Guojiao

Product brand

Guojiao 1573 is Luzhou Laojiao’s premium strong-aroma baijiu brand, built around continuously used Ming-dynasty fermentation pits dating to 1573.

Last updated October 12, 2026

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Overview

Guojiao, most prominently sold as Guojiao 1573, is the premium baijiu brand of Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd. The brand is associated with Luzhou in Sichuan Province, a major center of Chinese distilled-spirit production, and is positioned at the high end of the strong-aroma, or nongxiang, baijiu category. Its identity rests on the historic 1573 National Treasure Cellar Pit Group, a collection of fermentation pits traditionally dated to the first year of the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty. The pits have reportedly remained in continuous brewing use, creating a long-developed microbial environment that Luzhou Laojiao presents as a distinctive foundation for strong-aroma baijiu. The name Guojiao, meaning “national cellar,” became commercially meaningful after the historic Luzhou fermentation facilities received national cultural-heritage protection in 1996. That designation was described in industry materials as the first national-level protection of its kind for a Chinese baijiu cellar complex. Luzhou Laojiao subsequently transformed the heritage distinction into a premium brand proposition. Guojiao 1573 was launched in 2001 to compete in China’s high-end baijiu market, linking the product name directly to the cellar complex’s traditional date. The brand’s story combines protected historical infrastructure, continuous production, traditional solid-state distillation, and ceremonial presentation. The product is a clear distilled spirit characterized in brand descriptions by prominent cellar aroma, a sweet and smooth palate, coordinated flavor, and a clean, lingering finish. Its packaging uses red and gold visual cues, a seal-like design language, and references to Chinese cultural symbolism. These elements support a positioning centered on national heritage, formal gifting, banquets, collecting, and premium hospitality rather than everyday drinking. Guojiao 1573 has also been presented as a reference product for appreciating Chinese baijiu and as an example of how historical production assets can be converted into a modern luxury-beverage brand. The brand’s development formed part of Luzhou Laojiao’s broader move toward a dual-brand structure emphasizing Guojiao 1573 and Luzhou Laojiao Tequ. Product and brand extensions have included customized editions, artistic bottles, and limited Lunar New Year releases. Materials also identify collaborations with Chinese artists between 2019 and 2023 and the launch of Guojiao 1573 Pin Heshan in 2022. These initiatives broadened the brand beyond a single standard bottle while retaining the core association with the historic cellar pits. Guojiao 1573 has been marketed in China through high-visibility advertising, cultural events, ceremonial releases, and premium consumption occasions. The brand has also pursued international visibility as Luzhou Laojiao expanded overseas, initially emphasizing the Asia-Pacific region and later entering additional markets including Africa. International communication has generally framed the product as a representative Chinese distilled spirit and as part of the effort to make Chinese baijiu more familiar to global consumers. Guojiao is not an independently listed company. It is a consumer brand operated by Luzhou Laojiao Co., Ltd., whose shares trade in Shenzhen under ticker 000568. The available material does not establish a separate legal entity, independent headquarters, or standalone financial statements for the Guojiao brand. Because the input did not provide a reliable Wikipedia path and the Chinese name can refer informally to the broader Guojiao 1573 brand family, this dossier treats the subject as Guojiao 1573 while flagging the identification for review.

