Liubiju

Liubiju is one of Beijing's oldest pickle houses, said to date to the Ming dynasty, specializing in pickled vegetables and fermented sauces. Its name, "the six musts," is traditionally linked to six rules of brewing — on ingredients, water, vessels and the like.

Liubiju is famous across Beijing for its pickles; legend attributes its signboard to the Ming statesman Yan Song. For centuries its pickles have been a pantry staple on Beijing tables, eaten with porridge and rice.

Its pickles are made by steeping quality vegetables again and again in sweet flour paste or soybean paste, prizing a mellow sauce and a crisp, savory-sweet bite — the steps and timing all following old methods.

A renowned China Time-Honored Brand, Liubiju's pickle-making technique is recognized as intangible cultural heritage and remains part of the flavor of old Beijing.