Construction begins on tipple town for tourists

Construction of a town oriented around Chinese liquor culture started in Sichuan province on Dec 12.

Located in the center of Sichuan, Shehong county's Tuopai is an idyllic town lined with willows. Shehong and Tuopai Yeast Liquor Co, Ltd - one of the province's top six liquor producers - will raise 3.5 billion yuan ($556 million) to build a liquor culture theme park and a liquor culture street.

Tourists can see traditional distilleries and small traditional liquor making workshops.

Shehong is the hometown of Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) poet Chen Zi'ang. It has been celebrated for its liquor culture since Chen brought local liquor to the dynastic capital Chang'an, today's Xi'an in Shaanxi province, and shared it with other poets.