Wuliangye showcases heritage at Beijing exhibition

Chinese baijiu brand Wuliangye held an exhibition in Beijing on Nov 5 to wrap up its "Glorious Tour" exhibition, which started in April, and has covered cities in China, including Chengdu in Sichuan province, Shanghai, and Zhengzhou in Henan province.

Wuliangye held the exhibitions to showcase the company's long history and the baijiu culture, as part of celebrations for winning several awards at the Milan World Expo last year, including the gold medal.

The Chinese started making baijiu more than 4,000 years ago. And the city of Yibin, in Sichuan province, where Wuliangye is made, is one of the oldest cities in the upper reaches of Yangtze River, with a history of more than 3,000 years when it comes to making baijiu.

Blessed with a mild climate and plentiful rainfall, the city has moist air and warm weather－ideal conditions for yeast and microorganisms to grow－which is very helpful to make high-quality baijiu.

Wuliangye, which means "five grain liquor", is a signature product in the "strong fragrance" baijiu genre, as baijiu is categorized by the fragrance.

The baijiu is brewed in dozens of ancient underground cellars, using five types of grain---sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, corn, and wheat. Some of the cellars have history of more than 600 years.

Wuliangye is 100 percent handmade, from grain removal and fermentation to distilling and sealing the cellar with yellow mud.

Wuliangye is distributed in 65 countries and regions, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.

The Beijing exhibition comprised Chinese paintings and calligraphy and included a 3D demonstration of the baijiu-making process.

Meanwhile, at a ceremony to open the exhibition in Beijing, Tang Qiao, the chairman of the Wuliangye board said the company attached great importance to promoting baijiu and its culture around the world and was conducting activities globally. It will also promote China's Belt and Road Initiative. The ceremony was followed by a forum on culture.