What Is the Cultural Code Embedded in Chinese Baijiu?“Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty” Reveals the Answer

    2025-09-20 13:34:03 by SICC

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    9月19日,成都浣花溪公园观澜堂内,迎来一场关于丰收和美酒的深度对话。

    On September 19, within the Guanlan Hall at Chengdu’s Huanhua Creek Park, an in-depth dialogue unfolded, celebrating the themes of harvest and fine liquor.

    由四川日报全媒体主办、五粮液独家战略合作的“大咖话川酒”第二季第三期活动在此举行。恰逢第八个“中国农民丰收节”即将到来,这场以“五粮酝和美”为主题的盛会,创新采用“学术研讨+文化展示+技艺体验”的立体形式,将丰收的颗粒之喜与酿酒的匠心之魂紧密相连,深度挖掘五粮液作为全球首款五粮固态蒸馏酒的技术价值与文化内涵,为现场数十位媒体代表、酒文化爱好者,开启了一场探索中国白酒文化基因的深度之旅。

    Hosted by Sichuan Daily All-Media and exclusively partnered with Wuliangye, the third session of the second season of “Experts’ Insights into Sichuan Baijiu” took place. Timed to herald the eighth “Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival,” this event, themed around “Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty,” innovatively blended academic discourse, cultural showcases, and hands-on craft experiences. It wove together the joy of abundant harvests with the artistry of traditional brewing, illuminating the technical mastery and cultural depth of Wuliangye, the world’s pioneering five-grain solid-state distilled liquor. This gathering offered dozens of media representatives and liquor culture enthusiasts an immersive journey into the rich cultural essence of Chinese Baijiu.

    活动现场,跨领域专家团的阵容堪称“星光熠熠”。中国酿酒大师、著名植物考古学家、西班牙著名生态学家等大咖齐聚一堂,从技艺溯源、文化解读、产业展望、跨文明对比等多元维度,共同剖析五粮固态蒸馏酒的技术引领性、文化厚重感与品牌独特性,让“五粮酝和美”的内涵在思想碰撞中愈发清晰。

    A distinguished lineup of cross-disciplinary experts encompasses a Chinese brewing master, a prominent plant archaeologist, a well-known Spanish ecologist, and other renowned figures. They explored Wuliangye’s five-grain solid-state distilled liquor from diverse perspectives, tracing its technical origins, interpreting its cultural connotation, forecasting industry trends, and drawing cross-civilizational comparisons. Through anatomizing the liquor’s pioneering craftsmanship, profound cultural heritage, and unique brand identity, the essence of “Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty” became ever clearer amidst this vibrant clash of ideas.

    圆桌论坛环节,各位专家跳出单一领域的局限,用多元视角解读“五粮酝和美”的深层内涵,观点碰撞间满是思想火花,仿佛为现场来宾打开了多扇“文化之窗”。

    During the roundtable discussion, experts transcended the confines of their individual fields to offer multifaceted perspectives and unpack the profound implication of “Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty.” The exchange of ideas sparked intellectual fireworks, as if opening “windows of culture” for the guests in attendance.

    植物考古学家赵志军从粮食起源的角度,勾勒出一幅“早期全球化”的生动图景。农业历史专家卢勇则将目光聚焦于五粮液的“活态遗产”——700余年从未间断使用的古窖池。“这些窖池不只是冰冷的酿酒设备,更是活的文化遗产,是岁月沉淀的‘酿酒宝库’。” 他形象地比喻,窖泥中繁衍的上百种微生物群落,就像一群“隐形酿酒工匠”,它们与五粮在漫长岁月中形成了独特的共生关系,正是这种“默契配合”,才成就了五粮液无可复制的风味。

    Plant archaeologist Zhao Zhijun, approaching from the perspective of grain origins, outlined a vivid blueprint of “early globalization.” Agricultural history expert Lu Yong, meanwhile, focused on Wuliangye’s “living heritage”—the ancient cellars used continuously for over seven centuries. “These cellars are not merely brewing equipment; they are live cultural relics, a ‘treasure trove of brewing’ shaped by time,” Lu vividly described. He likened the hundreds of microbial communities thriving in the cellar mud to “invisible brewing artisans.” These microbes, in a unique symbiotic relationship with the five grains over years, have forged a seamless synergy contributing to Wuliangye’s inimitable flavor.​

