 and the famous Italian explorer, Marco Polo. In his celebrated book, Travels of Marco Polo, Polo detailed his journey to China at the age of 17, accompanied by his father and uncle, where he arrived in Beijing, then called Dadu, in 1275. The book contains descriptions of lujiu, which is a medicinal liquor made by mixing edible animal and plant materials, such as zhuyeqing, and wine from Taiyuan, which is now the capital city of Shanxi province.){kind=link}
Recently, over 500 guests gathered in Milan, Italy to celebrate the rich historical connection between Chinese liquor and Italy. The occasion was organized by the Qingtian chamber of commerce in honor of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The Qingtian chamber of commerce has its roots in Qingtian county, located in the eastern province of Zhejiang in China. According to the East China Normal University, the county has produced 381,000 overseas Chinese who have settled in 146 countries and regions. Of these, more than 100,000 Qingtian natives have made Italy their home.
The reception was attended by a wide variety of guests including Chinese and Italian officials, representatives from organizations for Chinese living in Italy, and members of the Qingtian chamber of commerce in Italy. It was an opportunity to celebrate and honor the deep cultural and historical ties between the two countries.
During the reception, a representative from Xinghuacun Fenjiu, a traditional distillery based in North China’s Shanxi province, shared the historical connection between fenjiu and Italy with the guests. Fenjiu is a type of traditional Chinese liquor made in Shanxi province. Its history dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and is connected with the famous Italian explorer Marco Polo.
In his book “Travels of Marco Polo,” Polo describes his experiences during his journey to China at the age of 17 with his father and uncle. He arrived in Beijing, then known as Dadu, in 1275 and documented his experiences in his celebrated book. In the book, he describes lujiu, which are medicinal liquors made with edible animal and plant materials, such as zhuyeqing, and wine from Taiyuan, which is now the capital city of Shanxi province.
Wine was made in Taiyuan and presented as a tribute to the imperial court during Polo’s time. Vineyards were a major source of livelihood for many people in the city, and today, the suburbs of Taiyuan and nearby districts such as Taigu and Qingxu remain key regions for grape production.
Through Polo’s travels, the techniques for brewing liquor varieties, including zhuyeqing, were introduced to Italy. This medicinal liquor quickly gained popularity among Italians for its appetizing taste, health benefits, and aid to digestion. In today’s food stores and health product stores in Rome, Paris, and San Francisco, one can easily find healthy liquors made from bamboo leaves.
In the United States, herbal powder or liquid made from these leaves is added to baijiu, a type of Chinese alcohol, or fruit juice. These herb-infused drinks are considered “smart foods” because they provide human cells with nutrients and help increase vitality. In Fort Lauderdale, herb-based health products are popular in natural food markets and restaurants.
Xinghuacun Fenjiu has been working hard to promote the history and culture of fenjiu liquor worldwide. A representative of the company shared that since 2020, Xinghuacun Fenjiu has created the cultural brand “If our language is fenjiu.” This brand aims to combine fenjiu’s history and culture with the pursuit of a better life, highlighting fenjiu’s uniqueness, as well as what it shares with other liquors from around the world.
The recent reception held by the Qingtian chamber of commerce in Milan was a celebration of the deep cultural and historical ties between China and Italy. Through the sharing of stories and cultural exchange, guests were able to learn about the fascinating history of Chinese liquor and its impact on the world. Xinghuacun Fenjiu’s efforts to promote the history and culture of fenjiu liquor are helping to bring this unique
Xinghuacun Fenjiu, an esteemed distillery from the northern province of Shanxi, shared with guests at a reception in Milan the story of the historical link between fenjiu, a traditional Shanxi liquor, and Italy. This connection can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the famous Italian explorer, Marco Polo. In his celebrated book, Travels of Marco Polo, Polo detailed his journey to China at the age of 17, accompanied by his father and uncle, where he arrived in Beijing, then called Dadu, in 1275. The book contains descriptions of lujiu, which is a medicinal liquor made by mixing edible animal and plant materials, such as zhuyeqing, and wine from Taiyuan, which is now the capital city of Shanxi province.