History

The Guojiao brand is rooted in the historic brewing tradition of Luzhou Laojiao in Luzhou, Sichuan. Luzhou’s baijiu-making culture developed over many centuries, while the fermentation pits most closely associated with Guojiao are traditionally dated to 1573, during the Ming dynasty’s Wanli era. Unlike spirits whose maturation is primarily associated with barrel aging, strong-aroma Chinese baijiu depends heavily on the condition of its fermentation pits. Long-term use can support a distinctive microbial environment that influences the aroma and flavor of the resulting spirit. The historic cellar complex became central to the brand’s modern identity in 1996, when the 1573 National Treasure Cellar Pit Group was designated a national key cultural-heritage site under state protection. Industry materials describe this as the first such national-level recognition for a Chinese alcoholic-beverage cellar complex. The term Guojiao, or “national cellar,” was subsequently used to express the cultural status of the site and to distinguish Luzhou Laojiao’s premium proposition. Luzhou Laojiao launched Guojiao 1573 in 2001 as a high-end product. The launch converted a heritage asset into a contemporary luxury-baijiu strategy, with the number 1573 referring to the traditional founding date of the historic pits. The bottle and presentation were designed to communicate ceremony and national cultural symbolism through red and gold colors, seal-inspired forms, and detailed references to Chinese identity. The product was promoted for premium banquets, formal gifting, collection, and connoisseurship. The brand’s historical narrative was reinforced by additional recognition of Luzhou Laojiao’s production system. The company’s traditional brewing technique was included in China’s first national intangible cultural-heritage list in 2006. Other historic pits and brewing facilities associated with Luzhou Laojiao later received further heritage recognition. These designations helped the company frame Guojiao 1573 as a product connected to living production heritage rather than merely an aged or commemorative spirit. During the 2000s, Luzhou Laojiao developed a dual-brand approach centered on Guojiao 1573 and Tequ. Guojiao 1573 served as the premium image brand, while the wider Luzhou Laojiao portfolio covered additional price points and consumption occasions. In 2008, the company introduced Guojiao 1573 Customized No. 1 in connection with a sealing ceremony, expanding the brand into customized and ceremonial offerings. From the late 2010s onward, Guojiao broadened its cultural and design activity. Materials describe a brand-exclusive operating model introduced in 2015, a strategic partnership with the World Corporate Golf Challenge in 2017, and collaborations with artists including Fang Lijun, Zhang Xiaogang, Pang Maokun, and Tan Ping from 2019 through 2023. Limited Lunar New Year bottles and other artistic editions used packaging as a vehicle for cultural storytelling and collecting. The brand also launched Guojiao 1573 Pin Heshan in 2022 and completed registration of the Guojiao 1573 trademark for alcoholic beverages in 2023, according to supplied reference material. Guojiao’s international development followed the overseas expansion of its parent company. Luzhou Laojiao reportedly began international operations in 2012, initially concentrating on Asia-Pacific markets and later extending activity into Africa. International positioning has focused on introducing Chinese baijiu culture, the strong-aroma style, and the historic cellar narrative to consumers outside China. The brand remains closely tied to Luzhou Laojiao rather than functioning as a separate public company. Its current identity combines protected heritage, continuous fermentation-pit use, premium product design, cultural marketing, and the broader ambition of presenting Chinese baijiu as a globally recognizable distilled spirit.

2023
Guojiao 1573 alcoholic-beverage trademark registered
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Reference material reports official registration of the Guojiao 1573 trademark in the alcoholic-beverage category.
2022
Pin Heshan launched
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Guojiao 1573 Pin Heshan was introduced as an additional brand offering.
2017
World Corporate Golf Challenge partnership
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Guojiao 1573 entered a strategic partnership with the World Corporate Golf Challenge.
2015
Brand-exclusive operating model implemented
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Reference material reports the introduction of a brand-exclusive operating model for Guojiao 1573.
2012
Parent company begins reported international operations
[5]Luzhou Laojiao overviewwikifox.org
Luzhou Laojiao reportedly began overseas operations with an initial focus on Asia-Pacific markets.
2008
Customized No. 1 introduced
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Guojiao 1573 Customized No. 1 was launched in connection with the brand’s first sealing ceremony.
2007
Dual-brand strategy established
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Luzhou Laojiao developed a dual-brand structure focused on Guojiao 1573 and Tequ.
2006
Traditional brewing technique enters the national intangible heritage list
[3]Luzhou Laojiao reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Luzhou Laojiao’s traditional brewing technique was included in China’s first national intangible cultural-heritage list.
2001
Guojiao 1573 launched
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Luzhou Laojiao introduced Guojiao 1573 as a premium baijiu product and used the historic cellar date in the brand name.
1996
Cellar complex receives national heritage protection
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
The 1573 National Treasure Cellar Pit Group was designated a national key cultural-heritage site under state protection.
1573
Traditional founding date of the historic cellar pits
[2]Guojiao 1573 reference entrybaike.baidu.com
The fermentation pits associated with Guojiao are traditionally dated to 1573, the first year of the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty.

Products and positioning

A premium Chinese baijiu brand emphasizing national cultural heritage, historic fermentation infrastructure, strong-aroma craftsmanship, ceremonial gifting, collecting, and high-end hospitality.

Premium strong-aroma baijiu · 2001
Guojiao 1573
The flagship Guojiao expression is a clear strong-aroma baijiu associated with Luzhou Laojiao’s historic 1573 cellar pits. Brand descriptions emphasize an elegant cellar fragrance, a sweet and smooth palate, balanced structure, and a clean, persistent finish. It is presented as a premium appreciation-grade Chinese spirit for formal dining, gifting, hospitality, and collection.
Customized premium baijiu · 2008
Guojiao 1573 Customized No. 1
Customized No. 1 extends the core Guojiao 1573 proposition into personalized and ceremonial consumption. It was introduced in 2008 in connection with a sealing ceremony and represents the brand’s use of customized presentation, commemorative occasions, and premium gifting rather than only a standardized retail format.
Premium baijiu · 2022
Guojiao 1573 Pin Heshan
Pin Heshan is an additional Guojiao 1573 offering reported as launched in 2022. Available reference material identifies it as part of the premium brand portfolio but does not provide sufficient technical or commercial detail to describe its precise formulation, packaging architecture, or distribution scope.
Limited-edition collectible baijiu · 2019
Guojiao 1573 limited-edition art bottles
The brand has released limited Lunar New Year and other artistic bottles in collaboration with Chinese artists. These editions use bottle and package design to connect baijiu with contemporary art, seasonal gifting, and collecting. Supplied material identifies collaborations with Fang Lijun, Zhang Xiaogang, Pang Maokun, and Tan Ping between 2019 and 2023.

