Salt drying technology (well salt drying technology)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: salt drying technology (well salt drying technology)

Applicant: Mangkang County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Item No.: 936

Project No.: VIII - 153

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Tibet Autonomous Region

Type: new item

Applicant: Mangkang County, Tibet Autonomous Region

Protected by: Cultural Bureau of Mangkang County, Changdu City, Tibet Autonomous Region

Brief introduction of salt drying technology (well salt drying technology)

Applicant: Mangkang County, Tibet Autonomous Region

The Yanjing salt field in Tibet Autonomous Region is located in Naxi and quzika townships of Mangkang County, Changdu Prefecture. The salt production here has a long history. According to textual research, local salt drying began in the Tang Dynasty. Salt well drying is the most primitive way of salt production, which is unique in China and even in the world. Salt drying in Naxi and quzika villages still follows the traditional way. Salt people use wooden buckets to carry brine from brine wells along the Lancang River, pour it into their own brine tanks for air drying and concentration, and then pour it into salt fields for air drying and crystallization. This traditional way of salt production, its production tools and processes are very primitive.

Mangkang is the first stop of "tea horse ancient road" from Sichuan to Tibet. In history, Mangkang has made an important contribution to the salt transportation of tea horse ancient road. The production of well salt in Mangkang is a wonder in the history of human civilization. The unique and primitive salt drying technique condenses the efforts and wisdom of the local people. The prosperity of salt industry promoted the development of Mangkang and made it an important window for political, economic and cultural exchanges between Southeast Tibet and foreign countries.