You Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Wine (yǒu)
Kangxi stroke count: 10
Page 1280, Entry 10
Pronounced zhou (falling tone).
Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen): Triple-distilled pure wine.
Yupian (Yupian): Pure, brewed.
Zuo Zhuan (Zuozhuan): Appeared at the zhou sacrificial feast and participated in the burnt offering. Commentary: Wine that is freshly matured; the heavy variety is called zhou.
Book of Rites (Liji): In the first month of summer, the Emperor drinks zhou. Commentary: The word zhou implies purity; it refers to double-brewed wine. The spring wine reaches maturity at this time.
Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji): During the Emperor Xiaowen era, at the high temple zhou ceremony, the dances of Military Virtue and Literary Beginning of the Five Elements were performed. Commentary: Zhang Yan says: Wine is made on the first day of the first month and matures in the eighth month; it is called zhou. The word zhou implies pure.
Also, Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji): The marquises were punished for the zhou gold, and more than one hundred lost their titles. Commentary: According to the Han Rituals and Statutes, when princes were made marquises, they were required to contribute gold to the Han imperial temple annually based on their household numbers. The Emperor would personally preside over the receipt of this gold to assist with the sacrifices. On the day of the Great Sacrifice, they would drink zhou wine; when drinking zhou wine, the gold was received. If the gold was insufficient in weight or of poor quality, the king would have his districts reduced, and the marquises would be stripped of their titles.