Yongchuan Douchi

Yongchuan Douchi

Yongchuan Douchi is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Yongchuan City in Chongqing is well-known for producing douchi and is often called the "Hometown of Douchi." The production technique of Yongchuan Douchi originated from family workshops in Yongchuan and has a history of over 300 years. Yongchuan Douchi is a type of mold-fermented bean. Rich in protein and essential amino acids needed by the human body, it has a rich aroma and delicious taste. It can be used in cooking or served as a substitute for vegetables, not only offering high nutritional value but also aiding digestion, stimulating appetite, and helping relieve sweating. On June 7, 2008, the State Council announced that the "Yongchuan Douchi Brewing Technique" was included in the second batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The product sells well across major provinces and cities in China and is exported to countries and regions such as Japan, Canada, and New Zealand, receiving high praise from consumers.

　　　Yongchuan Douchi is rich in protein and contains eighteen types of essential amino acids required by the human body. The amount of protein the human body can intake from it is higher than that from soybeans. It has a unique flavor and offers benefits such as stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, relieving symptoms, and promoting perspiration.

　　By 1946 (the 35th year of the Republic of China), Yongchuan Douchi had expanded to over twenty workshops, with its products being sold as far as Shanghai. After the liberation, thirteen sauce factories, led by the descendants of Granny Cui, established the Yongchuan County Sauce Factory (Composite Sauce Factory), located at the foot of the beautiful and picturesque Beishan Mountain in Yongchuan.

　　 Production Method

　　　　Select soybeans of uniform size, remove impurities, and wash them. Soak them in clean water until they swell without wrinkles and have a slightly firm core. Then place them in bamboo baskets to dry. Next, boil the soybeans for 7 to 8 hours, let them steam for two hours, then pour out the cooked material to cool. It's important to control the room temperature. Transfer the cooked material to a fermentation room for natural fermentation, allowing it to ferment and form cakes. Once mold begins to grow, turn the fermented beans once to promote even fermentation. The fermentation period generally lasts about half a month, varying with temperature. Once mature, the fermented beans break down into granular form, then are mixed evenly with salt, sorghum liquor, and fermented glutinous rice, and stored in sealed jars. After six months, the product is ready.

　　 Related Legend

　　　　According to folklore, the inventor of Yongchuan Douchi was a woman surnamed Cui. Ms. Cui was originally the daughter of a wealthy family in Yongchuan. Well-read, beautiful, intelligent, capable, and virtuous, she later fell into hardship after her father’s death caused the family’s fortune to decline. She and her husband were forced to open a small restaurant by the Tiaoshi River in the eastern part of the city. One day in 1644 (the 17th year of the Ming Dynasty's Chongzhen era), while steaming soybeans at the restaurant, Ms. Cui heard that Zhang Xianzhong’s troops were passing by. Fearing that the soldiers would rob people and food, she hastily dumped a full basket of soybeans under the firewood in the backyard. Disguised as an ugly old woman, she fled with her children through the back door.

　　Half a month later, when Ms. Cui returned to the restaurant, she suddenly noticed a strange fragrance coming from the backyard. Upon opening the door and moving aside the firewood, she found that the golden soybeans were gone—replaced by black, moldy, fermented “mold beans.” Heartbroken, she initially wanted to throw them away, but then thought it a waste to discard so many beans, especially during wartime when people struggled to find enough to eat. Wiping away her tears, she washed the “mold beans,” added salt, and stored them in jars to serve as a side dish for her family during lean times.

　　In the spring of the following year, around February or March, Ms. Cui decided to try serving the “mold beans” at the dinner table. With their glossy black color, fragrant aroma, soft texture, sweet aftertaste, and crumbly consistency, the beans quickly became a favorite among her family. A visiting timber merchant from outside who tasted them gave them high praise and asked what this delicious dish was called. Too embarrassed to mention the unrefined term “mold beans,” and recalling how the merchant said they left a lingering fragrance in the mouth, Ms. Cui quickly came up with the new name “douchi” (tooth beans) on the spot—inspired by a neighbor boy who had just lost a tooth.

　　The timber merchant, thoroughly satisfied with his meal, left happily and spread the word about the “douchi” from Tiaoshi River. The fame of Yongchuan Douchi thus began to spread across China. From then on, merchants traveling to Yongchuan all took pride in tasting the douchi from Ms. Cui’s shop by the Tiaoshi River. It became a saying that visiting Yongchuan without trying the douchi from Ms. Cui’s shop near Tiaoshi River was like not having truly visited the city.

　　 Related Honors

　　　　Yongchuan Douchi has won numerous provincial and ministerial quality awards as well as excellence awards at various large exhibitions. In 1988, it received the Gold Award at the first China Food Expo. In 1994, it was awarded the Gold Award at the fifth Asia-Pacific International Trade Fair and was named a Chongqing Famous Product.