Chinese researchers trace spirit distillation technology back to Western Han Dynasty

ZHENGZHOU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese researchers have uncovered evidence that spirit distillation technology in China dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD), much earlier than the previously believed Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
A research team from Zhengzhou University’s historical and cultural heritage conservation research center conducted simulation experiments using a replica of the distiller unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun. The experiments confirmed the distiller’s functionality for producing distilled spirits.
The tomb, located in Nanchang, capital of east China’s Jiangxi Province, is a significant archaeological site from the Western Han Dynasty.
The findings correct the traditional belief that spirit distillation technology emerged during the Yuan Dynasty, as recorded in the ancient Chinese medical classic Ben Cao Gang Mu, according to Han Guohe, director of the research center.
The experiments revealed that the ancient distiller achieved a distillation efficiency of over 70 percent, while also preserving spirits’ flavor and alcohol content.
The study was published in the journal Cultural Relics of Central China. ■