This technique is the fifth batch of intangible cultural heritage projects in Tianjin. The history of grinding sesame oil in Jinghai is long-standing, especially in Wangkou Town, where there is a large amount of raw materials for oil production, such as peanuts, soybeans, sesame, etc. circulating locally due to the developed roasted food industry, which has created a necessary condition for grinding various types of oils, especially sesame oil.
The "Li Ji" sesame oil production technique in Jinghai has been passed down for four generations. Initially, it was produced in small quantities as a family workshop for personal consumption or as a gift to relatives and friends. In the late 1950s, the inheritor Li Fuming began to operate a small sesame oil workshop with his son Li Shouyang to improve the family's living conditions. The sesame is cleaned in a large pot, then roasted in a shallow pan using a homemade large iron spatula, and finally ground into oil using a stone mill. All processes are manually operated.
Li Ji sesame oil in Jinghai uses high-quality sesame from Hubei, Henan, and other places. The traditional technique combined with modern technology produces sesame oil that is nutritious, delicious, fragrant, not greasy, and loved by all ages. It is popular in the domestic market and highly praised by consumers.