Lao Chen Vinegar

Lao Chen Vinegar

　　A distinctive local seasoning from Shanxi.

　　Our ancestors first used acidic seasonings made from “plums.” As plums were not available year-round, plum sauce—known in ancient times as “xi”—was created. The use of plums predates vinegar by over a thousand years.

　　There are many varieties of vinegar, with Lao Chen Vinegar being one of its most representative and renowned products. Other types include Yuanxiang Vinegar, Chen Vinegar, Pu Vinegar, Shuang Vinegar, Te Vinegar, Mingte Vinegar, Weichun, and many more. By distinguishing vinegar based on raw materials, there are also Sorghum Vinegar, Corn Vinegar, Millet Vinegar, Persimmon Vinegar, Fruit Vinegar, Distiller’s Grains Vinegar, Starch Residue Vinegar, Sweet Potato Vinegar, and others.

　　Lao Chen Vinegar possesses the typical characteristics of acidity, richness, and long-lasting flavor found in most vinegars, but it also has the unique traits of fragrance, smoothness, and no sedimentation. Moreover, the longer Lao Chen Vinegar is stored, the more fragrant and palatable it becomes, offering a taste that invites savoring. It does not mold in summer nor freeze in winter, and it boasts a deep orange color, making it a uniquely excellent and high-quality vinegar among Shanxi’s varieties.

　　Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar is one of China’s Four Famous Vinegars. Its production history spans over 3,000 years, and there are more than 1,000 vinegar producers of varying sizes across Shanxi. Known as one of China’s Four Famous Vinegars, Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar ranks above Zhenjiang Vinegar, Baoning Vinegar, and Fujian Red Yeast Rice Vinegar in China, thanks to its unique flavor profile—smooth, sour, fragrant, sweet, and mellow—and its long brewing tradition. It enjoys worldwide fame and is often hailed as the “Best Vinegar Under Heaven.” According to statistical data, in the first quarter of this year, the export volume of Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar has already exceeded half of the total annual volume from the previous year. With its outstanding quality, it has fully entered the Japanese market and is sold in over ten countries across Europe and Asia.

　　Chen Vinegar primarily uses sorghum as its main ingredient. A large amount of distiller’s yeast is first added, and low-temperature alcohol fermentation is carried out, followed by mixing with bran and wheat husk for acetic acid fermentation. Half of the vinegar mash is smoked, while the other half undergoes leaching to produce vinegar. The resulting vinegar is then used to soak the smoked mash, and a new vinegar is extracted through leaching. This new vinegar is further aged and concentrated through prolonged sun exposure in summer and ice harvesting in winter, ultimately becoming the finished product. Lao Chen Vinegar has a rich brown color, a clear liquid texture, a fragrant and mellow taste, minimal sedimentation, long storage life, and resistance to spoilage. It is not only an excellent seasoning but also has medicinal properties, offering certain therapeutic and preventive effects for hypertension, hepatitis, and skin diseases. Nowadays, many people mistakenly believe that all vinegar is simply sour, but that's not the case. Authentic Lao Chen Vinegar is characterized by its smoothness, acidity, fragrance, sweetness, and umami. Currently, many manufacturers label their products as "Lao Chen Vinegar," somewhat akin to the wine industry's trend of claiming "**-year-aged" products, leading to oversaturation. Shuita is a "China Famous Trademark" and "China Famous Brand," while Donghu is a "China Famous Brand." However, each region in Shanxi has its own reputable brands, and the quality is also very good—for example, Ninghuafu Vinegar from Taiyuan. Shanxi vinegar is indeed a great product. It is recommended to buy branded vinegar for better quality and peace of mind. Among Lao Chen Vinegars, those produced in Qingxu County, Shanxi, are considered the best. In 1924, at the Panama International Exposition, Qingxu Lao Chen Vinegar won the First Prize for High-Quality Goods, gaining fame both domestically and internationally. Taiyuan is home to over a hundred vinegar-making enterprises, including the century-old brands "Meiheju" and "Yiyuanqing," as well as several major vinegar factories, all located in Taiyuan and Qingxu. Qingxu is situated in the southern suburbs of Taiyuan, just over 30 kilometers away. "Since ancient times, vinegar-making is championed by Shanxi, with old vinegar coming from Gengyang." Gengyang refers to Qingxu County in Shanxi, which was called Gengyang during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Jin Kingdom. The Vinegar Street in Qingxu County is a small, quiet alley about a hundred meters long. Exiting the alley leads to the world-famous Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar factory that produces the "Meiheju" brand. The predecessor of the Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar factory was the Qingxu Lao Chen Vinegar factory. In 1949, to consolidate resources, the 21 best vinegar workshops in Qingxu County—including the century-old brands "Meiheju," "Juqingcheng," and "Yongquanyu"—were merged to form the Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar Group under the "Donghu" brand, named after Donghu Lake in Qingxu. The group headquarters is located on Madapo Street in downtown Taiyuan, integrating company management, sales, storage, and production. It also houses a vinegar museum, displaying vintage vinegar-making tools and calligraphy pieces inscribed by notable figures, including government officials. The most valuable piece is believed to be written by Mr. Fang Xinfang. Fang Xinfang, the founder of Chinese microbiology, rode a donkey to the Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar factory 70 years ago to conduct research, later authoring the famous book *Shanxi Vinegar*. His evaluation of Lao Chen Vinegar was: “The most famous vinegar in our country is undoubtedly Shanxi Vinegar and Zhenjiang Vinegar. Zhenjiang Vinegar is strong and carries a medicinal scent, but it still falls short of Shanxi Vinegar. The superior quality of Shanxi Vinegar lies in its authentic color, fragrance, and rich taste developed through prolonged aging. The chemical reactions within the vinegar itself naturally enhance its qualities—far from any artificial imitation—and it is truly a national treasure.” This shows that the secret of Lao Chen Vinegar lies in the word “aging”; the longer it is stored, the better and more fragrant it becomes.