    作为现场唯一一位外籍专家,卢卡斯结合自身参与纪录片《丰收酝和美》的经历,带来了跨文明的对比视角,让论坛更具国际视野。“在西班牙,我们的葡萄酒追求单一原料(葡萄)的极致表达,强调的是地域的个性,年份的差异,讲究‘风土’赋予的独特个性;而五粮液的多粮酿造,展现了一种截然不同、充满智慧的文化,五种粮食的和合不仅仅是原料的叠加,更是一种自然科学规律的显化协同艺术”,卢卡斯笑着说,尽管中西酿酒路径不同,但二者都怀着对土地的感恩与敬畏,“五粮液的‘和美’理念,为不同文明的交流提供了绝佳范本:无需趋同,却能相互启迪、彼此成就。”

    As the sole foreign expert present, Lucas drew on his experience with the documentary “Harvest Simmers Harmony in Beauty” to offer a cross-civilizational perspective, lending the forum a global outlook. “Spanish wine-making pursues the ultimate expression of a single ingredient (grapes), emphasizing regional character and vintage distinctions, defined by the unique personality of ‘terroir’. In contrast, Wuliangye’s multi-grain brewing showcases a distinct, wisdom-filled culture. The harmony of five grains is not merely a mixture of ingredients but a synergistic art reflecting natural scientific principles,” Lucas noted with a smile. Despite the differing processes of Chinese and Western brewing, both share gratitude and reverence for the land. “Wuliangye’s ‘Harmony in Beauty’ philosophy offers a premium model for exchange among civilizations: no need for convergence, yet capable of mutual inspiration and fulfillment.”

    当论坛落下帷幕,“五粮酝和美”的内涵也愈发清晰:它并非简单的活动主题,而是五粮液历经千年酿造实践沉淀的文化密码,其中蕴含着中华农耕文明、哲学智慧与人类协作精神的三重智慧,堪称打开中国白酒文化的“密钥”。

    As the forum drew to a close, the essence of “Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty” was highlighted. It is not merely an event theme but a cultural code distilled from Wuliangye’s millennia-old brewing tradition. This code embodies the triple wisdom of Chinese agricultural civilization, philosophical thoughts, and human collaborative spirit, serving as a key to Chinese Baijiu culture.​

    从农耕文明来看,“和美”的起点是对自然的敬畏与顺应。卢勇指出,早期酿酒受地域限制,大多只能采用本地出产的粮食,风味相对单一;而五粮液突破了这一局限,主动将不同产地、不同特性的粮食融合——既尊重每种粮食的生长规律(如高粱喜温、水稻喜湿),又通过科学配比让它们“各展所长”,最终实现 “1+1>2”的风味升级。

    From the perspective of agricultural civilization, the starting point of “Harmony in Beauty” lies in reverence for and alignment with nature. Lu Yong stated that early brewing, constrained by geography, often relied on locally produced grains, resulting in relatively uniform flavors. Wuliangye, however, transcended this limitation by deliberately integrating grains from different regions with distinct characteristics. This approach respects the natural growth patterns of each grain, such as sorghum thriving in warmth and rice in moisture, while scientifically balancing their proportions to allow for optimal growth, leading to a flavor refinement where “1+1>2.”​

    如今,五粮液更是将这种智慧延伸到产业链上游:建立起 150余万亩酿酒专用粮基地,将“田间作为第一车间”,从一粒种子的选育、种植,到收割、储存,再到最终酿酒,实现全链条管控。这不仅保障了原料品质的稳定,更是现代农耕文明“可持续发展”理念的生动践行。赵志军补充道,五粮的演变过程(如从早期的荞麦、小米,逐步优化为如今的高粱、大米等),本身就是农耕技术进步与人类适应自然的结果,体现了 “顺天应人” 的古老智慧——既要顺应自然规律,又要发挥人的主观能动性。

