Corn Liquor
Corn Liquor. Long ago, an old man surnamed Xiang who grew corn at the "Hanging Fields" of Tianzi Mountain brewed a fragrant, mellow "corn liquor" using sweet water from Candle Lake and wondrous fragrant herbs from the mountain. His only son learned brewing from him as a child, and by fifteen or sixteen was carrying wine buckets across the land. Gradually, "Xiang the Wine Lad" and "corn..."
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 Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated.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.
Corn Liquor
Long ago, in the "Hanging Garden in the Air" of Tianzi Mountain, there was an old man surnamed Xiang who grew corn. He collected sweet water from Candle Lake on Tianzi Mountain and gathered miraculous fragrant herbs from the mountain to brew a fragrant, mellow, and delicious liquor called "corn liquor." He had an only son who had brewed liquor with him since childhood. By the time he was fifteen or sixteen, he was carrying two buckets of liquor on a pole to all four directions. Gradually, "Xiang the Liquor Lad" became as famous as the "corn liquor" itself.
One day, Xiang the Liquor Lad arrived at Jinfeng Village, the most remote and isolated village in Lizhou Prefecture. An old man led him into a large courtyard to meet the buyer. The buyer's surname was Jin, and he was the village chief of Jinfeng Village. He tasted the corn liquor and exclaimed in admiration, buying both buckets on the spot. By then it was getting dark, so the liquor lad had no choice but to stay overnight at the village chief's home.
Early the next morning, an old woman wiggled her hips into the room and said as soon as she opened her mouth: "Congratulations, liquor lad, you've got a peach blossom romance!" The liquor lad was baffled. The old woman rolled her eyes and told him: "This Chief Jin has a daughter of unmatched talent and beauty named Jin Xiuzhi, just eighteen, waiting to be betrothed. The master sees you are handsome and talented, and have a unique skill, so he wants to take you as his son-in-law..." The liquor lad laughed and said: "Old woman, are you making fun of a poor liquor carrier?" The old woman said seriously: "The master paid me for this, how could it be a joke!" The liquor lad thought of his poor origins and being a stranger from another place—how could he be worthy of a rich family's daughter? So he refused outright. The matchmaker's face fell, and she said: "The master has ordered it: betrothal tomorrow, wedding the day after!"
And so, just like that, Xiang the Liquor Lad muddleheadedly became a live-in son-in-law.
On the wedding day, the Jin family courtyard was crowded with visitors, and the festivities lasted until midnight before the guests dispersed. The liquor lad was led in a daze into the bridal chamber, where he saw the bride sitting blankly on the carved nanmu bed, motionless. The drum struck the second watch, and she still sat without moving. The liquor lad honestly sat with her in dry silence. Past the third watch, the bride still showed no intention of consummating the marriage. The liquor lad, afraid the young lady would catch cold, draped a windbreaker over her. At the fourth watch, the liquor lad could hold back no longer. He lifted the dew veil covering the bride's face and saw her eyes full of tears, looking utterly heartbroken. The liquor lad flared up and said to the young lady: "Young lady, I know you look down on a poor liquor lad like me, but it was your father who hired a matchmaker to ask for me, not I who came to your door. If you are unwilling, say so early." Hearing this, the bride sobbed even more bitterly. By then, the rooster had already announced the fifth watch. The liquor lad took off his groom's clothes and put on his own old clothes, saying: "Young lady, a poor liquor lad will not make things hard for you, humph!" With that, he grabbed Xiuzhi's sleeve with one hand and said: "Come, let's go break off the engagement in front of your parents!" But unexpectedly, Xiuzhi's face turned deathly pale, and she blocked the door, saying: "Brother Liquor Lad, you must not go—you, you are on the verge of death!"
The liquor lad felt as if he had fallen into clouds and mist, scratching his head in confusion. Xiuzhi helped him onto the bed and then told him the whole story from beginning to end:
It turns out that in this area, a strange disease had been passed down since ancient times for which there was no cure. Regardless of age or gender, even if it was the village chief or headman, whoever contracted this disease would be carried by the whole village up to the Python Cave on the back mountain and left for the pythons to eat. This was called "sending off the plague god." If an unmarried girl contracted this disease, she first had to take a "fake husband" as a substitute for the "plague god." After a month or two, if she had passed the disease on to the man, the girl would recover, but she then had to drive this "fake husband" away and marry someone else. If the girl showed no improvement, the "fake husband" was killed first, and then the girl was "sent off to the plague god." Xiuzhi had been clever and quick-witted since childhood, able to sing and dance, and skilled in embroidery and flower work—she excelled at everything. Her parents treasured her like a pearl in their palm. But unfortunately, she too contracted this strange disease. Chief Jin, deeply pained by his love for his daughter, devised a vicious scheme to recruit Jiulang as a son-in-law. When Jin Xiuzhi saw that he was a man from afar with an elderly father at home, and that he was
honest in character, she could not bear it, and so told him the truth. Jiulang then suddenly understood everything. Holding the young lady's hand, he asked her to decide what to do. The young lady took off her earrings and removed her silver hairpin, handing them to Jiulang, saying: "Consider this as repayment for your wine money. While it is still dark, leave Jinfeng Village at once!" Things having come to this pass, Jiulang had no choice but to hurriedly take his leave of the young lady. As he was leaving, she said to Jiulang: "Sir, if you ever find yourself in trouble in the future, go to Tianzi Mountain!"
