Ancient pottery reveals a 6,000-year-old brewing tradition in Shanxi

Residues from alcohol production dating back to between 6,000 and 5,500 years have been identified in pottery unearthed at the Xinghuacun archaeological site in Fenyang, Shanxi province, according to a recent announcement from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

The latest discovery was made by ancient alcohol researchers from Stanford University and the institute.

Liu Li, a professor at Stanford, said the team analyzed ceramics unearthed at a site that dated back to the middle Yangshao period, about 5,000 to 7,000 years ago.

"Using microfossil residue analysis technology, a systematic analysis was conducted on the pottery unearthed from the Fenghaogou mid-Yangshao culture site at Xinghuacun," she said. "The study confirmed that Xinghuacun was already producing alcohol 6,000 to 5,500 years ago, with the brewing-related microorganisms showing an unbroken lineage.

"The alcohol was brewed from local produce, with feasting becoming a clan ritual," she added. "The site's long history holds significant value for studying ethnic groups, and experts are discussing its value and future research directions."

The Xinghuacun site was first discovered in 1982. Located in Xinghuacun township in Fenyang, the area's liquor-making tradition has been celebrated in Chinese poetry since the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

In 2022, the institute excavated a set of pottery about 300 meters northeast of Fenghaogou village, which lies along the northern edge of the site's development control zone and within the central area of its Yangshao culture remains. Then, in May 2025, archaeological experts sampled residues from this pottery, which was being kept at Fenyang City Museum.

The sample analyses were completed at the Luoyang workstation laboratory at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Stanford University Archaeology Center laboratory.

The set included two bottles with narrow mouths and pointed bottoms, two painted bowls, and six jars.

Liu said that in the 10 pottery specimens analyzed — all of which were unearthed from the floors of houses — a significant number of starch grains and fungal spores, as well as a small number of phytoliths, were detected. Phytoliths are microscopic silica structures formed in the cells and tissues of plants, which can survive for thousands of years. Different plants produce phytoliths with different characteristics, allowing researchers to broadly identify the original plant.

"Most starch grains showed obvious damage characteristics, including gelatinization, indicating that the pointed-bottom vessels and some jar-type vessels excavated from the Fenghaogou site are closely associated with brewing or liquor storage activities," she said. "However, most pottery jars in this analysis were severely damaged, making it difficult to restore their complete shape and directly determine their function based on morphology. Residue analysis may provide more direct evidence for determining the original use of the pottery."

All of these pottery vessels came from an ordinary residential site, suggesting that brewing and drinking were widespread practices in Yangshao communities.

"The research fills a gap in the archaeology of prehistoric brewing in the Yellow River basin in Shanxi," said Zheng Yuan, deputy director of the institute. "It confirms the core role of alcohol in prehistoric community exchanges and the building of ritual civilization, and provides important support for tracing the continuous development of Chinese civilization."

Archaeologist Sun Zhibin believes that the team's archaeological achievements accurately reconstruct the ancient history of brewing, providing practical guidance for standardized research in early brewing archaeology.

He also suggested subsequent research directions such as artifact function analysis, microbial tracing, and sample expansion.

Modern times echo the archaeological findings as Xinghuacun continues to be a hub for alcohol distillation to this day.

Zhu Ming, chairman and president of Shanxi Qinghuaci Distillery Co, said that Shanxi is an important birthplace of Chinese civilization and the core production area of Chinese light aroma baijiu (white liquor).

"Chinese brewing culture has a long history, with baijiu growing alongside Chinese civilization, accumulating and preserving many precious historical imprints and memories over countless dynasties," he said.