On March 26th, the Confucius Institute between Jiangnan University and University of California at Davis successfully held an international symposium on “The History and Culture of Alcoholic Beverages in China” at Robert Mondavi Wine and Food Science Research Center at UC Davis. The experts and scholars in related fields from China, Germany, Britain, USA, etc. gathered in Davis, focusing on the history and culture of alcoholic beverages
The symposium was hosted by Professor Andrew Waterhouse, Co-director of the Confucius Institute and an expert in grape planting and wine brewing. Ralph Hexter, Executive Vice President of UCD made a welcome speech and Vice President of Jiangnan University (JU), Xu Yan, went all the way to this symposium for a keynote speech. The symposium also had many international academics including Patrick McGovern, a well-known molecular archaeologist and a professor at Pennsylvania University, Peter Kupfer, an expert in Chinese language and culture research from Mainz University in Germany, Doctor Xiang S Yin, Global Technology Director from SABMiller, Professor Liu Jiang from China Agriculture University and Professor Li Hua from Northwest Agriculture Forestry University. Attending the symposium are nearly 80 people including professionals from the greater Sacramento Area, American southern areas like San Francisco, Bay area, Los Angeles, American northern areas like Napa, Lake Taoho area, owners of some famous wine-producing Napa valley wineries, and faculty members and the students from UC Davis. The seminar also attracted a wide range of news coverage fromChina Daily, ThePress Democrat,Sacramento Bee,World Journal,Sin Tao Daily,etc.
Characteristic with a distinct theme integrating science, technology, culture and history, it's the first of this kind of event held in California and even rare across the world. In the keynote speech session, Professor McGovern first shared the new archaeological discoveries in the history of Chinese alcoholic beverages: as early as about 9000 years ago in the Neolithic period, the Chinese had mastered the method of brewing alcoholic beverages. This discovery brings forward the starting of Chinese alcoholic beverages about 2000 years, and proves the world’s earliest alcoholic beverage and its culture was created in China. As a China's top wine researcher and expert, JU Vice President Xu Yan centered on the account of a Chinese distinct brewing technology for liquor and yellow rice wine---the invention and application of distiller’s yeast. Yeast is of an oldest biotechnology and the core of the oriental brewing technology. Globally known as the Fifth Great Invention of China, it has a great influence on the oriental alcoholic beverages brewing history as a whole and is the key difference between eastern and western brewing science.
The theme coupled with the lectures brought the symposium a multidisciplinary characteristics, covering the Chinese alcohol beverage and its history, literature, social and technological aspects of the field: the origin and development of Chinese alcohol beverage, the historical changes of the brewing technology, technical innovation in process of the fermentation and distillation, the production and consumption of beer and wine in China, the six speculations of the origin of Chinese and Eurasian alcohol beverages culture, and the alcohol beverages culture in classical literature and poems.
Chinese alcoholic beverages have distinctive features in raw materials, fermentation microorganism, fermentation modes, distillation ways (for liquor), ways for storage and aging. It is closely connected with the Chinese civilization in its long history and has been playing an important role in Chinese society.
Through the symposium, people from Davis and surrounding areas have a good opportunity to take close look and understand more about Chinese alcoholic beverage wine and its culture. Also, the symposium is helpful to the spreading of the unique culture to across the world. Nichelini Edward, a wine fermentation graduates from the Napa Vally winery, said that he was grateful to the Confucius Institute to offer him a great chance to know so much details about Chinese alcohol history and culture without going all the way to China. Another winery owner Tom who once had a couple of trips to China said, “If only you had held the symposium 15 years ago!” Mr. Darrell Corti, a famous local wine dealer said, “It was a very enlightening day today!” Professor Peter Kupfer spoke highly of the organizing of the symposium. He thought the symposium not only highlighted the characteristics of the Confucius Institute at Davis, but also has provided a very good approach for reference on the development of other Confucius Institutes.
Afterwards, there held a Chinese alcohol tasting. Served with in total 28 kinds of Chinese liquors, yellow rice wines, wines, and beers, the attendees had a fantastic journey of Chinese alcohol beverages. At the Chinese dinner served at a wine laboratory, the attendees felt like being put in a China-based restaurant thanks to not only the delicious Chinese foods set on the tailored China turntables but the perfect experience arising from such Chinese drinking customs as banquet toast, toast, and group drinking.
The Confucius Institute at the University of California Davis as the world's first Confucius institute with the theme of food, is devoted to broadcasting and promoting Chinese food culture for a year and a half, which has already become a distinct culture brand in Davis and surrounding areas. The successful symposium featuring a perfect combination of academic and cultural research, will contribute a lot to the promotion of Chinese food culture research and the publicity of Chinese alcoholic beverages and the related culture.
Group picture of the speakers
Ralph Hexter, Executive Vice President of UCD makes a welcome speech
Discussing even during tea break
Patrick McGovern, a well-known molecular archaeologist and a professor at Pennsylvania University
JU working panel for the CI
JU Vice President gives a keynote speech
A Chinese style dinner
Answering questions
