Longchang Soy Sauce

Longchang Soy Sauce

Longchang soy sauce is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Longchang soy sauce boasts superior quality, rich flavor, and an aroma that wafts across the land, making it a shining emblem of the county’s distinctive industries. Under the meticulous care and preservation efforts of various levels of government and sectors in Longchang, this ancient industry is thriving with renewed vigor in the new era.

　　 The “Hometown of Soy Sauce” Has a Time-Honored Legacy

　　 Located in the southeastern part of the Sichuan Basin, Longchang serves as a junction and gateway between Sichuan and Chongqing. Established as a county in the first year of the Zhenguan reign during the Tang Dynasty (627 AD), it was named during the Ming Dynasty with the auspicious meaning of “prosperity and flourishing.” Throughout history, Longchang has been a key transportation hub connecting Sichuan and Chongqing while also radiating influence into Yunnan and Guizhou. Since ancient times, it has been known as “linking Qinlong in the north, reaching Dianhai in the south, stretching to Xuma in the west, and extending to Jingxiang in the east—a small but vital crossroad of six major routes, commanding southern Sichuan and connecting all directions.”

　　 Historically, Longchang was also a major “land of immigrants.” During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, amid the great migration wave known as the “Huguang Filling Sichuan,” large numbers of Cantonese, Hakka, and Fujian migrants moved westward. A portion of them eventually settled in Longchang, forming the second-largest Hakka community in Sichuan and spreading the seeds of Hakka culture across the land. Today, among the county’s population of 790,000, over 250,000 are of Hakka descent, with many still speaking the “Hakka language.” It is renowned as the “No. 1 Hakka County in Western China” and the “Hakka Stronghold of Southern Sichuan.”

　　 The history, culture, customs, and flavors of Longchang carry strong Hakka characteristics, and its cuisine is rich and diverse, with a wide variety of distinctive dishes such as Longchang lamb soup, sweet potato silk candy, hot pot, dry pot, sticky rice, and glutinous rice cakes (both sticky rice and glutinous rice cakes are Hakka staples), as well as old duck soup, among others. Among these, the most distinctive is undoubtedly “Longchang soy sauce.”

　　 Hundreds of years ago, the Hakka ancestors of Longchang brought the craft of soy sauce production with them through arduous long-distance journeys. By the Qing Dynasty, the county town was home to renowned soy sauce workshops such as Tiancheng, Tianyi, and Lida, while Zhongshi Town had Zhou Family Jinyu (Upper Jinyu), Chen Family Jinyu (Lower Jinyu), and Ye Family workshops, and Longshi Town had Yu Family and Zhang Family workshops.

　　 Hakka cuisine emphasizes natural flavors, avoiding overly strong seasonings. Its dishes are light, delicious, and easy to digest. As a result, the soy sauce produced by Hakka-run workshops contains no artificial coloring, is naturally brewed, and features a rich umami aroma and prominent ester fragrance. With its reddish-brown hue, it is an essential condiment in Hakka cooking and enjoys high recognition both domestically and internationally. Professor Li Yingfa from Sichuan University and Deputy Director of the Sichuan Hakka Research Center aptly described Sichuan Hakka culture, which fits Longchang soy sauce perfectly: “Originating in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and continuing through the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, it passes down delicious flavors; inheriting techniques from the Central Plains and spreading to Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, it brews extraordinary aromas.”

　　 The people of Longchang have a deep-rooted affection for soy sauce. As an indispensable condiment in daily life, in the past, many families couldn’t even find a single grain of salt throughout the year, yet their kitchens and stoves were stacked with bottles of soy sauce. Many locals often cook without salt, using soy sauce instead. Stir-frying rice with soy sauce and a little lard has been a beloved, traditional dish enjoyed by all ages here for centuries. Zheng Xingming, chairman of one of the county’s soy sauce producers—Sichuan Shanshan Brewing Food Co., Ltd.—told reporters that besides producing traditional fermented foods using ancient methods, they also run a restaurant where soy sauce fried rice is a signature dish. It is cherished by everyone, from dignitaries to ordinary folk, and is often in high demand. The reason is simple: aside from its delicious taste, it evokes childhood memories and a sense of “zero-flavor” nostalgia.

　　 After hundreds of years of development, Longchang now has over 40 soy sauce producers and workshops of varying sizes, producing more than 4,000 tons of Longchang soy sauce annually, with an output value exceeding 40 million yuan. The number of producers ranks first in the province and is said to be among the top nationwide.

　　 In Longchang, soy sauce factories, both large and small, are scattered everywhere, and both new and old brands stand side by side. Notable soy sauce brands include “Shangu Fang,” “Tianyi,” “Meimei,” “Qunshengmei,” “Tanzi Shan,” “Jinge,” and “Jinyan.” Among them, the “Tianyi” brand of Longchang soy sauce has been awarded the title of Sichuan Famous Trademark; the “Meimei” brand won the National Light Industry Ministry’s Quality Product Award in 1991 and was named the “Most Beloved Food in Sichuan” in 1994; the Qunsheng Pickle Factory’s “Meimei” brand received the “Sichuan Beloved Product” award in 2002; and the “Shangu Fang” series was honored with the “Most Popular Exhibition Item” award at the Western Expo.

　　 Today, many varieties of Longchang soy sauce are sold across the country, but some remain locally cherished. For example, the soy sauce produced by Qunsheng Pickle Factory in Zhongshi Town, due to its high quality, limited production, and affordable price, is often in short supply, selling out quickly among consumers from just a few surrounding towns.

　　 Despite its many strengths, the Longchang soy sauce industry has also shown some shortcomings with the passage of time, such as fragmented production, lack of scale, weak brand awareness, and a “small fortune contentment” mentality. These factors have constrained its growth and expansion. Facing competition from domestic and international “soy sauce giants,” this distinctive industry is confronted with significant challenges.

　　 In recent years, to protect this distinctive industry and preserve historical culture, the Longchang County Party Committee and County Government have placed high importance on the inheritance and development of the Longchang soy sauce industry. The County Quality Supervision Bureau has leveraged its functional advantages to fully support quality improvement and brand creation. Following the successful application of “Longchang Clay Pottery,” “Longchang Ramie Cloth,” and “Longchang Bean Pole” as national protected geographical indication products, the bureau has joined forces with other departments to jointly advance the application for protected geographical indication status for Longchang soy sauce.

　　 As time goes by, the aroma of soy sauce lingers on. With the attention and guidance of the Longchang County Party Committee and County Government, the support of various departments, and the tireless efforts of soy sauce producers, the Longchang soy sauce industry will surely reach new heights, continue to write its glorious story, and embrace an even brighter future.

　　Longchang Soy Sauce

　　 The current administrative region of Longchang County, Sichuan Province

　　 “Letter on the Proposed Protected Geographical Indication Area for Longchang Soy Sauce” from the People’s Government of Longchang County, Document No. Longfu Han [2014] 60

　　 Sichuan Provincial (Regional) Local Standard: DB511000/T20-2014 “Production Technical Regulations for Longchang Soy Sauce”