Qiqiao Tea Dried Tofu

Qiqiao Tea Dried Tofu

　　Qiqiao Tea Dried Tofu is a specialty of Funing County, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. Locals in Funing love Qiqiao Wai Zi Tea Dried Tofu and often enjoy a piece or two with tea or after meals. It comes in brown color and various shapes such as round, square, and sliced.

　　Known as the “One-of-a-Kind Delicacy of Northern Jiangsu,” Qiqiao’s “Wai Zi” Tea Dried Tofu originated during the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi reign. Its shape resembles ancient coins and it has a history of over 300 years. Legend has it that when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty traveled incognito to the south, he caught a cold and lost his appetite. A local then offered him Qiqiao’s “Wai Zi” Tea Dried Tofu. After tasting it, the emperor found the flavor delicious, which greatly stimulated his appetite. He was so impressed that he inscribed the words “King of Dried Tofu, Refreshing and Revitalizing.” Since then, it was designated as an imperial tribute.

　　However, although Qiqiao’s “Wai Zi” Tea Dried Tofu is hailed as the “One-of-a-Kind Delicacy of Northern Jiangsu,” it had never been officially named nor produced on a large scale, and thus remained relatively unknown to the public. In 1997, the formal development of Qiqiao’s “Wai Zi” Tea Dried Tofu began. In 1998, the Funing County Xinhu Food Factory and Qiqiao Tea Dried Tofu Factory were established to enable mass production. The product, branded under the “Wai Zi” name, successfully entered supermarkets in more than 10 major cities including Shanghai and Nanjing. This not only allowed for the processing of over 100,000 kilograms of soybeans annually, but also doubled the product's market value. Qiqiao’s “Wai Zi” brand Tea Dried Tofu is made from carefully selected high-quality soybeans, using a unique traditional recipe combined with modern production techniques. Rich in protein and various vitamins, it now includes a series of ideal vacuum-packed health products such as beef tea dried tofu, lean meat tea dried tofu, spicy tea dried tofu, and five-spice flavored tea dried tofu.