Tang Douhua

Tang Douhua

　　Tofu Pudding

　　Tang Douhua has been in business from 1922 to 1954, operating for a remarkable 32 years. The founder of Tang Douhua, Tang Dehong, initially sold fried oil cakes, cold noodles, and hot noodles. Later, he studied and mastered the techniques of Zhang Mazi (name unknown) and Yang Douhua — known for their “black basin” tofu pudding that was soft, tender, and left no residue in the mouth. Together with his wife Liu Chunrong, he started selling tofu pudding rice under the yellow parasol tree in front of the Guan Di Temple outside the North Gate (now opposite the Agricultural Machinery Factory). In 1932, Tang was killed by a stray bullet during the Min River War between warlords. Afterward, his wife, with the help of their sons Tang Guozhong and Tang Shaoqing, continued the business. By 1937, due to booming trade and insufficient staff, they hired six or seven apprentices including Liu Dehua and Zhou Ronggui, and sought assistance from family chef Huang Changming, continuing operations until the business closed in 1954.

　　Tang Douhua is soft, tender, and leaves no residue. Its chili sauce is especially unique — the aroma wafts from afar, there’s no greasy aftertaste, the tofu is topped with a layer of sealed oil, and diners are encouraged to finish every drop of soy sauce (leaving only the red oil in the plate). Customers often praise: “Douhua won’t make you fat, but you’ll crave spicy and numbing flavors. The seasoning is truly excellent, with ten high-quality ingredients.” The ten seasonings include dried garlic, shrimp floss, Japanese MSG, Chengdu Zhongxingchang pit soy sauce, Pengshan Changchun almond broad bean paste, Hanyuan Qingxi Sichuan pepper, sesame paste, fresh scallions, coriander, and toon sprouts. Additionally, Tang Douhua is located under a large tree in front of an old temple, in a rustic hut surrounded by neat, clean surroundings, shaded by trees, offering a quiet and peaceful environment. The service is attentive, the staff are friendly, and the prices suit the spending power of working people, which is why it was always bustling with customers.

　　Tang Douhua became famous for over 30 years, from as far south as Jia Ding to as far north as Chengdu. During the Republican era, military figures such as General Yang Sen, Meishan Commissioner Yu Anmin, and 17th Division Commander Liu Shucheng (nicknamed Liu Mazi), along with various personalities from Chengdu and Jia Ding, would make special trips in private cars to enjoy it.