Du Kang, sometimes identified with Shao Kang, is one of the figures credited with the invention of

alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The cons ...

Chinese legend Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of ...

. He became the deified patron of

winemaker A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturists *Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to dete ...

s in China and Japan ( Tōji). Grain wines were an important part of ancient Chinese rites and court culture, but their invention cannot be reliably attributed to a single person. It is unknown where, when, or if Du Kang actually lived. The dates in ancient sources range over thousands of years and miles. He is sometimes made a minister of the

Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...

or the Xia ruler Shao Kang. In the 2nd-century ''

Shuowen Jiezi ''Shuowen Jiezi'' () is an ancient Chinese dictionary from the Han dynasty. Although not the first comprehensive Chinese character dictionary (the ''Erya'' predates it), it was the first to analyze the structure of the characters and to give t ...

'', he is identified with Shao Kang himself. Du Kang's story is referenced in

Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...

's 3rd-century poems. Since Cao, Du Kang has also been used as a

metonym Metonymy () is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept. Etymology The words ''metonymy'' and ''metonym'' come from grc, μετωνυμία, 'a change of name' ...

for any good alcohol. Ruan Ji references Du Kang in his attributed

guqin The ''guqin'' (; ) is a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. It has been played since ancient times, and has traditionally been favoured by scholars and Scholar-bureaucrats, literati as an instrument of great subtlety and refinemen ...

piece ''Jiukuang''. A modern Chinese wine brand carries the name. Du Kang's son Heita is sometimes said to have accidentally invented

Chinkiang vinegar Zhenjiang or Chinkiang vinegar is a rice-based black vinegar widely used in Chinese cuisine. It takes its name from the city of Zhenjiang in Jiangsu province. History Chinese legend ascribes the invention of the vinegar to Heita, a son of Dukan ...

when his forgetfulness allowed a vat to spoil..

See also

References

Further reading