SUQIAN, China, May 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On May 15 and 16, the “Foreigner’s View of Yanghe” Photography Project was held in Suqian. Photographers and journalists from renowned organizations such as MBC, Vietnam News Agency, and Voice of Vietnam, gathered in Suqian, known as the “Capital of Chinese Liquor”. 

Their objective was to delve into the centuries-old art of liquor brewing and gain a deep appreciation for the rich heritage of Chinese liquor culture. Through their lenses and reporting, they aimed to provide a unique perspective from foreigners on Yanghe and contribute to the broader understanding and promotion of Chinese liquor culture.

Chinese liquor, known as Baijiu, plays a significant role in shaping the unique Chinese liquor culture.

Suqian, located in the northern part of Jiangsu Province and within the Yangtze River Delta, holds a distinct identity as the home of Baijiu and serves as a cultural symbol. With a history that dates back to the prosperous Sui and Tang Dynasties and continued growth during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Suqian’s liquor-making tradition exemplifies the deep-rooted heritage of its liquor culture.

The region’s natural water sources, climate, soil, air, and ecological environment rich in microbial flora make it the prime location for liquor production in eastern China. The renowned brands “Yanghe” and “Shuanggou”, along with six other well-known Chinese trademarks, have made Suqian’s liquor specialties a household name, extending far beyond the borders of Jiangsu. In March 2019, Suqian was officially recognized as “China’s Liquor Capital” following a re-evaluation, solidifying its status as a prominent hub for liquor production.

In the manual brewing workshop of Yanghe Distillery, craftsmen are skillful in operation, clouds are blown on the retort barrels, and the air is filled with the aroma of liquor. Because all the processes are all hand-crafted, the puree that comes out is rich in aroma, thick and long-lasting, sweet and delicate.

Photographers came to Yanghe’s liquor making workshop covering an area of about 93,000 square meters, the old Yanghe cellar, and the century-old underground cellar known as the treasure of Yanghe’s town. In the automatic intelligent 3D warehouse and the Shuanggou modern packaging logistics workshop, they can feel the traditional culture and the modern exploration behind the industry.

Water is the “key” to Suqian. Sitting on the wide ecological water system, with a water area of 2,367 square kilometers, it continuously delivers clear water to Suqian liquor. During the event, the group came to the Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area, which is densely covered with tidal flats, rivers, swamps, and lakes.

Liquor, being a universal language, has increasingly gained significance as a medium for cultural exchanges and a bridge that connects different civilizations. It serves as a vehicle for mutual learning among nations. In this context, media reporters and photographers utilized liquor as a medium to explore and understand Suqian’s rich liquor culture during their two-day trip. Through their exceptional storytelling skills and captivating photography, they shared the flavors and essence of the liquor, effectively conveying the narrative of Suqian’s liquor culture. This media coverage plays a pivotal role in promoting Suqian as the capital of liquor to a broader audience and enabling its recognition beyond regional boundaries.

Zhang Liandong, Chairman of Yanghe Distillery, emphasizes that Chinese baijiu serves as both a new symbol for China and a global trend in experiencing Chinese culture. To transform Chinese brands into global brands, it is crucial to integrate and organize renowned liquor companies for international expansion. This involves establishing a world-class liquor production zone that showcases the exceptional quality and value of renowned Chinese liquors. By leveraging the production zone as a representation of world-class famous liquors, the aim is to enhance the global perception and recognition of Chinese baijiu.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=440823

Caption: The manual brewing workshop of Yanghe Distillery

SOURCE “Foreigner’s View of Yanghe” Photography Project

SUQIAN, China, May 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On May 15 and 16, the “Foreigner’s View of Yanghe” Photography Project was held in Suqian. Photographers and journalists from renowned organizations such as MBC, Vietnam News Agency, and Voice of Vietnam, gathered in Suqian, known as the “Capital of Chinese Liquor”. 

Their objective was to delve into the centuries-old art of liquor brewing and gain a deep appreciation for the rich heritage of Chinese liquor culture. Through their lenses and reporting, they aimed to provide a unique perspective from foreigners on Yanghe and contribute to the broader understanding and promotion of Chinese liquor culture.

Chinese liquor, known as Baijiu, plays a significant role in shaping the unique Chinese liquor culture.

Suqian, located in the northern part of Jiangsu Province and within the Yangtze River Delta, holds a distinct identity as the home of Baijiu and serves as a cultural symbol. With a history that dates back to the prosperous Sui and Tang Dynasties and continued growth during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Suqian’s liquor-making tradition exemplifies the deep-rooted heritage of its liquor culture.

The region’s natural water sources, climate, soil, air, and ecological environment rich in microbial flora make it the prime location for liquor production in eastern China. The renowned brands “Yanghe” and “Shuanggou”, along with six other well-known Chinese trademarks, have made Suqian’s liquor specialties a household name, extending far beyond the borders of Jiangsu. In March 2019, Suqian was officially recognized as “China’s Liquor Capital” following a re-evaluation, solidifying its status as a prominent hub for liquor production.

