A Distillery
in Chengdu, Sichuan Province
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The
verified area covers 1,700 square meters, 280 square meters of which
have been excavated. The exposed remains include three air-drying
halls, eight wine cellars, four fermentation ranges, four ash pits
and road foundations, wooden pillars and the foundations of distillation
facilities. Large numbers of blue and white porcelain shards produced
in the Ming and Qing dynasties were unearthed.
The discovery of the site disclosed the whole process of distilling
and liquor production during the Ming and Qing periods. The site
was composed of a wine shop in front and a brewing workshop in the
rear. The air-drying halls, wine cellars, and the fermentation ranges
were located in the rear. The road and pottery and porcelain food
and drink vessels collected from beside the distillery are assumed
to be from the wine shop facing the street.
The Shuijingjie Street Distillery (Quanxing Distillery) site
was located by the original cellar of the Quanxing Distillery that
is still in production today. From the underground accumulations
of relics and the order of sequence of articles and objects, researchers
have identified a chronological chain ranging from the Ming Dynasty
to the present day, showing continuous production of liquor here
for the past 500 years. This is the only example of winery production
and business in ancient times ever found in China.
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