【Haichuan Chemical Industry Site】Shizhengba Salt Industry Site in Pengshui, Chongqing

The Zhongjingba Salt Industry Site is located in Group 2 of Nanjing Community, Yushan Town, Pengshui County, Chongqing City, on a plateau on the left bank of the Zhongjing River, a tributary of the Yu River. From May to July 2013, the Chongqing Institute of Cultural Heritage conducted archaeological excavations at this site, covering an area of about 940 square meters. A total of 36 relics related to salt production were discovered, including 12 salt furnaces, 5 brine storage ponds, 2 pits for processing yellow clay, 2 walls, 10 column holes, 1 drainage ditch, 2 ash pits, and 2 ash ditches. Approximately 200 cultural artifacts were unearthed.

There are a total of 12 salt furnaces, which are distributed densely, adjacent to each other in an orderly manner. Based on their structural differences, they can be divided into two categories: one category consists of a fire chamber, flues for the fire, and smoke ducts. The furnace chamber is horseshoe-shaped; its two walls and bottom are made of fired clay, and in the center of the front part there is a slag discharge pit built with pebbles ； The flue is connected to the furnace and is elongated in shape; its walls and bottom are constructed from yellow clay mixed with small stones, while the inner wall is made of fired clay. Some also have red soil balls placed at the back of the flue to absorb brine ； The flue is located at the rear of the fire channel, with an arched roof formed by stone arches and openings at both the front and back.

Another type consists of a furnace chamber, flue, steamer, as well as related auxiliary facilities such as grooves and ash pits. The furnace chamber is horseshoe-shaped; rows of soil balls are piled up on the inner sides of its walls. At the front, there is a slag discharge pit made of pebbles, while at the back, the walls are formed into an arc shape using soil balls, with a space in between that connects to the flue ； The flue is elongated in shape; its two walls are made of baked clay, with rows of clay balls built up on the inner side ； The steamer is slightly semi-circular in shape; there is a partition wall made of earth mounds between the fire channel and the steamer, while its surrounding walls are made of baked clay, with earth mounds scattered throughout its interior ； Some salt-making furnaces have square pits at the back of the steamer, while others have groove-like remains on the top of the partition walls.

A total of 5 brine storage ponds were cleaned, located around the salt furnaces. There are two types: single-pool and double-pool, with the single-pool type being rectangular in shape. A double pond consists of two ponds connected together, either in a L-shaped configuration with one deep and one shallow pond, or as two parallel ponds in a rectangular shape. The pool walls are built from rectangular stones or irregular pebbles; most brine ponds also have pebble-lined walls on their exterior, with yellow clay filled between the pebbles to prevent water leakage.

The Zhongjingba site in Pengshui County: An ever-burning fire turns the ground red. As one walks along the narrow roads of Yushan Old Town in Pengshui toward the riverbank, a striking shade of fiery red comes into view suddenly. “The soil here gradually turned red as a result of being baked by intense heat over decades or even centuries. ”Li Dadi said that this is the location of the stove in a salt-making workshop at Yushan Salt Field. On the several hundred square meters of land excavated initially, 12 \"giant ovens\" extending toward the river were found, 8 of which were situated very close to each other. The Nakaiba Salt Industry Site is currently one of the salt production sites discovered in our city that has well-preserved salt furnaces and a high density of such sites. At the Nakaiba site, 12 salt-making furnaces, 3 brine storage ponds, 1 yellow clay processing pond, 2 walls, 11 column holes, 1 drainage ditch, 4 ash pits, and 2 ash ditches were discovered, along with over 200 cultural relics and artifacts.

The salt from Yushan comes from the Zhongjing River and the Houzao River; these two rivers converge in the town. As salt production led to the development of trade, a market gradually formed there, which eventually turned into the administrative center of the county. In front of us was the Houzhai River; its water was turbid due to the rain. After asking passersby, we learned that navigating up the river was difficult and not feasible at all. It’s possible to cross the river by wading, but in such weather, if one has to swim across, and assuming no equipment is available, I guess even with my physical condition I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Happy for a half day, then sick with a fever for another half month – not worth it, haha.