Xifengjiu facts for kids
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| State-Owned Enterprise | |
| Industry | Alcoholic Beverages |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Headquarters | Liulin, Fengxiang,
Baoji, Shaanxi
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Zhang Zheng (Chairman) |
| Products | Baijiu |
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Number of employees
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6,000+ (2023) |
| Xifengjiu | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 西凤酒 | ||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 西鳳酒 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | West Phoenix Liquour | ||||||||
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Xifengjiu (pronounced Shee-fung-jee-oh) is a special kind of Chinese drink called Baijiu. It comes from a place called Fengxiang in Shaanxi, China. This company is the only one that makes the unique "fengxiang" style of baijiu.
Xifengjiu has been famous in China for a very long time. In 1952, it was even named one of the "Four Famous Spirits" of China. Today, it's still very popular, especially in its home province of Shaanxi.
Contents
What Makes Xifengjiu Special?
Xifengjiu is unique because of how it's made and how it tastes. It mixes old ways of making drinks from both northern and southern China.
How Xifengjiu is Made
First, they use a grain called sorghum. The sorghum is ground up and steamed to get out its starches. After it cools down, they mix it with something called daqu. This daqu is a special starter made from barley and peas.
The mixture then ferments (changes) in mud pits for about 10 days. After fermentation, the liquid is distilled. This process creates the alcohol.
Aging the Drink
The special part comes next: aging! The drink is aged in big baskets called "jiu hai" (which means "sea of spirit"). These baskets are made of rattan and lined with strong paper and cloth. This unique aging process helps give Xifengjiu its special taste.
Unique Flavors
Because of this special way of making it, Xifengjiu has a unique smell and taste. People say it smells like tart apples and cherries. It can also taste a bit like earthy honey.
A Look at Xifengjiu's History
The story of Xifengjiu goes back about 4,000 years! That's a really long time ago, near the end of the Shang dynasty. Back then, it was known as "qinjiu."
Ancient Beginnings
During the Zhou dynasty, a royal official studied how this drink was made. He wrote down special rules for making alcohol. This was one of the first times anyone recorded how to make wine!
Over many centuries, the drink became known by the name of its hometown, Liulin. So, it was called "liulinjiu."
The Phoenix Legend
In the year 757, during the Tang dynasty, the drink got a new name: "fengxiang." This name means "phoenix flight." It was named after old stories about phoenixes flying from that area.
Later, during the Song dynasty, a famous poet named Su Shi wrote about the drink. He said, "When the flowers are in bloom and the wine is sweet, one can drink without drunkenness."
Modern Times
By the 1600s, during the Ming dynasty, many different companies in Fengxiang were making "xifengjiu."
In 1956, all these smaller companies came together. They formed one big company called Shaanxi Xifengjiu Co. Ltd. This is the company that makes Xifengjiu today.
