Hongqu rice wine festival kicks off in Tonglu

A cultural festival featuring hongqu rice wine is launched in the Eshan She ethnic township, Tonglu county, East China's Zhejiang province, on Nov 19. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A cultural festival featuring hongqu rice wine was launched in the Eshan She ethnic township, Tonglu county, East China's Zhejiang province, on Nov 19.

An integral part of the festival, a sacrificial ceremony was staged at the opening ceremony with newly brewed hongqu rice wine sprinkled in front of the altar.

The event, which is in its fifth edition this year, also included a food fiesta featuring She ethnic snacks such as glutinous rice cake and fried bean curd.

Honqu wine, also known as red rice wine, was named as such because of the use of red yeast, fermentum rubrum. The She people have been brewing hongqu wine for more than 500 years. The process of brewing the wine in the Eshan She ethnic township is listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage item.

Every year, each household in the township would brew the wine using traditional methods after October on the Chinese lunar calendar. The aromatic spirit is most often used to entertain guests, according to Chen Fengfeng, a veteran winemaker.

The winemaking industry has emerged as a significant engine fueling local economic development in Longfeng village, Eshan township,

Following the introduction of modern technologies for sterilization, filling and other processes, the quality of hongqu wine produced in the village has improved and been widely lauded by consumers.

It is estimated that the winemaking segment can generate an additional collective income of 800,000 yuan ($114,285) for Longfeng this year.

A food fiesta featuring She ethnic snacks such as glutinous rice cake and fried bean curd is staged on the sidelines of the festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

People in She ethnic costumes pose for a group photo at the festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]