Zigong Well Salt

Zigong Well Salt

　　Zigong well salt is a famous specialty from Ziliujing District in Zigong City, Sichuan Province. With over 2,000 years of mining history, its deep-drilling and brine-extraction techniques have been approved by the State Council and included in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Zigong well salt is an indispensable seasoning in Sichuan cuisine.

　　Commonly known as Chuan salt, Zigong well salt is produced in Zigong City, Sichuan Province. Historically, Zigong has long been renowned for its abundant well salt production and is known as the "Salt Capital." The extraction of well salt here spans 2,000 years. Historical records show that over 13,000 salt wells were drilled in Zigong by various dynasties, with some reaching depths of 1,000 meters. Even at an average depth of 300 meters, this equals drilling through more than 400 Mount Everests. E36

　　The state places great importance on the protection of intangible cultural heritage. On May 20, 2006, the deep-drilling and brine-extraction techniques of Zigong well salt were approved by the State Council and included in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. On June 5, 2007, the Ministry of Culture designated Yan Changwu from Daying County, Sichuan Province, as the representative inheritor of this cultural heritage project, and he was listed among the first group of 226 representative inheritors of national intangible cultural heritage projects. E36

　　Zigong’s long history of brine extraction and salt production dates back nearly 2,000 years to the Eastern Han Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Zhang (76–88 AD). During the Northern Zhou Dynasty under Emperor Wu (561–578 AD), Fushi County was established due to the Fushi Salt Well, and Gongjing Town was established because of the Dagong Salt Well. By the first year of the Tang Dynasty's Wude era (618 AD), Rongzhou was established from the town, and the town was renamed Gongjing County. In the third year of the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1853 AD), when the Taiping Rebellion captured Nanjing and Huai salt supply was disrupted, Chuan salt was transported to the Huai salt markets in Hubei and Hunan. E36

　　In 1937, with the outbreak of the War of Resistance, sea salt production stalled, and Chuan salt rose to prominence once again, supplying the Hubei-Hunan region and creating the need for city-level administration. On September 1, 1939, the eastern and western salt fields of the historic Furuang Salt Field—namely Ziliujing and Gongjing—were separated from Fushun and Rong counties and merged to establish Zigong City, a provincial-level municipality. Zigong’s development from a salt-producing town to a county and eventually to a city represents a classic resource-driven urban growth model. It holds a significant place in China’s ancient technological, economic, and urban development history. The city boasts rich historical and cultural heritage centered around well salt culture. There are currently 88 cultural heritage sites within the city, including the West Qin Guild Hall and Shenhai Salt Well where the Zigong Salt Industry History Museum is located, the Rongxian Giant Buddha, the Fushun Confucius Temple, and the former residence of Wu Yuzhang, all of which are Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. E36