From Statesman to Vintner: The Dual Legacy of Wei Zheng

Best remembered as the principled chancellor whose blunt advice shaped Emperor Taizong’s legendary “Reign of Zhenguan” (627-649 AD), Wei Zheng occupies an unusual niche in Chinese history—he was also the Tang Dynasty’s most celebrated winemaker. While his political maxim “Take men as your mirror” remains proverbial, few know his equally significant contribution: producing a legendary green-hued grape wine called “Rulu Cuitao” that captivated the imperial court. This intersection of statesmanship and viticulture reveals a fascinating chapter in China’s cultural exchange along the Silk Road.

The Elusive Origins of Chinese Grape Wine

Contrary to romantic claims of “three thousand years of grape wine history,” China’s viticultural tradition followed a sporadic path shaped by geopolitical tides. Early references prove misleading:

– The Book of Songs mentions wild grapes, but these indigenous Vitis amurensis varieties lacked the sugar content for proper fermentation
– Zhou Dynasty texts describe exotic “pearl-like fruits” in imperial gardens, likely referring to table grapes rather than wine cultivars
– Han Dynasty records focus overwhelmingly on “heavenly horses” from Ferghana, with grapevines planted primarily as equine fodder

The critical breakthrough came via Sogdian merchants—the Silk Road’s middlemen—who introduced Vitis vinifera and fermentation techniques during the Eastern Han (25-220 AD). Yet for centuries, wine remained an exotic luxury confined to aristocratic circles, as traditional rice wines dominated Chinese drinking culture.

Wei Zheng’s Viticultural Revolution

The Tang Dynasty’s westward expansion under Emperor Taizong created ideal conditions for viticulture to flourish. Wei Zheng’s unique position bridged these worlds:

– Military Connections: As a descendant of the Gaoche nomads (allied with the Sogdians), Wei had access to guarded fermentation methods
– Imperial Patronage: His political stature allowed experimentation—records describe his workshop storing wine in giant golden urns
– Technical Innovation: Unlike the crude “added koji” rice-wine methods then common, Wei’s process produced stable vintages lasting a decade

The 8th-century text Longcheng Lu preserves tantalizing details: Wei’s “Rulu” (emerald-green) and “Cuitao” (jade-green) wines surpassed even Emperor Yang’s famed “Jade Xia” vintage. Taizong himself composed verses praising their “aroma surpassing orchid nectar” and “ten-year maturation without spoilage.”

The Mystery of Tang Dynasty Green Wine

Modern enology struggles to reconstruct Wei Zheng’s signature product:

– Color Source: Unlike modern white wines, Wei’s green hue possibly came from copper compounds (like historic German Grüner Wein) or chlorophyll retention
– Grape Varietal: The “mare’s teat” grapes (Vitis vinifera ‘Katta Kurgan’) from Gaochang produced yellowish juice—green tones may indicate skin contact or herbal additives
– Cultural Context: Green wines held prestige in medieval Eurasia; Persian poets described similar “emerald drafts,” while European monasteries produced vinum viride

Notably, when Taizong later cultivated Gaochang grapes in 640 AD, his wines reportedly turned green—suggesting Wei’s techniques influenced imperial production. Yet within decades, this knowledge vanished during the Tang-Song transition.

Why Chinese Wine Culture Faded

The ephemeral success of Tang oenology reflects broader historical patterns:

– Geopolitical Shifts: Wine thrived under stable control of the Western Regions (Han, Tang, Yuan dynasties) but declined during inward-looking periods
– Agricultural Priorities: Unlike rice or millet, grapes competed for scarce arable land—only elite demand sustained vineyards
– Cultural Preferences: Rice wines aligned with Confucian banquet rituals, while grape wine carried “foreign” connotations

By the Ming Dynasty, wine production had regressed to primitive methods. When Zhang Bishi founded Changyu Winery in 1892, he essentially reintroduced—rather than continued—China’s wine tradition.

A Legacy in Fragments

Today, faint echoes of Wei Zheng’s craft persist:

– Portugal’s Vinho Verde, though technically different, preserves the green wine tradition
– DNA studies link Central Asian grape varieties to European cultivars, hinting at lost trans-Eurasian exchanges
– Modern Chinese winemakers are reviving historical techniques, with experimental batches using Gaochang-style grapes

Wei Zheng’s story ultimately symbolizes cultural exchange’s fragile nature—how a chancellor’s private passion briefly bridged continents, only to be forgotten until historians pieced together the clues. As China’s wine industry now looks westward for inspiration, it ironically reconnects with a tradition its own statesman once pioneered.