酒文化是中华民族饮食文化的—个重要组成部分。酒是人类最古老的食物之一，它的历史几乎是与人类文化史一道开始的。自从酒出现之后，作为一种物质文化，酒的形态多种多样，其发展历程与经济发展史同步，而酒又不仅仅是一种食物，它还具有精神文化价值。作为一种精神文化它体现在社会政治生活、文学艺术乃至人的人生态度、审美情趣等诸多方面。在这个意义上讲，饮酒不是就饮酒而饮酒，它也是在饮文化。
The Chinese do not see wine as one of the necessities of
life, but in their social life the culture of wine as a distinct
cultural form has made and continues to make an impact on the way
the Chinese live. Chinese alcoholic drinks are chiefly made from
grain. Throughout the long history of China, with its large
population and long-term reliance on agriculture, the ups and
downs of the wine trade have been closely bound up with
political, economic and social conditions. The fluctuations in
the grain harvest were like a barometer for the ups and downs of
the wine business. The successive ruling dynasties issued or
relaxed restrictions on wine production according to the grain
harvests to make sure that people had enough to live on.
目录
Preface
The Invention of Chinese Wine
Where does Wine ComeFrom?
Wine in Sacrifice--a Holy Means of Invocation, an Offering in the Holy Rite
The Varieties of Alcohol and Their
Appreciation
Chinese Wine and its Most Famous Types
Chinese Spirits and Their Most Famous Types
Beer in China
Wine Made in China
A New Force in the World Wine Landscape
Wine Drinking Rituals and Customs
Flagon Fine and Goblet Rare
Wine Rituals and Wine Morality
Drinking Games
Folk Customs and Wine
Drinking Styles
Hospitality and Drinking
Wine and Holidays
Wine's Therapeutic Value and Regular Usage
Legends of Wine
Wine and Politics
\"Lifting My Drink and Singing a Song\"
Poetry and Wine
From Wine Restaurants to Bars
Traditional Wine Restaurants
Bars--Leisure Venues in the Cities
Consumption of Imported Wine
Appendix: Chronological Table of the Chinese Dynasties
