Cultural aspects of drinking patterns and alcohol controls in China

Alcohol, \u27jiu\u27 in Mandarin, is intimately intertwined in almost every aspect of Chinese culture and has been since earliest times. China\u27s cultural traditions, which have until now minimized the risks associated with alcohol use, will be challenged as China opens to the West There will be a tendency for outsiders to encourage the adoption of Western-style policies to address problems from alcohol abuse. Doing so without careful consideration of the cultural role of alcohol could be counterproductive