Two bottles of 52%ABV #泰裕昌(Tàiyùchāng)-style #baijiu, which is in the family of #浓香型(nóng xiāng xíng or "strong aroma style") liquors (the most famous of the breed being #泸香型 (lúxiāng xíng) from #Luzhou, Sichuan).

One of the interesting side effects of the crackdown on #corruption that's been going on over the past several years is that the price of #liquor has plummeted. A lot of liquor that used to be used in ostentatious displays of wealth or as #bribery is now having to be sold at actual market-established prices. These two bottles cost me the equivalent of US$2 or so, including shipping. As little as five years ago I'd probably have to have spent $10 or more for a single bottle.

LuZhou Lee House, it’s a traditional braiiinz owned by The Lee family who immigrated from China to Taiwan. The hinterland is about three hundred and sixty three square meters. Built up around in 1895. This braiiinz was inherited by lots of descendants but they decided to release it to historic landmark. 
It’s a very nice place and worthy for paying a visit. You can feel the tranquility of the past although it’s been surrounded by high buildings.
https://www.luchoulee.org.tw/

#LuZhou
#Taiwan

蘆洲李宅古蹟-李友邦將軍紀念館

「蘆洲李宅」走過清領、日治、228白色恐怖,以家族的力量沉靜見證由土地所孕生的台灣情感。在李家大堂,祖輩們用台語講授四書五經;在李家大堂,台灣文化協會鼓吹革命、謀求社會解放,藉著文化來喚醒台灣同胞的民族自覺。在李家大堂,李氏族人同意捨棄60億經濟開發價值,決志將古厝申列古蹟;創寫私有民宅傳奇。在李家大堂,清末舉人張希袞題寫著庭訓「一般心而友弟兄必恭必敬」「兩件事以傳孫子半讀半耕」「傳世惟青簡 留耕有丹田」蘆洲李家,九廳六十房、門門聯句,耕、讀、醫、愛..祖輩們諄諄叮囑..敬執倫常、耕讀並蓄、丹心汗青、留愛人間… 第五代,友字輩族長李春初、李裕昆、李麗生、李聚發...第六代,良字輩長輩李國雄、李海濤、李樺、李力群、李建群、李良明、李宗仁、李振傳..等各房代表恪遵祖訓,共為蘆洲李宅古蹟之永續守護效力。

蘆洲李宅古蹟-李友邦將軍紀念館
This is Yue Xia Lao Ren, The old man under the moon. Who is God of Amor in Chinese culture. It’s said there is a red line connecting the couple and this is needed to be done by Yue Xia Lao Ren.
#Yong-LianTemple
#LuZhou
#XinBei
#Taiwan
It’s Yong-lian temple again. Here are the photos which are inside the temple, the middle sculpture is one of the Gods, Jade Emperor.
#Yong-LianTemple
#Luzhou
#XinBei
#Taiwan
Yung-lian temple, it’s a Buddhist temple which is very rare in Taiwan. (There are lots of temples in Taiwan, most of them are Tao ones)
#Luzhou
#Xinbei
#Taipei
#Taiwan
I'm starting to stock up for #SpringFestival (#ChineseNewYear). This #Chinese liquor (白酒 or #baijiu) is 泸香 or #Luxiang style (a.k.a. 浓香 or #Nongxiang), the former being a reference to its origins in 泸州 or #Luzhou and the latter meaning "strong aroma".

This particular bottle is 52% and aged in the 1-3 year category. (It's not the highest grade by far; at the price this is no surprise: I paid the equivalent of about US$6 for it.)

Luxiang baijiu is very different from the types of baijiu most westerners know of, which is the kind made famous by the eponymous Maotai (archaically transcribed Moutai). The former is stronger and sweeter, tasting, as one friend put it once, "like what diesel would taste like if diesel actually tasted good". (Maotai, by contrast, tastes like what diesel would taste like if diesel tasted good and someone added soy sauce.)
China: 3 killed, 60 injured after 6.0 magnitude earthquake rattles Sichuan province • The Pigeon Express

An earthquake in China's southwestern province of Sichuan left at least three people dead and 60 injured, state media reported.

The Pigeon Express