　　The genuine processing technique of Lao Chen Vinegar is similar to the aging process of wine, involving steaming, fermenting, smoking, leaching, and aging. These five processes create the unique quality and flavor of Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar. Additionally, the choice of raw materials differs from vinegar producers in other provinces and cities. The main ingredient in Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar is sorghum. Sorghum has a high starch content, which leads to high alcohol and acetic acid yields after fermentation. The large starter used during the alcohol and acetic acid fermentation processes after the sorghum is steamed is refined from peas and barley. In other words, Lao Chen Vinegar is brewed purely from grains. At the Qingxu Vinegar Factory, the steaming and fermentation times are longer than in other regions. During the “vinegarification” stage, they place the fermented ingredients into vats along with appropriate amounts of bran, rice husks, wheat bran, salt, and floral ingredients, allowing them to undergo acetic acid fermentation for over ten days. As the temperature inside the vat rises, acetic acid bacteria multiply rapidly. Relying on traditional experience and long-term scientific experimentation, they can precisely control the temperature curve to improve vinegar quality. Generally, the vinegar can be consumed after leaching. But the reason why the vinegar from the Qingxu Vinegar Factory is called Lao Chen Vinegar is due to an additional “aging” or “maturation” process. The leached vinegar is then stored in vats for a year of “aging”: undergoing “summer sun exposure” and “winter ice extraction.” That is, by using natural conditions, the vat is opened to bask under the scorching summer sun and to have ice removed after freezing in the bitter winter, thereby removing moisture from the vinegar. After removing over half of its moisture, a new vat of vinegar achieves a dark purple-black color, resists molding in summer and freezing in winter, and emits a sweet yet uniquely sour aroma.

　　The history of vinegar-making in Shanxi spans approximately 3,000 years. Ji Shengxie of the Northern Wei Dynasty summarized 22 vinegar-making methods in his famous work *Qimin Yaoshu* (*Essentials of Agriculture and Forestry*). Some research suggests these were the brewing techniques of the people of Shanxi. Among them, the method for “making rice vinegar” is the brewing method for “Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar.” Although the history of Shanxi Vinegar is long, the fame of Lao Chen Vinegar truly began after the creation of the “smoking method.” By the early Qing Dynasty during the Shunzhi era, a “vinegar sage” named Wang Laifu from Jiexiu established the “Meiheju” Vinegar Workshop in Chengguan, Qingxu. Leveraging the advantages of abundant local raw materials and high-quality water, he built upon the foundation of white vinegar by adding the smoking process. Through bold reforms and innovations—such as “ice harvesting in winter and sun exposure in summer”—he eventually created the Shanxi “Lao Chen Vinegar” brand, propelling it to the top of China’s Four Famous Vinegars. Wang Laifu’s smoking method consists of five steps: steaming, fermenting, smoking, leaching, and aging. The most meticulous aspect is the aging process of “ice harvesting in winter and sun exposure in summer.” That is, the vinegar is left to age in vats, allowing it to freeze in winter and bask under the sun in summer. The goal is to precipitate impurities in the vinegar and remove moisture through evaporation or freezing, thereby achieving a high concentration. During this process, substances within the vinegar undergo thorough chemical reactions, producing a distinctive aroma.

　　Pure and rich Lao Chen Vinegar is made in such a strict process that only one jar of vinegar is produced from one vat, resulting in low yield and thus making it highly precious. The raw materials for Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar are all locally sourced, including sorghum, barley, corn, and peas. The plateau of Shanxi experiences intense sunlight and significant day-night temperature differences, resulting in high sugar content and other nutrient-rich coarse grains. Japanese research institutions once brought back Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar for analysis, proving that its amino acid content far exceeds that of other vinegar brands. Another factor that makes Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar inimitable elsewhere is the cold winters and intense summer sunlight of the Shanxi plateau. In Taiyuan, the surface water comes from the Fen River, which flows down from Guancen Mountain, while groundwater originates from the Tianlong Mountain water system. In the early days, before industrial pollution, the Fen River was undoubtedly an exceptionally high-quality water source. Guancen Mountain, located in Ningwu, northwestern Shanxi, stands at an elevation of 2,603 meters and still retains 820,000 acres of pristine secondary forest. It has six lakes and is one of China’s three great tianchi (heavenly lakes). Its perennial ice cave remains frozen year-round and is also the most pristine secondary forest in North China. In summer, the mountain is shrouded in clouds and lush greenery, while in winter, it is covered in snow, pure and spotless.