In the manual brewing workshop of Yanghe Distillery, craftsmen are skillful in operation, clouds are blown on the retort barrels, and the air is filled with the aroma of liquor. Because all the processes are all hand-crafted, the puree that comes out is rich in aroma, thick and long-lasting, sweet and delicate.

Photographers came to Yanghe’s liquor making workshop covering an area of about 93,000 square meters, the old Yanghe cellar, and the century-old underground cellar known as the treasure of Yanghe’s town. In the automatic intelligent 3D warehouse and the Shuanggou modern packaging logistics workshop, they can feel the traditional culture and the modern exploration behind the industry.

Water is the “key” to Suqian. Sitting on the wide ecological water system, with a water area of 2,367 square kilometers, it continuously delivers clear water to Suqian liquor. During the event, the group came to the Hongze Lake Wetland Scenic Area, which is densely covered with tidal flats, rivers, swamps, and lakes.

Liquor, being a universal language, has increasingly gained significance as a medium for cultural exchanges and a bridge that connects different civilizations. It serves as a vehicle for mutual learning among nations. In this context, media reporters and photographers utilized liquor as a medium to explore and understand Suqian’s rich liquor culture during their two-day trip. Through their exceptional storytelling skills and captivating photography, they shared the flavors and essence of the liquor, effectively conveying the narrative of Suqian’s liquor culture. This media coverage plays a pivotal role in promoting Suqian as the capital of liquor to a broader audience and enabling its recognition beyond regional boundaries.

Zhang Liandong, Chairman of Yanghe Distillery, emphasizes that Chinese baijiu serves as both a new symbol for China and a global trend in experiencing Chinese culture. To transform Chinese brands into global brands, it is crucial to integrate and organize renowned liquor companies for international expansion. This involves establishing a world-class liquor production zone that showcases the exceptional quality and value of renowned Chinese liquors. By leveraging the production zone as a representation of world-class famous liquors, the aim is to enhance the global perception and recognition of Chinese baijiu.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=440823

Caption: The manual brewing workshop of Yanghe Distillery

SOURCE “Foreigner’s View of Yanghe” Photography Project

LOS ANGELES — Meet Jolie, an Indochinese green magpie. She’s cute, bossy — and lucky to be alive.

In 2017, she was among 93 Asian songbirds, many endangered, found stuffed into luggage while being smuggled through Los Angeles International Airport. Only eight of the birds survived.

Jolie now lives in a mixed-species aviary at The Los Angeles Zoo, where National Geographic Explorer Joel Sartore photographed her for the Photo Ark, a project with the ambitious goal of documenting every species in human care.

“She was charismatic and posed … she was grooming and fluffing up and making little vocalizations, and she was absolutely a great subject,” he said.

This sassy songbird marks a huge milestone for Sartore — his 14,000th animal species photographed.

“The Photo Ark is an opportunity to really get to know animals that we wouldn’t know even exist and hopefully save species and their habitats while there’s still time,” he said.

“As these other animals go away, so could we,” he added.

The effort began 17 years ago in Sartore’s hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. His wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer, so the National Geographic photographer took a one-year hiatus to care for her and their three young children.

No longer trotting the globe on assignment, Sartore turned his camera’s lens toward his own backyard.

“I thought about a way of highlighting the small species,” he said. “We all know what gorillas and tigers look like, and that they’re rare. But we don’t really think about the sparrows or the toads or the mice of the world.”

Throughout history, species have gone extinct without a visual record of their existence. Perhaps blurry black-and-white photographs and museum exhibits help humans understand these long-gone creatures, if we’re lucky.

Santore created the Photo Ark not only to preserve these records but inspire others to do more. The animals are photographed with a black or white background and studio lighting to limit distractions.

“The photographs are actually kind of boring, and it’s good. It’s really good,” he said. “We let the animals be the stars of the show … This is the animal, that’s it.”

Friday marks Endangered Species Day, and this year, the U.S. celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Postal Service is marking the occasion with new stamps showcasing 20 endangered animal species from the Photo Ark collection.

From the desert bighorn sheep to the Wyoming toad, the featured animals can be found within the 50 states and U.S. territories.

“At one point, the black-footed ferret and the Vancouver Island marmot and the Mexican gray wolf — these are animals that all got down to fewer than two dozen each — and they’ve been pulled back right from the very brink of extinction just by people that cared,” Santore said.

He remains optimistic as he continues his journey, aiming to photograph more than 20,00 species in total. His son, Cole, has promised to finish the job if needed.

“if you look at the Photo Ark, you see really what biodiversity looks like, and it is so varied and so fascinating. It’s so worthy of protection,” he said.

Visit NatGeo.org/PhotoArk to find your favorite animals and more.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of National Geographic Partners and this ABC station.