Taicang Zao You (Fermented Rice Oil)

Taicang Zao You (Fermented Rice Oil)

　　　The Qing Dynasty writer Yuan Mei wrote in his book "Suiyuan Shidan" (Recipes from the Suiyuan Garden): “Zao You comes from Taicang, and the older it gets, the better.” The "Taicang Prefecture Annals" stated: “Its color and taste are superior, unmatched by any other place.”

　　The creator of Zao You was Li Wujian during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. He owned multiple workshops and shops in Taicang city dealing in the soy sauce business. He had a keen interest in researching food seasonings. He mixed wine…

　　According to records, Zao You was made using the secret recipe of Lao Yicheng. Each time ingredients were added, an appropriate amount of aged Zao You base—known as Zao You "foot"—was also incorporated. Some say the magic of Zao You lies in this base, a concentrated essence built up over more than a hundred years. Without it, there would be no true Lao Yicheng Zao You.

　　Taicang Zao You was officially brewed and sold starting in 1816, gradually becoming widely known and even used as an official gift. Empress Dowager Cixi loved Zao You so much that she often sent people to Taicang to purchase it. As a result, Lao Yicheng’s Zao You shop once displayed a golden sign that read “Imperial Tribute Zao You.”

　　Taicang Zao You won medals and certificates at the first, second, and third Jiangsu Provincial Local Products Exhibitions held in 1914, 1921, and 1925 respectively. In 1915, it received a Grand Prize and a gold medal at the Panama International Exposition. For over a hundred years, the fame of Taicang Zao You has grown steadily, and it has been sold both domestically and abroad, beloved by gourmets.

　　During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (around 1812), there was a merchant surnamed Li in Taicang County, Jiangsu Province. He owned several brewing workshops and ran a large business. He was not only shrewd in commerce but also had a deep knowledge of food.

　　One day, he visited a distillery, watching the workers while pondering: Since wine can be used as a seasoning for fish, could he create a delicious liquid condiment by adding some ingredients to the wine? So, he decided to try making it himself. He soaked glutinous white rice, steamed it, added sweet wine yeast, and fermented it in a vat for over fifty days to produce the original wine mash. He then added more than twenty auxiliary ingredients such as cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, fennel, polygonatum, shiitake mushrooms, angelica, dried tangerine peel, licorice, prickly ash, wheat koji, and salt. After finalizing the formula, he sealed it for a period before letting relatives and friends taste it. They all praised its excellent color and flavor, hailing it as extraordinary. Overjoyed, Mr. Li decided to start formal production and named the product Zao You. Later, he improved the recipe further by blending the new product with the Zao You base, sealing it in a vat for another year before selling. This aging process enhanced the flavor even more—the longer it aged, the richer the aroma. From then on, the Lao Yicheng brand of Zao You became widely renowned.

　　A man from Taicang County named Qian Tiaofu served as a provincial governor in Henan. One year, when Governor Qian returned home to visit family, he found the Zao You to be fragrant and delicious, so he took some back with him. To curry favor with his superiors, he also gave a good amount of Zao You to Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang, finding this item rare, presented it to Empress Dowager Cixi. One day, when Cixi was in a bad mood and had no appetite, she suddenly remembered the item Li Hongzhang had given her and had some drizzled over a few cold dishes. Upon tasting it, she found the flavor greatly enhanced, and her appetite returned. She immediately smiled brightly and asked someone to inquire where Li Hongzhang had gotten it. Seeing how much the Empress Dowager enjoyed it, Li Hongzhang sent people to Taicang County specifically to order more. From then on, Lao Yicheng’s shop hung a golden plaque that read “Imperial Tribute Zao You,” leading to booming business and growing prestige. The key to the rich color and delicious taste of Taicang Zao You lies in the fact that Lao Yicheng blends aged Zao You base with new product batches. Without this, no amount of effort could guarantee the same quality—a feat unmatched by other shops. For many years, this aged Zao You base became the lifeblood of Lao Yicheng. During several turbulent times, Lao Yicheng went to great lengths and spared no expense to preserve this base, ensuring that Taicang Zao You could endure through the ages. In 1915, at the Panama International Exposition, many who tasted Taicang Zao You were amazed, finding other similar products from different countries completely incomparable. As a result, Taicang Zao You won a Grand Special Award and a gold medal.

　　From then on, Taicang Zao You gained fame beyond China’s borders, its aroma wafting across Europe and Asia.