　　Guancen Mountain is a high-cold region where crops such as oats, peas, and potatoes are grown, and it is rich in sea buckthorn. With an average annual temperature of only 6°C, the local folklore in Ningwu places a special emphasis on green food. They still use water-powered stone mills to grind flour, and the water from the Fen River source is crystal clear and sweet, suitable for drinking directly. During the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of Sui specifically built the Fenyang Palace here.

　　For a long time in the past, the people of Shanxi relied on the Fen River for both drinking and irrigation. Today, the water used in Shanxi Lao Chen Vinegar is drawn from underground sources, with the water veins originating from Tianlong Mountain. Originally named Fangshan, Tianlong Mountain is a branch of the Lüliang Mountain Range, standing at an elevation of 1,700 meters. Located 36 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan City, Tianlong Mountain features towering peaks, shaded pine and cypress trees, murmuring streams, and is predominantly composed of sandstone and shale. With a forest coverage rate of 70%, it has excellent water quality and is now a national forest park. Just as wine-making requires good water to produce good wine, vinegar-making is no different.

　　As the homeland of vinegar, folk traditions of vinegar-making still persist in Shanxi. If you visit the rural villages of Shanxi in the peak of summer, you’ll find locals placing large vats covered with linen paper under the blazing sun to sun-vinegar, using what they call “lao xian’er” (the starter for vinegar-making). The vats must be constantly moved because they need to follow the “grandpa” (the sun). Witnessing this scene will instantly bring to mind the past when “every household had a vinegar vat and everyone was a vinegar craftsman.” Indeed, Shanxi is the stronghold of vinegar-making, with over 100 vinegar factories across the province. In addition to Qingxu Lao Chen Vinegar, other famous varieties include Lingchuan Yuquan Lao Chen Vinegar, Huguan Xinzhai Lao Chen Vinegar, and Yuci Nanbao Lao Chen Vinegar. The types include Lao Chen Vinegar, Mingte Vinegar, Shuang Vinegar, Chen Vinegar, Te Vinegar, Jin Vinegar, Wei Vinegar, and Smoking Vinegar. Even within the same type, variations exist based on raw materials and production techniques, resulting in a dazzling array of unique varieties.

　　They say Shanxi is a wonderful place—with fertile land, beautiful waters, and even more fragrant vinegar. The people of Shanxi are skilled at making vinegar because they love to eat it, and their love for vinegar is arguably unmatched across the nation. In Shanxi’s folk culture, there’s a saying that “no flavor is complete without vinegar.” The people of Shanxi are adept at brewing and passionately fond of eating vinegar, earning them the nickname “lao xian’er.” In ancient times, vinegar was called “xi,” the vinegar-makers were called “xi ren,” and the starter was called “lao xian.” Therefore, eating vinegar wasn’t called “eating vinegar” but rather “eating tang.” Due to the Shanxi people’s unique contributions to vinegar-making and their vinegar obsession—combined with the fact that “xi” and the “xi” in Shanxi share the same pronunciation—people from other provinces respectfully refer to the people of Shanxi as “Shanxi Lao Xian.”

　　The contributions of “Lao Xian’er” to vinegar truly deserve special recognition, as vinegar has so many benefits. In addition to containing a high amount of acetic acid, vinegar also contains calcium, iron, lactic acid, glycerol, amino acids, and aldehyde compounds. Vinegar is not only the foremost seasoning that enhances flavor but also a health booster for the human body. In terms of consumption, it can dissolve calcium and iron in food, making them easier for the body to absorb. It can also be used in pickling foods like radishes, Chinese cabbage, and garlic. Medically, vinegar used in remedies can promote hair growth, improve beauty, lower blood pressure, and aid in weight loss. In the fourth year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Hospital in the capital gathered renowned doctors nationwide to develop Dingkun Dan, a remedy for treating blood stagnation in imperial concubines. Over twenty types of Chinese herbs used in the formula were all processed with Lao Chen Vinegar. For thousands of years, people have discovered numerous wonderful uses for vinegar, making it truly a healthy habit to consume.

　　Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, once granted the scholar-official Fang Xuanling several concubines as rewards, but Fang dared not accept them. Li Shimin guessed that Fang’s wife was a shrew who refused to agree. So, the emperor sent an eunuch with a pot of “poisonous wine” bearing his decree: if she did not accept the concubines, she would have to drink the poison. The lady faced it fearlessly, took the “poisonous wine,” and drank it all. She did not die—because the pot actually contained vinegar. The emperor used this to test her, playing a joke. Thus, the story of “being jealous” (literally “eating vinegar”) became a timeless tale. In modern life, some people who feel envious or resentful when others are praised or rewarded are jokingly referred to as “eating vinegar.”