Tofu-dreg project explained

P:dòufu zhā gōngchéng
J:dau6 fu6 zaa1 gung1 cing4
C:豆腐渣工程
W:tou4-fu cha1 kung1-ch'eng2
Y:dauh-fuh jā gūng-chìhng
Gr:dowfu ja gongcherng

"Tofu-dreg project" is a phrase used in the Chinese-speaking world to describe a poorly constructed building, sometimes called just "Tofu buildings". The phrase was coined by Zhu Rongji, the former premier of the People's Republic of China, on a 1998 visit to Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province to describe poorly-built levees in the Yangtze River.[1] The phrase is notably used referring to buildings collapsed in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake disaster.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

In China, the term tofu dregs (the pieces left over after making tofu) is widely used as a metaphor for shoddy work, hence the implication that a "tofu-dreg project" is a poorly executed project.[8]

According to Chinese architect Li Hu, tofu-dreg projects in China are vastly outnumbered by buildings without construction flaws. Li said that in most cases, ill-constructed buildings do not collapse but merely have a reduced lifespan or leakages.[9]

2008 Sichuan earthquake

During the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, many schoolhouses collapsed; resulting in the death of students. These buildings have been used to exemplify tofu-dreg projects. The collapses were linked to allegations of corruption in the construction of Chinese schools.

On May 15, 2008, Geoffrey York of The Globe and Mail reported that the shoddily constructed buildings are commonly called "tofu buildings" because builders cut corners by replacing steel rods with thin iron wires for concrete reinforcement; using inferior grade cement, if any at all; and using fewer bricks than they should. One local was quoted in the article as saying that "the supervising agencies did not check to see if it met the national standards."[10]

The state-controlled media has largely ignored the tofu-dregs schoolhouses, under directives from the propaganda bureau's instructions. Parents, volunteers, and journalists who have questioned authorities have been intimidated or arrested.[11] [12] [13] [14] In order to silence the issue, riot police officers broke up protests by parents; the authorities set up cordons around the schools; and officials ordered the Chinese news media to stop reporting on school collapses.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cary. Eve. China's Dangerous Tofu Projects. 2021-11-20. thediplomat.com. en-US.
  2. Book: Shuk-ting, Kinnia Yau. Natural Disaster and Reconstruction in Asian Economies: A Global Synthesis of Shared Experiences. 2013-12-05. Springer. 978-1-137-36416-6. en.
  3. Web site: 墨西哥地震學校倒塌 豆腐渣工程核准人判208年 國際 中央社 CNA. 2022-01-18. www.cna.com.tw. 16 July 2021 . zh-Hant-TW.
  4. Web site: 糗！正恩建設是「豆腐渣工程」 強風一來屋頂直接被吹翻 ETtoday國際新聞 ETtoday新聞雲. 2022-01-18. www.ettoday.net. 30 December 2021 . zh-Hant.
  5. Web site: 20秒害死502人：26年前的豆腐渣工程，成为韩国人永远的痛_湃客_澎湃新闻-The Paper. 2022-01-18. www.thepaper.cn.
  6. Web site: 新加坡惊现建筑"豆腐渣"工程. 2022-01-18. 南洋视界.
  7. Web site: 新加坡眼. 2016-06-19. 新加坡也有豆腐渣工程，倒下的瞬间，太吓人了！. 2022-01-18. 新加坡眼. zh-CN.
  8. Web site: May 21, 2008. Rising death toll, popular anger in China quake. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130316004946/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/05/quak-m21.html. 2013-03-16. World Socialist Web Site. Pu Changxue, whose son Pu Tong died crushed in a classroom, said: 'This was a tofu dregs project and the government should assume responsibility' (...) Tofu dregs—the messy leftovers after making bean curd—are a common expression for low-quality work..
  9. Book: Rizzardi. Pier Alessio. The Condition of Chinese Architecture. Hankun. Zhang. 2018. TCA Think Tank. 978-1-9164537-0-8. en.
  10. News: Why China's buildings crumbled Survivors blame corruption, shoddy construction and cost cutting for the collapse of so many 'tofu buildings' – and even state media outlets are asking questions . York . Geoffrey . May 15, 2008 . The Globe and Mail . February 26, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081010211551/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080515.CHINASIDE15/TPStory/TPInternational/Asia/ . October 10, 2008 .
  11. Cara Anna, Sensitive China quake photo removed, Associated Press via USA Today, 6/14/08. Retrieved 6/29/12
  12. Lee, Diana and agencies (February 10, 2010), Fury at jail for quake activist, The Standard
  13. Web site: Press Release: Family Visits Still Denied to Sichuan School Teacher Punished after Quake-Zone Visit. Human Rights in China. 2008-07-29. 2008-10-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109000918/http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/66524 . 2009-01-09 .
  14. Web site: Sichuan Teacher, Liu Shaokun, was Released to Serve his Reeducation-Through-Labor Sentence Outside of Labor Camp. Human Rights in China. 2008-09-26. 2023-05-20. 2023-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520223756/https://www.hrichina.org/en/content/220. dead.
  15. News: China Presses Hush Money on Grieving Parents. The New York Times. July 24, 2008. Edward. Wong. April 22, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090416151305/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/world/asia/24quake.html. April 16, 2009. live.

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