As　one　of　the　quintessential　representatives　of　Chinese　rice　wine,　Hongqu　rice　wine　is　brewed　with　glutinous　rice　as　the　main　raw　material　and　Hongqu　(Gutian　Qu　or　Wuyi　Qu)　as　the　fermentation　starter.　The　present　study　aimed　to　investigate　the　impact　of　Hongqu　on　the　volatile　compositions　and　the　microbial　communities　in　the　traditional　production　of　Gutian　Hongqu　rice　wine　(GT)　and　Wuyi　Hongqu　rice　wine　(WY).　Through　the　OPLS-DA　analysis,　3-methylbutan-1-ol,　isobutanol,　ethyl　lactate,　ethyl　acetate,　octanoic　acid,　diethyl　succinate,　phenyl　ethyl　alcohol,　hexanoic　acid　and　n-decanoic　acid　were　identified　as　the　characteristic　volatile　flavor　components　between　GT　and　WY.　Microbiome　analysis　revealed　significant　enrichments　of　Lactobacillus,　Pediococcus,　Aspergillus　and　Hyphopichia　in　WY　brewing,　whereas　Monascus,　Saccharomyces,　Pantoea,　and　Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia　were　significantly　enriched　in　GT　brewing.　Additionally,　correlation　analysis　showed　that　Saccharomyces,　Lactobacillus,　Weissella　and　Pediococcus　were　significantly　positively　correlated　wih　most　characteristic　volatile　components.　Conversely,　Picha,　Monascus,　Franconibacter　and　Kosakonia　showed　significant　negative　correlations　with　most　of　the　characteristic　volatile　components.　Furthermore,　bioinformatical　analysis　indicated　that　the　gene　abundances　for　enzymes　including　glucan　1,4-alpha-glucosidase,　carboxylesterase,　alcohol　dehydrogenase,　dihydroxy-acid　dehydratase　and　branched-chain-amino-acid　transaminase　were　significantly　higher　in　WY　compared　to　GT.　This　finding　explains　the　higher　content　of　higher　alcohols　and　characteristic　esters　in　WY　relative　to　GT.　Collectively,　this　study　provides　a　theoretical　basis　for　improving　the　flavor　profile　of　Hongqu　rice　wine　and　establishing　a　solid　scientific　foundation　for　the　sustainable　development　of　Hongqu　rice　wine　industry.