In the late 1970s, a large amount of ancient bricks and stones dating from the Eastern Han Dynasty were unearthed in the suburbs of Chengdu. On the surface of each stone or brick are figures, animals or houses from ancient local people’s daily life, and some patterns in relief display how people brewed or drank wine and managed public wine houses.

A love story between Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun that occurred in a small town near Chengdu in the Han dynasty. One day, a well-learned scholar named Sima Xiangru who happened to pass by fell in love with Zhuo Wenjun. However, Zhuo’s parents did not approve; so the two secretly ran away. They arrived at the western suburbs of Chengdu, where they managed a public wine house as means of livelihood. Sima Xiangru sold wine, while Zhuo Wenjun cleaned utensils and cups. Before long, Sima Xiangru went to Chang’an, the capital of the Han Empire for an imperial examination. Finally Sima Xiangru returned and picked up Zhuo Wenjun. They two went to the capital because Sima Xiangru had a job there.

The “Han Bricks” and the story imply the winemaking industry was well developed in the Han Dynasty.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.