In news from our partner, the Juan Cheng Pixian Douban Factory recently upgraded and expanded, installing this state-of-the-art "intelligent sunshine drying field" with more than 700 fermentation strip pools. The roof is made of retractible skylight panels so that even the mass-produced doubans (such as the red-oil douban above) can be made in the traditional way, leaving the douban open to the sun and elements to help feed the fermenting pastes with local Pixian County beneficial microbes. 

When we were last at the factory two summers ago, this drying roof for the company's handmade doubanjing was purely industrial, but they have now added a viewing platform (to the right) so that tourists can see the magic too. This is where our 3-year Yi Feng He doubanjiang is made in the same way it has been since 1853. (Yi Feng He is what the company was called before it was renamed Juan Cheng, so they retain the old name for the traditional douban.)

From the company: "There are more than 4,000 earthen crocks in the traditional drying yard. Here, craftsmen who inherit ancient techniques carefully maintain each jar of douban day after day, and use a special wooden pestle to move the sauce from top to bottom, from outside to outside. The inner layer is stirred evenly to help release the irritating volatile components produced during the fermentation process. The fresh air introduced during the stirring process is conducive to the growth and metabolism of microorganisms and ensures the stability of quality."