Tibetan brewer recalls early days of own business

　　BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Xiani, a retiree of a construction company in Lhasa, began to make highland barely liquor in 1994. Having run the business for 15 years, his family is now leading a well-off life. Both of his two sons are studying in universities and his only daughter has also found a job.

　　Recalling the changes in his life, Xiani said with emotion, "it is the Chinese Communist Party‘s preferential policies that have enabled my family to enjoy such a happy life."

　　Xiani (R), a retiree of a construction company in Lhasa, began to make highland barely liquor in 1994. (Photo: chinatibetnews.com)

　　Xiani left his home town of Chamdo in 1975 and went to work in Lhasa, where he met Drolma, who became his wife later.

　　"In the early days after China initiated the reform and opening-up policy, my family was poor, my wife was sick and all our three kids were too young to work," Xiani recalled.

　　"What the family lived on at that time was the several hundred yuan I earned by working in a construction site each month," said the brewer.

　　Before 1988, his wife made small money by doing trivial work in construction sites. But later as she suffered from heart disease and high blood pressure, she had to stay at home for rest.

　　After retirement in 1994, Xiani had more time to think about running a business.

　　"In the past, as people were conservative and were not business-minded, few had businesses of their own, "said Xiani. "After China launched the reform and opening-up drive, many friends of mine began to open shops or engage in businesses at a low cost."

　　"My friends and I all like to drink liquor, especially the highland barely liquor. On grand occasions such as festivals, marriages and meeting friends, liquor is essential, " he explained.

　　Having studied the highland barely liquor market, he began to learn the technique to make the liquor. However, the liquor he produced did not smell so nice and 2.5 kg of the liquor was only sold for two yuan. The business was not good at all, but he was still very happy that he had taken the first step.

　　In recent years, with the development of Internet, Xiani had more opportunities to learn and exchange liquor-making technique with his colleagues. "I learned not only how to make better highland barely liquor, but also how to run my businesses," Xiani said happily.

　　He said the highland barely he bought is of high quality and the water and yeast he used are also clean. "Every link in the production process has to be clean and we don‘t want to see our customers suffer from diarrhea or any side effects," said he.

　　"If our customers are not fit to drink the liquor because they are in poor health, I would advise them not to buy my liquor," he said. Now his business is running smoothly, and he can make 3,000 yuan each month by selling the liquor his family produces.