Zhenjiang Vinegar Museum • History of Vinegar in China 中国镇江醋文化博物馆

Zhenjiang_Vinegar_Museum_History_Vinegar_China_中国镇江醋文化博物馆

After breakfast at Zhenjiang, our first stop was the Zhenjiang Vinegar Museum.

The Chinese word for vinegar, 醋 literary means "aged wine". The word 醋 is made of the words wine and 21 days.

According to legend, vinegar in China was invented accidentally by the son of a wine maker. After making wine, the young man decided to add water to the fermented residual (lees) in the large jar. Three weeks (21 days) later, he discovered that the water and lees mix became a sour sweet aromatic liquid which he named 醋 or wine aged for 21 days.

It is believed that vinegar production in China began during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty era (475 - 221 BC).

The book Qi Min Yao Shu 齊民要術 (published 544 AD) during the Western Wei Dynasty, recorded 24 techniques for producing vinegar.

Four regions are recognised as producing the best vinegar in China, namely Chen Cu (Shanxi), Xiang Cu (Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), Yong Chun (Fujian) and Bao Ning (Sichuan).

Vinegar can be made with sorghum (in Shanxi), glutinous rice (in Zhenjiang), rice, wheat, barley (in Sichuan), red yeast rice (in Fujian), etc.

Zhenjiang vinegar uses glutinous rice.

The glutinous rice in large wooden casks are cooked by steaming (traditionally with wood fire).

The cooked glutinous rice with yeast is allowed to ferment into rice wine.

The rice wine is further aged to produce vinegar. The ageing process can be up to 50 years (for the best vinegar).

Today, the vinegar production process has been completely mechanised in vast modern factories.

Zhenjiang vinegar looks pitch black, has a smooth, viscous body. It tastes sweet sour savoury. Quite robust, so it is not exactly drinkable but perfect as a dip or seasoning that makes everything tastes better.

Vinegar has long been an essential part of Chinese cuisine and culture.

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There's a Chinese saying:

宁可食无肉, 不可食无醋

Better a meal without meat, than a meal without vinegar.

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Have you heard the Chinese phrase 吃醋 "drink vinegar" which means being jealous or envious? How did the phrase come about?

Accordingly to legend, Emperor Taizong 唐太宗 (reign 626 - 649) of Tang Dynasty wanted to reward one of his favourite ministers by granting him a concubine. But, the minister's wife strongly objected.

The emperor gave the minister's wife an ultimatum - either accept the concubine or choose death by drinking poisoned wine.

The minister's wife chose poisoned wine and promptly drank it.

The "poisoned wine" turned out to be vinegar 醋, and henceforth 吃醋 came to mean jealousy or envy in Chinese.

We visited the Zhenjiang Vinegar Museum during our fascinating seven days, six cities trip to Jiangsu province where we experienced China's renowned Huaiyang cuisine, visited many historic attractions, and beautiful modern cities.