After Xiang Jiulang left, Chief Jin gave Xiuzhi a severe beating. According to the village law, he had no choice but to carry his daughter out as a plague god and send her into the Python Cave. Strangely enough, Jin Xiuzhi's heart-rending wails of grief actually frightened off the great pythons. Xiuzhi had intended to wait for death, but then she suddenly remembered Jiulang's parting words, and so resolved to go to Tianzi Mountain. She broke off a bamboo stalk and took off her bracelet, making a nine-section whip. And so, beating her nine-section whip while begging for food and asking the way, she sang as she walked, and walked as she sang. She did not know how long she had been walking when she finally reached Tianzi Mountain. Coming to a thatched cottage, she saw a sign hanging on the brushwood gate reading "Xiang Family Tujia Corn Liquor Distillery." Her heart leaped with joy, and she was just about to knock and enter, but then she hesitated, not knowing what Jiulang's feelings might be. After thinking for a moment, she went to the doorway and began to perform with her nine-section whip. The door opened, and an old man stepped out. Jin Xiuzhi made a deep bow to him and said: "Elder, let me perform a round of the nine-section whip for you..." The old man quickly said: "Oh, you poor thing, you poor thing—don't perform." He turned and filled a plate with some copper coins to send off this beggar girl. Xiuzhi shook her head and would not accept them. The old man thought she considered it too little and grabbed another handful, but Xiuzhi still would not take it, saying: "Elder, I do not want your gold, nor do I want your silver. I only ask that you listen to my tale of woe." The old man quickly said: "Then perform!" Xiuzhi beat her nine-section whip, crying and singing as she told of her misfortunes. She had only performed half of it when the old man seized her and cried out: "Xiuzhi, my... my poor daughter-in-law..."
It turned out that after Xiang Jiulang returned home, he had told his father about his marriage to Jin Xiuzhi in Jinfeng Village. The old winemaker greatly admired Xiuzhi's virtue. After fleeing Jinfeng Village, Xiang Jiulang thought constantly of the kind young lady Jin. Sometimes when he returned from selling wine, he would go alone to the temple on Tianzi Mountain to burn incense and make vows before the statue of the Heavenly King Xiang, praying for Xiuzhi's early recovery. He had never expected that today Xiuzhi would travel a thousand li to find him. The two were overjoyed to see each other. From then on, Jiulang accompanied her day and night, caring for her, giving her herbal medicines and calling for doctors. The old winemaker doted on his daughter-in-law even more, preparing several dishes of mountain delicacies and game for her at every meal. But Xiuzhi's illness showed no improvement. One day, Xiuzhi said to Jiulang: "You... are already over thirty. It's time you found a companion..." Jiulang said in shock: "Surely you don't mean..." Xiuzhi said sorrowfully: "I..." Jiulang said: "Though we cannot share a bed, we are still husband and wife through hardship!" Xiuzhi said: "Though we are husband and wife through hardship, you have no descendants!" Jiulang said: "As long as you live one day, I will stay by your side one day. Even if you... are no longer in this world, I will never remarry!" Xiuzhi said: "Jiulang, please marry another. If in the future you have children, let them call me 'mother' at my graveside, and I... will not have been your wife in vain..."
After that, Xiuzhi deliberately kept her distance from Jiulang, often sitting alone by the Golden Whip Stream lost in thought. One night, she got up from bed and went to the backyard, where she saw several rows of large corn liquor vats. A thought struck her: Why not drink a great deal of strong liquor and sleep forever! She lifted the lid, scooped up a gourdful of liquor, and drank it down mixed with her tears. Once the liquor entered her belly, it took effect. She was gravely ill for three days and nights, her whole body swollen and painful, drooling incessantly. Strangely enough, after those three days, not only did Xiuzhi not die, but she felt clear-headed and refreshed, with a ravenous appetite. When Jiulang brought her a bowl of fragrant wild chicken soup, she drank it down in a few gulps. After a few more days, color returned to Xiuzhi's cheeks, and there was not the slightest trace of illness.
When the old winemaker saw that Xiuzhi had recovered, he was greatly astonished—he had never imagined that liquor brewed from corn kernels could have such an effect! That very day, the old winemaker took it upon himself to have the two renew their wedding vows and become true husband and wife. The young couple lived in harmony and deep affection. Xiuzhi, clever and skillful, made some improvements to the Xiang family's ancestral brewing method, so that the corn liquor was not only mellow and fragrant but could also dispel rheumatism, invigorate the meridians, strengthen the spleen and stomach, refresh the mind, and cure a hundred ailments. Because of its exceptional quality, it was designated by the Maogang Tusi as the Tujia king's household wine. Later, this "corn liquor" spread throughout the entire Xiangxi Tusi region and became an authentic Tujia wine. The Yongding County Gazetteer officially recorded this wine in the annals: "Yongyi, only produces corn liquor." Some Tujia people also developed a unique drinking custom: inserting a bamboo tube into the wine jar and sipping while savoring. The "burn" of the corn liquor made people smack their lips endlessly. This was called drinking "zha jiu" (sucking wine). A Tujia bamboo-branch poem records:
The barbarian wine is brewed, its fragrance fills the air; One sip through a bamboo tube surpasses cups and goblets rare;
Pork across the bridge in lotus bowls displayed, The elder wife opens the jar and bids guests taste.