Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　is　one　of　the　most　popular　traditional　rice　wines　in　China.　Traditionally,　this　wine　is　brewed　from　glutinous　rice　with　the　addition　of　wine　fermentation　starters　(Hong　Qu　(also　called　red　yeast　rice)　and　White　Qu).　The　objective　of　this　study　was　to　investigate　the　variability　of　filamentous　fungi　associated　with　traditional　fermentation　starters　through　a　traditional　culture-dependent　method　and　a　molecular　identification　approach.　In　this　study,　fortythree　filamentous　fungi　were　separated　by　traditional　culture-dependent　means　(macro-　and　microscopic　characteristics)　from　10　fermentation　starters　and　classified　into　16　different　species　based　on　morphological　examination　and　the　internal　transcribed　spacer　(ITS)　sequences　analysis.　It　was　observed　that　the　genus　Aspergillus　had　the　highest　number　(14　isolates)　of　isolates　followed　by　Rhizopus　(11　isolates),　Monascus　(5　isolates)　and　Penicillium　(4　isolates).　The　species　R.　oryzae,　A.　niger,　A.　flavus　and　M.　purpureus　were　frequently　found　in　wine　starter　samples,　among　which　R.　oryzae　was　the　most　frequent　species.　The　enzyme-producing　properties　(glucoamylase,　α-amylase　and　protease)　of　all　fungal　isolates　from　different　starters　were　also　evaluated.　A.　flavus,　R.　oryzae　and　M.　purpureus　were　found　to　be　better　glucoamylase　producers.　A.　flavus,　R.　oryzae　and　A.oryzae　exhibited　higher　activity　of　α-amylase.　A.　flavus　and　A.　oryzae　had　higher　protease　activity.　However,　some　fungal　isolates　of　the　same　species　exhibited　a　signifi　cant　variability　in　the　production　levels　for　all　determined　enzyme　activity.　This　study　is　the　first　to　identify　filamentous　fungi　associated　with　the　starter　of　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　using　both　traditional　and　molecular　methods.　The　results　enrich　our　knowledge　of　liquor-related　micro-organisms,　and　can　be　used　to　promote　the　development　of　the　traditional　fermentation　technology.