Bottles of soy sauce are made at the workshop of Nantong Wushan Brewing Co. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

Soy sauce is an indispensable seasoning at Chinese dining tables and also the soul of Chinese dishes. The history of soy sauce in China can be traced to the Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256 BC).

In 1943, Nantong built its own soy sauce making company, Nantong Wushan Brewing Co, which besides soy sauce also produces spiced vinegar and sesame oil.

Rows of soy sauce jars stand in the courtyard of the Nantong Wushan Brewing Co. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

The making of Wushan soy sauce entirely follows the ancient techniques and Wushan-made soy sauce features a bright color and rich flavor.

Turning a soy bean into a drop of soy sauce requires sophisticated procedures such as steaming, making soy sauce koji, fermentation, and sterilization. To better expose the soy beans to the sun and dew, the seasoning is usually made in the dog days of summer.

A soy sauce maker pours water from a jar over soy beans to help them fully ferment. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

Image rows of fermenting soy sauce jars are bathed in the sun with senior soy sauce makers stirring them frequently. The air is permeated with soy sauce fragrance.