The Way of Wine

In his immortal classic A Tale of Two Cities, the British author Charles Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Those words perfectly describe China's liquor market during the decade or so at the start of the new century. In those years, the liquor market shifted from a planned economy to a market economy, and from conventional marketing to a free-for-all of gimmicks and unscrupulous tactics. Xu Hongtao, one of the liquor industry's top players, seized the opportunity. He was also among those who came out on top in the end. And it wasn't just the liquor industry: many other sectors followed the same pattern. But once a person has made a fortune, what should they do with it? That's when their sense of social responsibility and moral character are put to the test. What did Xu Hongtao do? Was he a shrewd businessman or an outstanding entrepreneur? And what is the difference between a businessman and an entrepreneur? A veteran of the liquor industry and a researcher in business, the author reveals the industry's secrets and the truth behind it, helping more people understand the keys to success...

This is a sweeping novel about the development of China's modern liquor industry. In 600,000 words, the author tells the story of a liquor company in western China, on the brink of bankruptcy, and its development over more than thirty years, from the end of the last century to the beginning of this one. The novel portrays Xu Hongtao, Zhang Rui, Yang Mei, and many other characters, alongside the changes in society, while revealing the secrets and rules of the Chinese liquor industry. It is a history of growth and entrepreneurship in the modern liquor business, and a commercial take on A Plain World. Read it from beginning to end, and you'll see that the way of doing business is also the way of being human, and the way of wine is also the way of life.