Wudang Mountain Frozen Tofu

Wudang Mountain Frozen Tofu

　　Visitors to Wudang Mountain must not miss trying the area’s unique frozen tofu.

Making Wudang Mountain frozen tofu requires two natural conditions: temperatures of minus 20°C, and water from the Tofu Valley in Wudang Mountain. The latter is the key — without the water from Tofu Valley, even under the same temperature and preparation process, this type of frozen tofu cannot be made.

It is said that Wudang Mountain’s frozen tofu was first created by the Ming Dynasty Taoist Zhang Sanfeng. In those days, there were many visitors to Wudang Mountain but few side dishes. So Zhang Sanfeng would make frozen tofu at night, tear it into thin slices, and share it with others. People loved it so much, and since Zhang Sanfeng’s frozen tofu seemed inexhaustible, he was nicknamed “Zhang the Half-Immortal.” Since then, frozen tofu has become a specialty of Wudang Mountain. For centuries, locals have eaten it during festivals and holidays.

Frozen tofu is made in winter, not only for immediate consumption but also to be torn into thin slices and air-dried naturally for long-term use. It is snow-white and tender, with a chewy texture and rich flavor similar to beef — even better than beef — and can rival pork as well. For example, when stewed with pork trotters, it delivers a rich and nutritious taste; when cooked with chicken, the flavor becomes even more lingering; and when stir-fried with lean meat, it turns out crispy, tender, fragrant, and delicious.

Wudang Mountain frozen tofu is a pure green food. The soybeans come from Wudang Mountain, and the tofu is made using the mountain’s spring water. Each block of tofu is placed outdoors in an environment of minus 20°C and naturally frozen for three to five hours to complete the process.