The Yutang pickle shop was founded in 1714. A merchant surnamed Dai from Suzhou, Jiangsu province came to Jining and opened a pickle shop, taking the name "Gusu Dai Yutang". Dai's pickle shop was well run and the pickles combined northern and southern flavors, so it was popular among people and became the first big name brand in Jining.

In 1807, the Leng and the Sun families, merchants from Jining, bought the Yutang pickle shop. The families hired Liang Shengming as the shop keeper, implemented some rules and regulations, expanded the business, and increased the number of workshops. They put emphasis on product development, added production of fermented bean curd, soy sauce, vinegar and wine, making Yutang products popular and becoming indispensable products in people's lives.

Brewing technique for Yutang products [Photo/official WeChat account of Jining culture and tourism bureau]

Yutang pickles [Photo/official WeChat account of Jining culture and tourism bureau]

The brewing technique for Yutang pickles has a 300-year history. With its superb cooking technique, excellent product quality, rare local flavors, distinctive regional characteristics and profound cultural connotations, Yutang is unique in the traditional pickle industry and is important in the study of Chinese pickle history and Confucian merchant culture.