Zhangjiajie's Big Bowl — Wine
Big bowls of wine, filled to the brim; big bowls of wine, carried to the brim; big bowls of wine, set down to the brim; big bowls of wine, raised high; "Down it!" Sip slowly, drink roughly, gulp wildly. The mountains are drunk, the waters are drunk, the houses are drunk, the people are drunk. The wine is famous throughout the mountain villages. Zhangjiajie people rely on winemaking techniques passed down generation after generation, and on the gifts bestowed by their ancestors.
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
Big bowl after big bowl of wine, filled to the brim; big bowl after big bowl of wine, carried to the brim; big bowl after big bowl of wine, set down to the brim; big bowl after big bowl of wine, raised high to the brim;
"Attack—!"
Sipping slowly, drinking coarsely, drinking wildly. The mountains are drunk, the waters are drunk, the houses are drunk, the people are drunk.
The wine is famous throughout the mountain villages. Relying on brewing techniques passed down generation after generation, relying on the earthen house bestowed by their ancestors, drawing water from the Lishui mountain springs, grinding their own grain, picking herbs from behind the house, Zhangjiajie people brew that rustic wine that outsiders, after trying it, smile and squint their eyes over. The wines all have lovely names: "corn wine," "sweet potato wine," "rice wine," "sorghum wine," "jujube wine," "Cherokee rose wine," "honeysuckle wine," "Three-Hundred-Stick wine"... Occasionally there is outside wine, but it never has the mellow fragrance of mountain wine, never the purity of Xiangxi wine. Xiangxi wine remains so alluring. Xiangxi wine is the strongest, the most fiery, the most intoxicating. Once at the table, a man's boldness begins to show. The bowl must be a big bowl—only a big bowl satisfies, only a big bowl represents the ruggedness and frankness of Xiangxi people. The wine must be strong—only strong wine hits the spot, only strong wine represents the boldness and simplicity of Zhangjiajie people in northwestern Hunan.
The bowl is not called a bowl, but a clay pot—a vessel specially for holding wine. One pot of wine, at least half a catty, at most a catty. Clear, bright wine sits in the bowl; fiery, blazing wine soaks in the bowl. The host, following Xiangxi wine rules, toasts first—with a wave of the hand, big bowl after big bowl of wine goes down. The guests follow suit—with a tip of the neck, big bowl after big bowl of wine goes down. The Zhangjiajie men and women accompanying the guests—with a stretch of the neck, big bowl after big bowl of wine goes down. Another bowl after another is filled, another bowl after another is set out. Looking at one another, holding bowls to one another, smiling at one another, then gulp gulp—what a hero of northwestern Hunan, what a big-bowl wine of northwestern Hunan.
Zhangjiajie men have great capacity for liquor. Though they get drunk on big bowl after big bowl of wine, it's a false drunk; though the wine is strong, it's a false strength. When a man is drunk, his heart is not drunk. That slightly tipsy, slightly drunk appearance, that slightly tipsy, slightly drunk manner, that slightly tipsy, slightly drunk face, that slightly tipsy, slightly drunk feeling, and that slightly tipsy, slightly drunk speech—all represent the highest realm of the drinker. Zhangjiajie men bear too much bitterness. Generation after generation they scratch a living from the soil in harsh environments, living tenaciously, carrying wind and rain on their hard spines, leading their families along, dragging their clans forward, pulling history onward, bearing society's heavy burdens and charging ahead. Big bowl after big bowl of wine, big bowl after big bowl of self-brewed strong liquor—satisfying cravings, hitting the spot, thoroughly enjoyable, refreshing. When no one accompanies them, drinking alone is called "drinking cold dregs," still big bowl after big bowl. When someone accompanies them, it's called "drinking from the communal jug." There's also "drinking scattered wine," "drinking morning wine," "drinking noon wine," "drinking evening wine," "drinking flower wine," "drinking cross-cup wine," "drinking rest-breath wine," "drinking expedition wine," "drinking victory wine." Drinking big bowl after big bowl of wine has become part of a Zhangjiajie man's life; big-bowl wine has become bowl after bowl of blood in a man's body.
Just born—drink birth wine; at the third-day washing—drink third-day wine; after announcing the good news—drink blessing wine; after the full month—drink full-month wine; at one year old—drink grab-week wine; after entering school—drink top-scholar wine; when building a house—drink beam-raising wine; when buying a home—drink warm-hearth wine; at engagement—drink betrothal wine; when exchanging horoscopes—drink matchmaker wine; when making dowry furniture—drink carpenter wine; at marriage—drink wedding wine; when visiting relatives—drink return-home wine; at grain harvest—drink new-taste wine; on birthdays—drink longevity wine; after one is laid to rest—drink funeral wine. Big bowl after big bowl of wine accompanies every extraordinary day of Xiangxi people's lives; big bowl after big bowl of wine nourishes every passionate day of Zhangjiajie people in Xiangxi.
Having drunk this big bowl after big bowl of wine, when will I ever wake up?
The wheat at home needs me to harvest it, the fields and land need me to plow them, my wife's shoes and clothes need me to buy them, the child's diapers need me to change them, and that stone mill is waiting for me to turn it...