【Haichuan Chemical Industry Site】The Song Dynasty salt-making site in Dongtou, Wenzhou, and its rich cuisine

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This post was last edited by Desert Fish on 2018-11-21 at 16:09. According to on-site investigations, Li Shuicheng, a professor at Peking University’s School of Archaeology and Museology, confirmed yesterday that the site recently discovered in Fengmen Village, Dongtou County, is an ancient salt-making site from the Song Dynasty. This is the first discovery of similar sites along the southeast coast of our country, and it can fill the gap in salt industry archaeology for that period. 　　The excavated baked earth blocks are similar to the pottery vessels used for salt production found abroad. An article titled “Ancient Ruins Discovered in Dongtou,” published on page A3 of our newspaper on August 12, described that the excavation site was divided into an eastern and a western area, spanning about 50 meters. The early remains in the eastern area consisted mainly of three oval or nearly circular pits made of baked earth, built along a gentle slope. Li Shuicheng confirmed that these braised earthen pits were salt furnaces used for boiling salt. He explained that the columnar and disc-shaped baked soil blocks excavated at the site are very similar to the pottery utensils used for salt production found at some salt-making sites abroad. In our country, research on boiling salt started late, and there are no records in this regard. 　　Li Shuicheng said that the two large pits with round openings, slanted walls, and flat bottoms discovered in the western part of the site, whose walls were coated with a thick layer of marine mud and loess, were carefully constructed and likely served as brine ponds used for storing saltwater during the salt-making process. The three arc-shaped stone walls in the Western District have been damaged by nearly half due to sand and soil excavation by local residents in the area earlier on; their structure and function remain undetermined for now. 　　Questions such as the exact extent of the salt-boiling site and the specific procedures involved in the salt-boiling process remain unresolved, and archaeological investigations will continue for some time. 　　Salt-making sites have previously been discovered at the Three Gorges and in Shandong. Li Shuicheng said that the salt-making site in Dongtou represents the first discovery of its kind along the southeast coast, and it is of great significance. To date, the only salt-boiling sites discovered in China are those in the Three Gorges area and northern Shandong; among these, salt boiling using seawater takes place only in northern Shandong. The newly discovered salt-boiling site in Dongtou is quite large in scale, and the tangible artifacts found there represent a valuable asset for the local museum’s exhibitions and displays. At the same time, research on this site provides solid evidence for tracing back the history of salt production in Dongtou, and can fill the archaeological gaps regarding salt industry in the southeastern coastal region. 　　A responsible official from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau believes that both Dongtou and Wenzhou need a significant cultural heritage site, and the discovery of the Dongtou salt-making ruins can contribute to our city’s efforts to become a famous historical and cultural city. It can also boost the development of local tourism. 　　Ancient ruins are frequently discovered in Fengmen Village. This is not the first time that ancient ruins have been unearthed in Fengmen Village. In 1987, archaeologists discovered Neolithic stone adzes and stamped pottery shards from the Shang and Zhou dynasties at Jiumuqiu in Fengmen Village. 　　The salt-boiling site discovered this time is located not far from the Jiumuqiu site. According to locals, Fengmen Village has one characteristic: strong winds. The site of this newly discovered salt-boiling site was originally a beach, with the sea not far to the south; it was only after land reclamation from the sea that the industrial area we see today came into existence. There is also a canal surrounding the farmhouse, leading straight to the sea. Li Shuicheng explained that salt production requires raw materials such as seawater and fuel, and its existence is closely tied to specific environmental factors such as the local ecology and topography. 　　Reported by Wen Du’s Liu Junmei / Written by Yao Ka / Photographed by Yao Ka