The entire fermentation process of traditional Chinese broad bean paste with chili comprises three individual stages:?Tianbanzi, chili?pei, and paste fermentation (Tianbanzi-chili?pei?mixture). Three stages share average 77.53% of all bacteria (89 genera), indicating that the similar environment leads to the similar bacterial communities. One, one, and three genera are exclusive to?Tianbanzi, chili?pei, and paste stages, respectively, due to the special physical and chemical properties for each stage. Total acidity, pH, and NaCl are important endogenous factors that promote the succession of bacterial communities. According to the dynamics of?organic acids, reducing sugars, amino acids, and?volatile compounds, 60-, 210-, and 180-day are considered the best fermentation periods for?Tianbanzi, chili?pei, and paste, respectively, to balance time cost and product quality. Three (Tetragenococcus,?Lactobacillus, and?Pseudomonas), four (Tetragenococcus,?Lactobacillus,?Bacillus, and?Pseudomonas), and five (Tetragenococcus,?Lactobacillus,?Bacillus,?Pseudomonas, and?Pediococcus) genera are considered the core functional bacteria of?Tianbanzi, chili?pei, and paste fermentation, respectively.