Zhangjiajie Corn Wine
Zhangjiajie corn wine is a common drink among Tujia people. With low cost, Tujia people can make this wine by using their own corn. Tujia people like add wild bee honey in it, which is called honey corn wine. It tastes sweet, pure and delicious. Drink a warm corn wine in winter can dispel cold make you warm. However, this wine is a little strong, you will be easy get drunk when drink this wine first time as Tujia people is very hospitable and friendly. Tujia people like use bamboo to hold corn wine, which can make the wine more fragrant, nutritious.
About the origins of corn wine, it had a beautiful legend. An old man lived in Tianzi Mountain made his living with wine corn and invented corn wine brewing. The old man had a son, he became a master of brewing corn wine when he grew up. And it is well-known in Tujia village and was named Wine Xianglang. One day, he went to Jinfeng Village to sell his wine. Castellan of Jinfeng village had a daughter named Xiuzhi, who got sick with a strange illness and incurable. The castellan made a plot to keep Xianglang stay in his home and want recruit him to be son-in law. It is said that which can cure his daughter, while the son-in low would be became ill with this disease. If not, Xianglang would be killed and the girl would be regarded as plague and would be thrown to a snake cave. At their wedding night, Xiuzhi told Xiang Lang the truth and let him went away. The next day morning, Castellan found his son-in low escaped, then ordered servants threw his girl to the snake cave. Xiuzhi burst into tears, which scared the snake and saved her life. She went to Tianzi Mountain to find Xianglang, Xianglang and his old father took her in passion. They tried with a variety of herbs for healing, but never succeed. One day Xiuzhi drank corn wine a few times inadvertently after that her strange disease actually disappeared. So the old father permitted Xiuzhi and his son’s marriage and prepared for the wedding again. Since then, the couple lived a long and happy life. Their corn wine was also famous and handed down by the Tujia people as a great treasure.