The coffee money spent chatting with people can buy everything you want to know, not counting the time and cost “two people spend when the mountain flowers bloom drinking cup after cup.”

Shaoxing locals use the Wu dialect word "咪" (mi1) meaning "to sip" to describe drinking huangjiu and they also compete to see who can drink more huangjiu without getting drunk. The most fearful thing is to be unable to resist a few casual words of provocation, when the reckless impulse grabs you to down the alcohol in one to reflect the intimacy between you and your friend. Although the huangjiu may look weak, if you don't know your own strength, as cup after cup go down your belly, after a few, you'll be drunk as a skunk, and you'll be doubled over on the table snoring away.

Warm huangjiu is very nutritious and particulary fragrant. It will warm your belly and improve your circulation. It's particularly suitable for drinking in winter in the area south of the Yangtze river. You see those old men who row the famous black-awning boats in the wine shops of the old street sitting beside the four legged square tables, picking up a shallow clay bowl, pouring in huangjiu, and peeling a few aniseed flavoured broad beans, sipping daintily at the wine while chewing slowly, at ease and content.