Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　(produced　mainly　in　Fujian　province,　China)　is　a　traditional　alcoholic　beverage,　which　is　prepared　by　fermenting　cooked　rice　using　a　starter　containing　Monascus　purpureus.　In　this　review,　the　microbial　diversity　of　fermentation　starters　from　Fujian　province,　including　fungi,　bacteria,　and　yeast,　is　analyzed　in　comparison　with　those　of　“nuruk”　(a　traditional　starter　for　making　alcoholic　beverages　in　Korea).　The　bacterial　organization　of　Hong　Qu　starters　was　vastly　variable　in　species　composition　and　dominated　by　Bacillus　sp.　Lactic　acid　bacteria　were　also　found　in　some　starters.　In　case　of　fungi,　Monascus　sp.　was　dominant,　whereas　non-Saccharomyces　yeast　such　as　Saccharomycopsis　fibuligera　was　detected.　The　microorganisms　found　in　the　nuruk　starter　are,　in　general,　not　significantly　diverse　compared　with　those　found　in　the　Hong　Qu　starter,　with　the　exception　of　Monascus　sp.;　however,　Hong　Qu　and　nuruk　both　contain　their　own　unique　microbiota,　which　are　quite　diverse　from　each　other.　©　2016,　The　Korean　Society　of　Food　Science　and　Technology　and　Springer　Science+Business　Media　Dordrecht.