Anfeng Buye

Anfeng Buye

　　Anfeng Buye is said to have originated in the Han Dynasty. By the mid-Ming Dynasty, the Pang family in Anfeng had built the largest processing workshop in the area. The craft of making Buye was kept as a family secret, passed down only among the direct descendants of the Pang family. It wasn’t until the Qing Dynasty that the technique began to spread gradually, as Pang daughters took the skill to their husbands’ families through marriage. In 1898, Liang Jukui, a military scholar from Anfeng, was named the last military licentiate in Chinese history and the only one during the Qing Dynasty. It is said that he presented Anfeng Buye to Empress Dowager Cixi, who loved it upon tasting and subsequently listed it as an imperial tribute. Made from high-quality soybeans and using the area’s unique water source. (Anfeng’s groundwater is rich in strontium, which has the magical effect of enhancing physical fitness and delaying aging.) The production involves multiple processes such as soaking, grinding the soy milk, stirring the milk, boiling, adding the coagulant, pouring the Buye sheets, pressing the sheets, and peeling them off. Among these, adding the coagulant is the most crucial step in the entire process and directly impacts the quality of the Buye. Anfeng Buye uses pure salt brine for coagulation, and both the heat control and technique must be extremely precise. The resulting Buye is as thin as paper and as soft as satin, with great resilience. Anfeng Buye can be used in a variety of cooking methods such as mixing, stewing, stir-frying, braising, or boiling, each bringing its own distinct flavor. Many dishes made with Anfeng Buye have become local delicacies that are widely admired. The craft of making Anfeng Buye is a closely guarded family secret passed down through generations. Its unique techniques, along with the region’s special water, mean the product can only be made locally and cannot be reproduced or imitated elsewhere, making it truly unique. With its unique thinness and toughness, Anfeng Buye stands out among Buye products and holds an important position in the Huaiyang cuisine.