发达的农耕文明提供了大量粮食，中国人很早就学会了用粮食来做酿酒的原料，并且在3000多年前就做出了一种叫“酒曲”的原料，用它酿出来的酒口味极佳。“酒曲”是中国人对酿酒技术的一大贡献。

China’s advanced agricultural civilization has always provided a large volume of grain. From early times, the Chinese people learned how to use grain as an ingredient in making alcohol. Over 3,000 years ago, they devised a kind of “large starter” (rice that has been cultured predominantly by various molds, yeast and bacteria). This gave the brewed alcohol a superb flavor. The Chinese people’s creation of this “large starter” served as a great contribution to liquor-making technology.

　　中国的酒主要是白酒，白酒的意思就是无色的酒，白酒和法国白兰地、俄罗斯伏特加、苏格兰威士忌并称世界四大蒸馏酒。中国白酒最著名的要数贵州茅台、山西汾酒和四川五粮液。

The main alcoholic beverage of China is baijiu. The literal meaning of baijiu is “white liquor.” Baijiu is known as one of the world’s four great distilled alcohols (the others are French brandy, Russian vodka and Scottish whisky). China’s most famous types of baijiu are Guizhou Province’s Maotai, Shanxi Province’s Fenjiu, and Sichuan Province’s Wuliangye.

　　“无酒不成席”，中国人待客一定要用酒，用白酒待客则更显郑重。白酒也是中国人互相馈赠的首选，每到春节的时候，市场上的白酒总是有相当多的购买者。

There is a Chinese expression which says, “Without wine, there is no feast.” In China, serving alcohol is an absolute must when entertaining guests; compared with other alcohols, baijiu is considered more dignified and stately. Baijiu is also a preferred choice for gift-giving among the Chinese people. When the Spring Festival arrives each year, countless people rush to the markets to purchase this important beverage.