The origin of Chinese vinegar has a history of more than 3,000 years, and it is still an indispensable condiment in all major cuisines and in the daily lives of ordinary people. During thousands of years of use, people have also discovered many wonderful uses of vinegar in health care, medical and other fields. At the same time, many four famous vinegars with a long history and a vinegar culture that keeps pace with the times have been formed.

The invention of vinegar can be traced back to the emperor's period in Chinese myths and legends. However, no evidence has been found in archaeological discoveries that can directly prove the exact time when vinegar was produced. In ancient Chinese literature, the earliest record of vinegar was The era is the Zhou Dynasty, but considering the development history of vinegar, the invention of vinegar should be earlier than the Zhou Dynasty.

1. The invention of vinegar in myths and legends.

In the Chinese mythology system, Du Kang invented wine and was revered as the Saint of Wine; but in some folklore, Du Kang's son Heita invented vinegar. Heita learned the art of winemaking from Du Kang, but felt that it would be a pity to throw away the lees after winemaking, so he stored them. On the 21st of the month, a liquid with a strong smell was produced, which was vinegar.

However, according to research by scholars, this legend appeared in Zhenjiang in modern times, and Zhenjiang balsamic vinegar is famous all over the country. This legend was only fabricated to spread the reputation of Zhenjiang balsamic vinegar.

2. The raw material of Oriental vinegar is grains produced under agricultural civilization.

The reason why Eastern vinegar is mentioned here is because vinegar is roughly divided into Eastern vinegar and Western vinegar around the world. The originator of Eastern vinegar is the ancient ancestors of China, and the raw materials come from grains; the raw materials of Western vinegar are fruits, etc.

The raw materials of vinegar come from rice, wheat, sorghum and other grains. Most of these grains were gradually produced in large quantities from the germination stage of primitive agriculture, and occupied a dominant position in the staple food of the ancients. Therefore, under the limitation of raw materials, vinegar was produced after the formation of primitive agriculture.

3. The vinegar-making process and the wine-making process have the same origin.

By studying the traditional wine-making and vinegar-making processes, we will find that both are made from grains as raw materials and using brewing methods, and their production processes are roughly the same.

According to archaeological discoveries and research in my country, complete sets of wine-making vessels have been discovered in the Dawenkou Culture around 4,500 to 6,500 years ago, which shows that wine-making in my country precedes vinegar-making. In China’s wine-making culture, Dukang of the Yellow Emperor’s era (or Shaokang, the king of the Xia Dynasty) and Yi Di of the Xia Dynasty are both listed as the ancestors of wine.

The history of vinegar making. According to historians, it is generally believed that it appeared in the Zhou Dynasty 3,000 years ago. There is no more direct evidence in the existing archaeological discoveries that shows that the history of vinegar making goes further back.

4. A person who is jealous of the Zhou royal family.

In "The Rites of Zhou, Tianguan, and Xiren", it is recorded that the craftsman who made vinegar specifically for the Zhou royal family - Xiren is a profession. Xiong is the general name for vinegar in the Zhou Dynasty. It also introduced the use of 醯 by the Zhou royal family: 醯 was used as a treasure for sacrifices and palace banquets. Among them, 60 urns were used for sacrificial ceremonies when the Emperor of Zhou ascended the throne, and 50 urns were used for holding palace banquets to entertain guests.

From the records in "Zhou Li", we can know that there were already craftsmen specializing in making vinegar at that time, and the production of vinegar had reached a large scale, and vinegar occupied an important role in the political activities and daily diet of the Zhou royal family. important position.

In the history of vinegar, the Chinese people gradually developed an authentic and authentic group mentality towards the taste, aroma, quality and other characteristics of vinegar produced in certain places, forming the so-called famous vinegar. During the Qing Dynasty, the vinegars from the four producing areas of Shanxi mature vinegar, Zhenjiang fragrant vinegar, Fujian Yongchun old vinegar (red rice vinegar), and Baoning vinegar were collectively referred to as the "Four Famous Vinegars" and have been passed down to this day.

But it is worth noting that my country’s famous vinegars include more than just the “Four Famous Vinegars”. In addition, there are Henan Special Vinegar, Jia’s Persimmon Vinegar and other famous vinegars.

2. The vinegar capital of China.

Among the four famous vinegars, Shanxi mature vinegar is known as "the best vinegar in the world" because of its long history, black and purple color, and sweet, sour and mellow taste;

And Shanxi mature vinegar Qingxu County, Taiyuan City, is the birthplace of Shanxi mature vinegar and is also regarded as the birthplace of Chinese vinegar. Therefore, it has been approved by the state as the "Vinegar Capital of China" and has held a Vinegar Culture Festival every year since 2007.

3. Jealousy.

"Jealousy" is a cultural allusion. After Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, came to the throne, in order to win over the courtiers and stabilize the government, he wanted to take concubines for Fang Xuanling. Fang Xuanling's wife was born in the Fanyang Lu family. Fang Xuanling, from a famous family with a strong personality and jealousy, would not allow Fang Xuanling to take concubines. In desperation, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty used vinegar as "poisonous wine" and asked Lu to choose between poisonous wine and concubinage. After Lu drank it with tears, she discovered that it was a glass of balsamic vinegar.

This is the origin of the allusion of "jealousy". Later, people used jealousy as a metaphor for the psychological emotions of jealousy and bitterness in the relationship between men and women.

The ancient Chinese said that vinegar, which has the characteristics of sour, astringent, fragrant and mellow, is likened to the bitterness and sorrow in the hearts of men and women in the emotional entanglement. This is an image metaphor that metaphors emotions and tastes, which fully reflects the ancients' detailed expression of life emotions.

Vinegar has been used as medicine by ancient Chinese medicine practitioners to treat diseases since its creation. The medicinal uses of vinegar are recorded in many Chinese medicine classics, such as Zhang Zhongjing's " The efficacy of vinegar has been recorded in classic Chinese medicine works such as "Treatise on Febrile Diseases", "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Tao Hongjing of the Liang Dynasty, "Tang Materia Medica" of the Tang Dynasty, "Qianjin Prescription" by Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty, and "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty.

In summary, rice vinegar has the effects of relieving itching, reducing swelling, removing roundworms, treating metrorrhagia, and treating persistent phlegm. In traditional Chinese medicine, vinegar is also used to prepare traditional Chinese medicine to reduce drug toxicity, change or enhance it. Drug performance and other effects.

Vinegar has been with the Chinese nation for more than 3,000 years. In addition to being a daily condiment, it is also deeply rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese culture; in the current era of globalization, inheriting history, The "vinegar culture" that keeps pace with the times is also gradually going global with its unique charm and rich cultural connotation.