化遗产名录，“双重陈藏”技艺荣获重庆市科学技术进步奖二等奖。一路走来，通过一系列“技改扩能”“提质增效”，产品品质得到了全面提升。

代表重庆 款待世界

古往今来，酒就是一种世界共通的“语言”，是促进各国友好交流的重要纽带。“外事礼品是国际交流的桥梁和见证，它承载着重庆独特的历史文化，诗仙太白就是这样一份礼品。”朱坤昌说。

诗仙太白曾多次代表重庆，款待世界。通过参加上海合作组织地方领导人会晤、“一带一路”陆海联动发展论坛、全球旅行商大会、中国数字经济领域合作大会、中国国际酒博会等国内外交流展会，参与央视中国诗词大会等，让世界看到诗仙太白、品尝到诗仙太白，了解到中国酒文化精髓。诗仙太白还曾获得“2020年国际烈酒大奖赛金奖”等荣誉，与世界名酒品牌沟通交流。

白酒作为中国传统文化的重要组成部分，蕴含着艺术审美和生活智慧。朱坤昌认为，传递东方生活美学、彰显中国文化自信，是现代酒企应该担负的社会责任，而诗仙太白一直践行着这一理念。

2019年以来，诗仙太白成功举办了两届“中国诗酒文化节”，品牌文化IP持续发酵，成为重庆文旅品牌新名片，通过“春酿大典”“唐宴”“千人浓香品鉴”等活动实现了对诗酒、渝酒和企业文化的输出，实现品牌生根和文化赋能。

 “诗仙太白正在新时代重塑诗酒精神，并用现代的方式传承和创新，唤起消费者血脉中的文化基因。”朱坤昌说。

文/杨艳

图/受访者提供