East China Normal University Professor Gong Huanan: Wine Embodies Dao, Sellers Are "Missionaries"

From November 15th to 16th, the 8th "Wine and Philosophy" Academic Forum was held at Guizhou Zhenjiu. Nearly 60 scholars from over 30 universities and research institutions, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Nankai University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and East China Normal University, participated.

Gong Huanan, Distinguished Professor at East China Normal University and Dean of the Chinese Wisdom Research Institute, proposed the concept that "wine embodies Dao" and systematically explained the intrinsic connection between wine and Dao.

Wine is the incarnation of Dao. From brewing to tasting, wine integrates with the "Dao." In the brewing process, the yin of wheat koji and the yang of millet subtly reflect the cosmic principle of "one yin and one yang constituting the Dao." Only by aligning with the Dao of heaven, earth, humanity, and material can wine achieve its "deliciousness." Wine is not just a material crystallization but also a philosophical symbol co-created by heaven, earth, and humanity.

Tasting wine is essentially "savoring the Dao." The pungent warmth of wine possesses the power to break through limitations and dissolve boundaries. Through its flavor, drinkers not only invigorate their meridians and harmonize body and mind but also attain a transcendent spiritual experience of "connecting with objects, people, and the divine." From Wang Xizhi drunkenly composing the "Orchid Pavilion Preface" to Tao Yuanming revealing his true nature in intoxication, wine continually awakens the cultural codes and spiritual imagery latent in the Chinese血脉.

Drinking is cultivation; selling wine is preaching Dao. Gong Huanan pointed out that drinking is not merely a matter of appetite but a vital way for Chinese people to engage in spiritual life. Wine can dispel worries, settle the soul, and, in drunkenness, break the shackles of rationality, restoring the ability to connect with the world. Promoting Chinese白酒 is, in essence, spreading the Chinese worldview and philosophy of life—wine sellers are effectively "missionaries," transmitting a life wisdom that transcends boundaries and perpetuating the Dao of Chinese culture.