When the rulers of the ancient Chinese Ming Dynasty needed protection from Mongol invaders they began constructing the Great Wall. -To keep workers fed the Chinese began fermenting shredded cabbage in rice wine. This quick and easy method of preparing cabbage allowed it to be kept for months with no costly cooling. It was around the 16th century that the Germanic peoples began fermenting the shredded cabbage in its own juices creating the product we know today as sauerkraut.