Alcohol is part of Chinese folklore and in modern China alcohol still plays an important role in this folklore, despite many social vicissitudes. It still appears in almost all social activities, the most common occasions being birthday parties for seniors, wedding feasts and sacrifice ceremonies, where liquor must be the main drink to show happiness or respect.
In ancient China, since alcohol was regarded as a sacred liquid it was only used when people made sacrificial offerings to Heaven, Earth or significant ancestors. After the Zhou Dynasty, alcohol was deemed as one of the Nine Rites and every Dynasty since, placed heavy emphasis on alcohol administration, setting up special ministries to manage alcohol production and banqueting. Later, along with the development of zymotechnics and brewery, alcohol became much more of an ordinary, everyday drink. Thus, many of the daily customs involving alcohol evolved.
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