Historically, the wine made in Taiyuan was produced as tribute for the imperial court, with many people in the city making a living by operating vineyards. Nowadays, the suburbs of Taiyuan, along with the nearby Taigu district and Qingxu county, are key regions for grape production. The brewing techniques for liquor varieties, including zhuyeqing, meaning bamboo-leaf green, were brought to Italy by Polo. The medicinal liquor quickly became popular among Italians due to its appetizing and healthful properties, as well as its ability to aid digestion.
In today’s world, healthy liquor made from bamboo leaves is easily found in some food stores or health products stores in Rome, Paris, and San Francisco. These herb-based health products are sold well in natural food markets and restaurants in the US city of Fort Lauderdale, where the herbal powder or liquid is mixed with baijiu, a type of Chinese alcohol, or fruit juice. It is believed that these herb-infused drinks can provide human cells with nutrients and increase vitality, and for this reason, these drinks are known as “smart foods”.
According to a representative of Xinghuacun Fenjiu, the company’s efforts have been instrumental in gaining recognition for fenjiu liquor, its history, and culture around the world. Since 2020, Xinghuacun Fenjiu has created the cultural brand “If our language is fenjiu”, which aims to combine fenjiu’s history and culture with the pursuit of a better life. This cultural brand highlights fenjiu’s uniqueness as well as what it shares with other liquors from around the globe.
The connection between China’s Shanxi province and Italy through liquor dates back to the Yuan Dynasty, and Marco Polo played a key role in spreading the knowledge of these techniques to Italy. Today, this ancient connection is still celebrated and explored, with healthy liquor made from bamboo leaves being enjoyed in cities across the world, and the Xinghuacun Fenjiu distillery working to promote the cultural and historical significance of fenjiu liquor.
In a recent reception held in Milan by the Qingtian chamber of commerce to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, guests were treated to a historical connection between Chinese liquor and Italy. A representative of Xinghuacun Fenjiu, a well-known distiller based in Shanxi province, shared the story of fenjiu, a traditional liquor made in Shanxi, and its link to Italy. This connection dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the famous Italian explorer Marco Polo, who documented his experiences in his renowned book, Travels of Marco Polo.
The book includes descriptions of lujiu, medicinal liquors made with edible plant and animal materials such as zhuyeqing, as well as wine from Taiyuan, which is now the capital city of Shanxi province. Wine production in Taiyuan had been made as a tribute to the imperial court, and it was a source of livelihood for many people in the city who operated vineyards. Today, the suburbs of Taiyuan, Taigu district, and Qingxu county remain vital grape production regions.
Polo’s travels to China also brought techniques for brewing various liquor varieties, including zhuyeqing, to Italy. The medicinal liquor quickly gained popularity among Italians for its appetizing taste, health benefits, and digestion-enhancing properties. Today, health food stores in Rome, Paris, and San Francisco sell healthy liquors made from bamboo leaves.
In the US city of Fort Lauderdale, herb-based health products made from natural food markets and restaurants are also popular. These herbal powders or liquids are mixed into baijiu, a type of Chinese alcohol, or fruit juice. It is believed that these herb-infused drinks provide human cells with nutrients and increase vitality, earning them the name “smart foods.”
Xinghuacun Fenjiu has been at the forefront of promoting the recognition of fenjiu liquor and its history and culture globally. According to a representative of the company, the distiller’s efforts have borne fruit, as fenjiu is increasingly gaining recognition worldwide. In 2020, the company created the cultural brand “If our language is fenjiu,” which aims to combine fenjiu’s history and culture with the pursuit of a better life. This initiative also highlights fenjiu’s uniqueness, as well as its similarities with other liquors from around the world.
In the recent reception held in Milan, over 500 guests attended the event, including Chinese and Italian officials, representatives of organizations for Chinese living in Italy, and members of the Qingtian chamber of commerce in Italy. The event celebrated the historical connection between China and Italy, the success of Xinghuacun Fenjiu, and the unique cultural and historical significance of Chinese liquor, specifically fenjiu.