Jiuqu

Jiuqu, also simply known as qu, is a type of dried fermentation starter used in the production of traditional Chinese alcoholic beverages. The word jiuqu specifically refers to a type of yeast (曲; 麴; qū) used to make alcohol (酒; jiǔ) such as huangjiu (cereal wine), baijiu (distilled spirits) and jiuniang (alcoholic rice pudding).

Other forms of starters are used for different fermentations, such as soy sauce, rice vinegar, fermented bean curd, and paste. The starter culture for these foods are also known as qu.Jiuqu is similar to, but distinct from, the more widely known Japanese starter known as koji.

The starter creation process in China traditionally took place in homes, villages, or small manufacturing facilities, later shifting to large-scale facilities.