How did ancient people eat salt?

Ancient people along the coast boiled seawater to make salt. The ancients in the inland introduced the water from the salt lake into the land, and the land became salty when the water seeped down. In Xiezhou, Shanxi, there is a Fiona Fang 100 square kilometer salt lake, also called Yanchi. The salt produced is called pool salt, also called solution salt.

In the early days, salt was directly put on the stove rack and cooked in an iron pan. This primitive salt cooking is time-consuming and laborious, with low yield and high salt price. Thus, from the birth of salt, the royal family formulated the salt law. In the Zhou Dynasty, officials in charge of salt administration were called "salt people". Li Zhoutian's Yan Guanren describes being in charge of salt administration and managing all kinds of salt affairs.

Bitter salt and scattered salt should be used for sacrifice, special-shaped salt should be used for hospitality, and salt should be used for king's meals. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty enacted a salt law, monopolized official salt and prohibited private property. According to historical records, anyone who dared to make salt privately at that time would be punished by cutting off his left toe. In the Jin Dynasty, people who cooked salt privately were sentenced to four years' imprisonment, and officials were sentenced to two years' imprisonment. After the establishment of the Salt Law, there are regulations for citizens to eat salt.

Extended data

The amount of salt eaten in ancient times:

1, Tang Dynasty

In the late Tang Dynasty, the courtiers described the amount of edible salt for the people as follows: "A family of five eats a catty of salt for three days." Tang dynasty 1 kg is equivalent to about 680 grams today, with an average of 45 grams per day.

2. Yuan Dynasty

"History of the Yuan Dynasty" records: "There are more than 19.6 million people in Jiangdong, Zhejiang Province, and the daily salt is four yuan, one minute and eight cents." Equivalent to daily average14g.

3. Ming dynasty

"History of the Ming Dynasty" also records: "12 Jin of salt for a big stutter and half a mouthful for a small stutter." In the Ming Dynasty, 1 kg was about 600g, which was equivalent to14g per person per day for a family of five with three children.

4. Qing dynasty

During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, it was very common to say that "one person has ten kilograms of salt a year", and one kilogram is still about 600 grams, which is equivalent to 16 grams per person per day.

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