Asia America Multi-technology Association (AAMA ) and Dandeli Art Center jointly planned and hosted a liquor tasting night for AAMA elite members in Dandli Gallery locating in Image Base Beijing on January 11, 2009.
On the event, AAMA farewelled its old chairman Mr.Wang Xi and welcomed its new chairman Mr.He Qingyuan. AAMA elite memebers acknowledged the contribution of its former chairman to AAMA in 2008, and wished the new chairman success in leading the association in 2009. Mr.Yi Jigang, President of Guizhou Dongjiu Co., Ltd. (Dong’s Liquor), which was the event sponsor, presented gift liquor to honor both chairmen. The gift liquor, which is known for its rich taste and aroma, is exclulsively brewed for the royal family of Tonga and served on the state banquets for the enthronement of the King.
Liquor has evolved into an important symbol of cultures from a type of beverage over the history. China has a long history of liquor brewing and time-honored liquor culture. Mr.Yi from Dong’s Liquor introduced the Chinese liquor culture to the memebers and guests and shared the knowledge of white liquor tasting. Mr.Yi also made creative mixed drinks with Dong’s liquor and grape juice for the audience.
After the liquor tasting, AAMA memebers had a couplets competition, which was a highlight of the night, during dinner.
Famous social activist Mr.Zhao Puchu wrote a first line for Dong’s liquor — “Enjoying Dong’s liquor is better than knowing all.” Dong’s Liquor has solicited the second line for a long time but without success. The company offered a reward of RMB 100,000 on its website for whoever could provide a satisfying second line. According to a chinese saying, Li Bai produced a hundred poems over a cup of liquor. The memebers and guests tried to create a hundred second lines during the competition. To provide the participants more incentives, elite member Mr. Xiong Yan offered additional RMB10,000 as a prize for the member or quests that could propose the best second line at the event. The participants showed their enthusiam in the game – all of them were advised of the game before the event and many of them had exchanged their second line with each other by email. Kalley Chen the MC, organized poem reading and singing performance to inspire the participants. Elite memember Yang Lei shared the secrets of writing good couplets and the best couplets of all time with everyone. Tong Zhilei, the founder of chineseall.com, volunteered to input all the second lines submitted by the participants. Upon the completion of the competition, Mr.Yi as well as the former and new AAMA chairmen voted out the top three couplets and presented awards to the winners Yang Bin, Li Feng and Xiong Yan. Ms.Liang Xueying calligraphed the couplet winning the first prize by the executive committee member Yang Bin, and hung the calligraphy of the line on the wall next to that of the first line by Mr. Zhao Puchu.
At the end of the event, the participants took a group photo to remember this beautiful evening.