    Today, Wuliangye extends this wisdom to the upstream of its supply chain, establishing over 1.5 million mu (approximately 100,000 hectares) of dedicated grain bases for brewing, treating “the fields as the first workshop.” From seed selection and cultivation to harvesting, storage, and final brewing, the entire process is meticulously controlled. This not only ensures consistent raw material quality but also vividly embodies the modern agricultural civilization’s commitment to “sustainable development.” Zhao Zhijun added that the evolution of the five grains (from early buckwheat and millet to the optimized use of sorghum, rice, and others today) reflects the progress of agricultural technology and humanity’s adaptation to nature. This embodies the ancient wisdom of harmonizing with natural laws while leveraging human ingenuity.

    从哲学智慧来看,“和美”是中华“和合”思想的深度落地。罗安宪强调,五粮液的五粮配比不是简单的原料叠加,而是 “五味调和”的哲学实践:高粱带来清香味正,大米带来醇和甘香,糯米带来纯甜味浓,小麦带来曲香悠长,玉米带来喷香尾甜—— 五种风味在窖池中相互激发、互补协调,最终形成“香气悠久,味醇厚,入口甘美,入喉净爽,各味谐调,恰到好处,尤以酒味全面而著称”的独特口感。

    Viewing from philosophical wisdom, “Harmony in Beauty” is a profound embodiment of the Chinese concept of “harmonious unity.” Luo Anxian emphasized that Wuliangye’s five-grain blend is not a mere combination of ingredients but a philosophical practice of “harmonizing five flavors.” Sorghum contributes a clear, authentic aroma; rice imparts a mellow, sweet fragrance; sticky rice offers a pure, rich sweetness; wheat delivers a lingering, yeasty scent; and corn adds a burst of sweet aftertaste. These five flavors interact and complement each other in the cellars, ultimately creating a distinctive taste characterized by “lingering aroma, rich flavor, sweet entry, smooth finish, perfectly balanced components, and comprehensive taste.”​

    这种“和合共生”的搭配,与中国哲学中“天人合作”“多元共生”的理念一脉相承。

    This “harmonious coexistence” aligns with the Chinese philosophical principles of “collaboration between heaven and humanity” and “diverse coexistence.”

    “从一粒种子到一杯美酒,是人类对自然馈赠的极致转化,更是文化与智慧的传承。”活动尾声,嘉宾们共同感慨。作为世界上首个以五种粮食固态发酵的蒸馏酒,五粮液的工艺不仅代表着中国白酒的最高水平,更是中华 “和合文化” 的活态载体——它用一杯酒,讲述了中国人对自然的敬畏、对和谐的追求、对文明的包容。

    At the end of the event, the guests collectively reflected: “From a single seed to a cup of fine liquor, brewing is the ultimate transformation of nature’s gifts and a legacy of culture and wisdom.” As the world’s first distilled liquor made from the solid-state fermentation of five grains, Wuliangye’s craftsmanship not only represents the pinnacle of Chinese Baijiu but also acts as a living embodiment of China’s “harmonious unity culture”. Through a cup of liquor, it shares the Chinese people’s reverence for nature, pursuit of harmony, and embrace of civilization.​

    这场关于“五粮酝和美”的思想文化盛宴,不仅彰显了中国传统酿造的当代价值,更以文化为桥,为白酒文化传播开启了新篇章。未来,随着五粮液持续以“和美”理念为引领,这份蕴含东方智慧的味道,必将在世界舞台上绽放更耀眼的光芒,让更多人读懂中国白酒背后的文化密码。

    This intellectual and cultural feast centered on “Wuliangye: Simmering Harmony in Beauty” both unveils the contemporary value of traditional Chinese brewing and serves as a cultural bridge to open a new chapter for the dissemination of Baijiu culture. Looking ahead, as Wuliangye continues to lead with its “Harmony in Beauty” philosophy, this flavor imbued with Eastern wisdom will undoubtedly shine more brightly on the global stage, enabling a wider audience to decipher the cultural code behind Chinese Baijiu.