Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop

Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop

Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop – The Yaowan sweet soy sauce and other sauces are produced in Yaowan Town, Xinyi City, Jiangsu Province, and have a history of over 500 years. Originally established by Zhao Xinlong during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, the shop is located on West Street in the ancient town of Yaowan, comprising four courtyards and 66 rooms. Built with blue brick and tile, it houses more than a hundred fermentation vats, primarily producing the local specialties “sweet soy sauce” and “broad bean paste.”

The method of brewing sweet soy sauce involves taking fermented wheat dough blocks in spring, keeping them in the dark and fermenting them at high temperature until they develop pale yellow, thread-like fungal growths. These are then moved outdoors to dry in a ventilated area before being placed in large open vats and soaked in water. Exposed to sunlight during the day and moonlight and morning dew at night, the mixture is eventually filtered after the beginning of autumn. The resulting apricot-yellow liquid extracted from the vat filters is called sweet soy sauce. With a rich umami aroma, clear color, delicious taste, and thick texture, it combines freshness, sweetness, richness, and fragrance in one. Dishes like cold dishes and raw fish or shrimp, when prepared with sweet soy sauce, not only taste exceptionally delicious but are also more nutritious, significantly improving people’s dietary health.

In the 30th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1765 AD), the sweet soy sauce was presented as a tribute by local official Lu Xiuna, commander of the Pizhou-Suzhou Canal Transport Division, and was selected as an imperial tribute. Emperor Qianlong also stayed in Yaowan several times during his southern tours and enjoyed meals there. Alongside stories and anecdotes associated with the emperor and this tribute product, the sweet soy sauce gradually spread throughout the regions south of the Yangtze River and has now become a unique and important condiment in Chinese cuisine.

On June 5, 2006, Zhao Xinlong Sauce Shop was announced as part of the sixth batch of cultural heritage sites protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites in Jiangsu Province