Seven common senses of Chinese: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. Soy sauce is a necessary seasoning in every Chinese household. It also deeply influences food culture in Taiwan.

In 1661 (Ming Dynasty, Yong-Li 15), Zheng Cheng Gong moved to Taiwan and brought the techniques of the fermentation of soy sauce. At that time, the raw materails for fermenting soy sauce is black soybean produced in Taiwan. Then the self-sufficiency of soy sauce spreads out to many places.

In 1895, Taiwan was partitioned and ruled by Japan. The Japanese bought the techniques of fermenting soy sauce with soybean and wheat.

In 1901, the first factory of soy sacue for profit is founded in Taiwan.

In 1930, the industry of soy sauce became one of the most important commodity sector industry of food.

In 1941, World War II, the Japanese initiated the Pacific War. The industry of food is controlled strictly by military. The industry of soy sauce is of no exception. The delivery and production of soy sauce is controlled directly by Japanese colonial administration.

In 1946, the liberation of Taiwan from Japanese rule , the control over over the production and delivery of soy sauce is released. The need of soy sauce in market is progressing. The production of soybean-wheat sauce and chemical sauce rised. The manufacturing of soy sauce is flourishing in Taiwan.

In 1977, the blossom of the economy in Taiwan effect the progress of the industy of soy sauce. With the advantage of assets, large-scale factories produced chemical soy sauce fast in low cost by machines. With the help of the media and advertisement, the channels of sale changed. The compition and pressure in market oppressed the factories of traditional-fermented soy sauce which is laborious and time consuming.

In 1991, according to the general survey, there are 203 factories of soy sauce in Taiwan.

In 1996, the amount of the factory of traditional-fermented soy sauce reduced to 171. Now, there are 20 factories of soy sauce in Tainan.

Aroma in Kitchen   Flavor by Grandma

The soy sauce factory of Wan Wei Xiang founded in 1969, by Huang Yu-Hui. When he was young, he learned how to make soy sauce as an apprentice in Sin-Yin soy sauce factory. Because of the bankruptcy of the soy suauce factory, and to maintain his own livehood, he took over the factory, including the techniques, production equipment, and the clients. Therefore, he went back to his hometown, Jing-liao village(Landof Rice), and started his career of fermenting soy sauce.

In early farming society, there are many small-scaled factoies that fermenting traditional soy sauce. The sales limit in neighboring villages. Soy sauce is sold by bikes house to house. The sellers would go to the houses and restock the sauce and made records of the use of soy sauce. For most people were poor in the past farming society, the accounts would be settled after the rice harvest, even after Chinese New Year.

Aroma of Wait   Flavor of Cherish

     "At the time of cock-crowing in the morning, the aroma of boiled black soy bean comes from the window." The production process of blackbean soy sauce takes time and labor. From choosing to washing, boiling and koji-making, it takes several days and nights to control the temperature and humidity of fermentation. Once carelessness, the entire efforts would be spoiled. The aromatic flavor of soy sauce would be fermented and ripened after 180 days of solarization.

     The soy sauce factory of Wan Wei Xiang produced tradition manual soy sauce with transparent, delicately colored broth with balanced flavor and aroma. It takes time and acient techniques to ferment the flavor and aroma. The passion of fermentation also  aroused your memory of the smell and taste of grandma’s old kitchen.

      The traditional blewed soy sauce is fermented by natural microorganism. The ingredients of flavor becomes very comlicated. There are more than 300 components being founded. (Nunomura,1978~1984) 。

The key factors of producing black soybean sauce:

1. The producer: In the process of manual fermentation, the producer has to control the temperature and humidity at all times.

2. Ripening: The aromatic flavor of soy sauce would be fermented and ripened after 180 days of solarization.