Post #245635 by ikitnrev on Sat, Jul 29, 2006 10:37 AM

Some years ago, I had posted a story about how then President Nixon was trying to impress his daughter Julie by lighting some potent liquor (the Chinese maotai, a gift from the Chinese government)) in his office, and accidentally spilled some of the liquor, and started his desk on fire.

I couldn't find those old posts, but I found this summary from the web, from the website of a Chinese distillery. I find the somewhat fractured translated English makes the story even more fascinating

At the end of Feb 1972, Nixon returned to Washington after signing Sino-US Shanghai Joint Communique with Zhou Enlai. The successful visit to China made the President feel excited. The improvised performance of Zhou Enlai in burning the liquor was still clear in his mind. When he told his daughter some interesting things during his visit to China, he wanted her to sense the "interest" of Moutai. He poured a bottle of Moutai into a bowl and burned it. To his surprise, the blue flame jumped, and never died out, soon it broke the bowl. Immediately the burning Moutai flowed over the desk, and it made all members of the "First Family" of the US feel started. They tried all means and extinguish the fire. After that, Kissinger humorously said, "Extinguishing the fire has prevented the tragedy of a nation. Or else, Nixon government will end sooner." In his talks with Deng Xiaoping in 1974, Kissinger also mentioned it, and told Deng Xiaoping, in a significant way,
"Do you know¡­¡­ so you almost burned the White House."

Nixon wanted to simulate the performance of Zhou Enlai, but he neglected the essential issue of quantity. What Zhou Enlai burned is a small cup, while what Nixon burned is a big bowl. It is no wonder why "Moutai" can make the Nixon family a group of frenzy fire-fighters.

The moral being that this type of thing - accidentally spilling your liquor ablaze, can happen to anyone.

Vern