Controversies

2014
Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

2019Artist-collaboration Lunar New Year bottle series
China
Guojiao collaborated with artists including Fang Lijun, Zhang Xiaogang, Pang Maokun, and Tan Ping on limited-edition Lunar New Year bottles and related artistic packaging.
Outcome. The program strengthened the brand’s cultural and collectible positioning.
Source
2017World Corporate Golf Challenge partnership
International
Guojiao 1573 formed a strategic partnership with the World Corporate Golf Challenge, associating the brand with international corporate hospitality and an affluent leisure audience.
Outcome. The partnership supported the brand’s international visibility, although the supplied material does not quantify its commercial effect.
Source
2012International baijiu expansion
Asia-Pacific · Africa
As Luzhou Laojiao expanded overseas, Guojiao 1573 was used as a premium representative of Chinese strong-aroma baijiu in international markets.
Outcome. The brand gained an international operating presence, although the supplied sources do not provide market-by-market sales data.
Source
2008Customized No. 1 sealing-ceremony program
China
The brand introduced Customized No. 1 through a sealing ceremony, using ritual, personalization, and limited presentation to reinforce Guojiao’s connection with heritage and special occasions.
Outcome. The initiative expanded the brand into customized and ceremonial premium offerings.
Source
2001Premium-market launch of Guojiao 1573
China
Luzhou Laojiao introduced Guojiao 1573 to turn the protected 1573 cellar heritage into a premium consumer brand. The launch linked the product’s name, production story, and visual identity to the historic cellar complex.
Outcome. The launch established Guojiao 1573 as Luzhou Laojiao’s principal high-end image brand.
Source

Brand decisions

2015
Implement a brand-exclusive operating modelStrategy
Background
The company continued to differentiate Guojiao 1573 from other Luzhou Laojiao products as competition in premium baijiu intensified.
Action taken
Reference material reports the implementation of a brand-exclusive operating model.
Aftermath
The model was intended to consolidate brand control and strengthen Guojiao 1573’s premium identity; the supplied sources do not provide further operational detail.
Source
2007
Adopt a dual-brand structureStrategy
Background
Luzhou Laojiao operated across multiple baijiu price tiers and needed to clarify the roles of its premium and broader portfolio brands.
Action taken
The company focused its dual-brand strategy on Guojiao 1573 and Tequ.
Aftermath
Guojiao 1573 was reinforced as the high-end and image-led brand within the wider Luzhou Laojiao portfolio.
Source
2001
Launch Guojiao 1573 for the high-end marketProduct launch
Background
Luzhou Laojiao sought to establish a premium brand around the historic cellar complex and the traditional strong-aroma production method.
Action taken
The company launched Guojiao 1573, naming the product after the traditional date associated with the cellar pits.
Aftermath
Guojiao 1573 became the company’s principal premium image product and a major vehicle for its high-end market strategy.
Source
1996
Convert cellar heritage into a brand platformStrategy
Background
The 1573 cellar pit group received national key cultural-heritage protection, giving Luzhou Laojiao a distinctive historical asset for premium brand development.
Action taken
The company adopted the Guojiao concept and subsequently used it as the foundation for a dedicated premium product strategy.
Aftermath
The heritage designation became the central source of Guojiao 1573’s naming, storytelling, and premium positioning.
Source

Recent events

2026
Luzhou Laojiao signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Fangda Group[4]Luzhou Laojiao company and financing profilepitchhub.36kr.com
Other
The reported agreement covers financial investment, trade, alcoholic beverages, food, and shared customer resources. It concerns the parent group rather than a Guojiao-specific product announcement.
2026
Luzhou Laojiao reported a proposed cash-dividend plan[4]Luzhou Laojiao company and financing profilepitchhub.36kr.com
Other
A reported company announcement proposed a cash dividend based on the parent company’s share capital. The item relates to Luzhou Laojiao rather than separately reported Guojiao brand finances.

Sources14 sources

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