Shangyuanguan Red Tofu

Shangyuanguan Red Tofu

　　Shangyuanguan Red Tofu from Chenggu County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province is made from high-quality soybeans. Local brine (referred to as "jiangshui" by locals) is used to coagulate the tofu, which is then pressed. The tofu is cut into one-inch cubes, fermented at a constant temperature, and marinated with over 30 seasonings including salt, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, galangal, and cardamom before being air-dried. It is then mixed with Daqu liquor and chili paste, sealed in jars, and buried underground—shielded from summer heat and insulated in winter—so that natural temperatures regulate the fermentation process inside the jar, encouraging secondary fermentation. This maturation process takes three years. The product has a jujube-red exterior with a yellow interior, and boasts a soft, delicate texture, moderate saltiness and spiciness, a rich umami finish, a refreshing aroma, and a long-lasting aftertaste. For over a century, it has maintained its traditional production techniques and earned a longstanding reputation for quality.

　　Basic Characteristics

　　1. Regional Characteristics: Shangyuanguan Town enjoys abundant rainfall, ample moisture, a mild climate, distinct seasons, and unique water quality. These factors result in tofu that is fine, tender, and naturally sweet in taste. The resulting red tofu features a jujube-red exterior and an apricot-yellow interior, with a mildly spicy and salty flavor and a refreshing taste—all of which are inseparable from the area’s distinctive regional traits.

　　2. Ingredient Characteristics: Chenggu is located in a subtropical zone where summer days are long, sunlight is abundant, rainfall is moderate, and day-night temperature variation is significant. The raw ingredients—including soybeans and traditional Chinese medicinal seasonings—are all natural and green. Each 100 grams of red tofu contains 20 grams of protein and 0.8 grams of amino acid nitrogen. When stored at temperatures below 20°C, it can remain fresh for over five months. If a small amount of boiled vegetable oil is poured over the container holding the red tofu, its shelf life can be extended to 1–2 years.

　　3. Craftsmanship Characteristics: From tofu production to the final red tofu product, and from tools to the entire production process, Shangyuanguan Red Tofu largely relies on primitive, traditional craftsmanship and workshop-based production methods—representing an ancient, authentic folk tradition.

　　4. Product Characteristics: Using a traditional recipe and fermented for three years with nearly 30 types of Chinese herbs and seasonings, Shangyuanguan Red Tofu offers a more authentic taste, brighter color, and richer flavor compared to similar products such as fermented bean curd from Sichuan, Hunan, and Beijing. It has a delicate texture, a lingering taste, and benefits including strengthening the spleen, supplementing calcium, aiding digestion, preventing cancer and gastrointestinal diseases, enhancing appetite, and promoting overall health.

　　Main Values

　　Shangyuanguan Red Tofu is a typical representative of traditional handicraft techniques. It holds irreplaceable significance and value, mainly reflected in the following three aspects.

　　1. Cultural Value: As a unique local snack produced through traditional craftsmanship in folk workshops, Shangyuanguan Red Tofu reflects the wisdom of working people and serves as both a carrier and continuation of folk culture. Over its more than 600 years of development, it has accumulated rich cultural connotations and extremely high cultural value.

　　2. Research Value: Possessing the four distinctive characteristics of being “ancient, rustic, crude, and traditional,” its original ecological nature provides significant research value for studying the consumption habits and dietary culture of southern Shaanxi.

　　3. Practical Value: Shangyuanguan Red Tofu contains essential nutrients for the human body, such as protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, arsenic, cobalt, amino acid nitrogen, and various vitamins. It helps strengthen the spleen, supplement calcium, aid digestion, prevent cancer and gastrointestinal illnesses, and offers remarkable health benefits for long-term consumption.