Chinese Báijiǔ Brands
Author: Vladimir Djurovic
Author: Vladimir DjurovicBiji?, which literally means "white liquor," "white alcohol" or "white spirits", is a clear drink distilled from sorghum. It is often mistakenly translated as "wine" or "white wine," but actually has a significantly higher alcohol by volume (ABV) of 40-60%, compared to hard alcohols such as vodka with ABVs of 35-50%.
Biji? has a long history in China, and has been brewed since the Dong Han Dynasty, about 1,600 years ago. From ancient to modern times, a number of Chinese celebrities and cultural icons have been associated with biji?. For example, a great poet in Chinese history, Li Bai, is often depicted as a drunken poetic genius, with most of his masterpieces composed after he had much to drink. Ever since Libai's time, biji? has been increasingly accepted as a Chinese cultural symbol.
With its roots in Chinese history, biji? continues to be important in todays modern Chinese society.
Share:Moti -??
Among all the biji? brands in China, Moti (??), also known as biji? of the State" , is one of the most popular and is typically served at Chinese State Banquets. The brand name itself Moti is actually the name of a place that is considered to be ideal for biji? brewage in Guizhou Province. The character for mo (?) is comprised of the characters c?o (?), meaning grass, and mo (?), meaning spear. Mo (?) is used in the word mow? (??), a thatched cottage, and??modo, a country path. This character gives a sense of nature and ancient times as well as strength and power. Ti (?) means a platform, stage or terrace, and has the connotation of being established and stable. Together, these characters embody the long tradition and strength associated with Moti baijiu.
Share:Jinnnch?n- ???
Another successful biji? brand in China is Jinnnch?n (???). It is the name of an ancient place in Sichuan Province called Jinnndo (???=). Besides the history contained in this name, the character jin (?) means a double-edged sword. It is composed of qi?n (?), which indicates the pronunciation, and d?o (?), which means knife. By having the character jin (?) in its name, it associates Jinnnch?n biji? with power and achievement. Here we can see a resemblance to the character mo (?), used above, also meaning a sword or weapon and having similar connotations.
The character nn (?) simply means south, giving the name a geographic element. Ch?n (?) is the character for the season of spring, but it can also mean joy, love, lust, life and vitality. For example, q?ngch?n (??) is a noun referring to one's youth or young adulthood. Ch?nji (??), is the Spring Festival in China (the Lunar New Year), one of the most significant Chinese Festivals. These three characters together call on the strength, bravery and power associated with a weapon, the history of a southern place, and the vitality and joy surrounding springtime and youth, to form an evocative and attractive brand name.
Share:W? ling y-???
The name of W? ling y (???), a famous biji? brand produced in Sichuan Province, literally means a liquid extracted from 5 different grains.
The character w? (?) means five (5). Ling is a noun for grain, food, or provisions. Ling is made up of the characters m? (?), for rice, and ling (?), which indicates pronunciation. Ling is used in such words as lingshi (??), meaning grain, cereals, or food, and xling (??), a noun for flour and rice. In this name, as in mo (?) used above, we see connotations of nature, living off the land, or a countryside lifestyle. Furthermore, by referencing grains and provisions, ling gives a sense of abundance and harvest. W? ling also refers to the various ingredients and indicates the complex and elaborate production process of this biji?. Y (?) means a liquid, a fluid, or a juice. The character is composed of shu?( ? or ?), meaning water, and y (?), which indicates the pronunciation. The character y (?) is present in words like xuy (??), or blood, and rngy (??), meaning a chemical solution. By using the character y (?) as opposed to ji????the name refers to precious and delicious liquors such as in yy (??), meaning jade liquor. This combination ascribes distinction to the W?lingy brand. As you can see, the 5 most premium biji? brand names draw strongly on attributes of tradition or heritage, as well as power and achievement. This may be because the major consumers of biji? in China have traditionally been male. As such, biji? brands are eager to convince customers that by drinking their products, the feeling passed down from ancient times can be tasted, their masculinity can be proven, and their power can be fully demonstrated.
For new alcohol brands wanting to create a Chinese brand name, they may wish to call on characters evoking attributes such as strength and distinction, tradition and history, as well as natural origins, to connect with Chinese consumers. The Future of Biji?
One cant help but to wonder, what does the future hold for traditional Chinese biji?? Will the younger generation carry on the biji? tradition, or will some other liquor take its place? With the alcohol industry in China set to experience huge growth in the upcoming years, it will be interesting to see which brands turn out to be the most popular.
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About the Author:
Vladimir Djurovic is the founder and Managing Director of Labbrand, a Shanghai based innovative brand agency specialized in brand research, strategic and creative services. Labbrand website at: http://labbrand.com/ is also the portal to Labbrand branding blog:
and reviews of branding related hot topics, with a special focus on China.