Martin -- you might enjoy the following encyclopedic tome, which I found a while ago on the web.  As the title indicates, its English is a bit quixotic (but a lot better than my Chinese!)
Xu, Gan Rong and Bao, Tong Fa (2000) Grandiose Survey of Chinese Alcoholic Drinks and Beverages. Nanjing: Wuxi University of Light Industry. Web address: http://ocean.wxuli/edu.cn/wine/umain.htm

Robin Room

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Martin Platts 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: den 23 januari 2001 07:57
  Subject: Chinese Scholars


  Does anyone know anything about the Chinese Scholars who described four alcoholic beverages  as li,lo,lao,and chang. Apparently it came from the Zhou Dynasty around 1105 to 1097 BC. Fermented from grain sprouts with Chang being found similar to black millet and grass. Lao may have been a left over rancid millet. Lo was according to the Chinese Cultural department a product made from plain grapes. Red or white they did not differentiate.Information documented by Professor Lin who  was at Beijing University until 1981. Does anyone know where this man is?
  Ancient writings believed these beverages destroyed people's souls leaving them in a state of incomprehension to travel. DUI?
  There is also a vague reference to a man called Zhang Bishi in 1892 but like all information from China it is sketchy. Does anyone know who he is?
  Martin Platts  h.c.i.m.a.