In traditional Chinese culture, life is often defined by two famous lists of seven. The first covers the daily necessities of the household: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea. The second outlines the refined spiritual pursuits of the scholar: the zither, Go, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine and flowers.
Among these seven elegant arts, wine occupies a unique position. While the music of the guqin (zither) is ethereal and the practice of calligraphy requires quiet focus, a cup of grain spirit is the warm medium that relaxes the mind and allows inspiration to flow freely.
Notes Beyond the Strings
The study of an ancient Chinese scholar was a place filled not only with the scent of ink but often with the rich aroma of wine. Playing the zither and pouring a cup have always gone hand in hand. The famous Jin dynasty poet Tao Yuanming kept a stringless zither; he believed that as long as he had the music in his mind and a cup of wine in his hand, the physical strings were unnecessary.
Poetry and wine must be enjoyed in our prime.
— Su Shi (1037–1101)
For these literati, drinking was never about losing control. The goal was wei xun—a state of being pleasantly, mildly tipsy. In this perfectly balanced state of relaxation, the fingers moved more nimbly across the strings, and the brushstrokes on the paper became more expressive and free.
The Scholar's Gathering
Beyond solitary reflection, wine was the soul of the yaji, or elegant gathering. Close friends would meet on a crisp autumn day, unrolling painting scrolls or setting up a Go board in a courtyard or bamboo grove.
At these gatherings, the cups were small and the pace was unhurried. The host would pour, and the guests would sip slowly as they considered their next move on the chess board or composed lines of poetry. The spirit bridged the distance between guests, softening the passage of time. It was a philosophy of drinking in moderation, defined by grace and restraint.
A Cup of Qifu on the Desk
Today, we may not play the zither or grind ink on an inkstone every day, but our desire for inner peace remains the same. On a quiet autumn evening, after the rush of the day has passed, we can still sit at our desks, pour a good glass, and recapture that ancient elegance.
At moments like these, a bottle of Bainian Qifu · 8 makes the perfect companion. As the flagship of the Qifu family distillery, this 52% vol strong-aroma baijiu comes in a striking red porcelain bottle adorned with gold calligraphy, bringing a touch of traditional artistry right to the study.
Rooted in Mianzhu, Sichuan—a region celebrated for its spirits since the Tang dynasty—this baijiu is crafted using a five-grain recipe and traditional zeng stills. Solid-state fermentation in yellow-mud pits for about two months gives it a profound depth of character. When poured into a small cup, the spirit offers a remarkably smooth entry. This is followed by a lingering sweetness and a full pit aroma, finishing with graceful, aged notes reminiscent of nuts and caramel.
Appreciating a pure-grain spirit like this is much like admiring a profound ink painting: it requires slowing down and paying attention. The Qifu family motto reminds us that "character is higher than wine character." When we raise a cup of Bainian Qifu · 8 in the quiet of our study, we are not just tasting the craft of time; we are reflecting on a philosophy of integrity and self-cultivation that has endured for centuries.
