As　one　of　the　most　typical　representatives　of　Chinese　rice　wine,　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　is　brewed　from　glutinous　rice　with　the　addition　of　two　traditional　fermentation　starters-Hong　Qu　(hóng　qǔ)　and　Yao　Qu　(yào　qǔ).　The　traditional　fermentation　starters(Hong　Qu　and　Yao　Qu)　are　crucial　to　the　flavor　characteristics　and　flavor　quality　of　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine.　Therefore,　in　this　study,　the　volatile　flavor　components　of　four　kinds　of　commonly　used　traditional　fermentation　starters(Gutian　Hong　Qu,　Wuyi　Hong　Qu,　Longyan　Yao　Qu,　Nanping　Bai　Qu)　for　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　brewing　were　extracted　using　headspace　solid　phase　microextraction(HS-SPME)　technique,　followed　by　gas　chromatography-mass　spectrometry(GC-MS)　combined　with　identification　of　volatile　flavor　components　based　on　spectral　database　retrieval　technology.　Results　showed　that　50/30　m　DVB/CAR/PDMS　fiber　is　the　most　suitable　for　the　extraction　of　volatile　flavor　components　from　traditional　fermentation　starters　for　Hong　Qu　glutinous　rice　wine　brewing.　This　study　identified　62　kinds　of　volatile　flavor　compounds　from　four　different　traditional　fermentation　starters　with　matching　degree　at　least　80,　including　17　alcohols,　9　aldehydes　and　ketones,　4　phenols,　8　esters,　11　acids,　5　kinds　of　pyrazines　and　other　8　compounds.　Furthermore,　characteristics　of　volatile　flavor　components　of　different　traditional　fermentation　starters　were　found　out　through　principal　component　analysis(PCA)　and　contribution　analysis,　and　results　showed　that　the　difference　of　volatile　flavor　composition　between　Gutian　Hong　Qu　and　Wuyi　Hong　Qu　is　more　significant　than　that　between　Longyan　Yao　Qu　and　Nanping　Bai　Qu.　This　study　showed　great　value　in　scientifically　understanding　of　the　brewing　mechanism　and　provide　useful　information　for　the　selection　of　beneficial　microbial　strains　to　improve　wine　quality.　©　2019,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　CIFST.　All　right　reserved.