Tofu-dreg project
Encyclopedia
The phrase tofu-dreg project (Simplified Chinese: 豆腐渣工程) is a phrase current in Mainland China
used to describe a poorly constructed
building. This phrase was coined by Zhu Rongji
, the former premier of the People's Republic of China
, on a visit to Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province to describe a jerry-built dam.
In China, the term tofu dregs
(the messy bits left 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 for which the government should accept responsibility.
After visiting China in early 2011, Canadian journalist Lawrence Solomon stated that many Chinese people "fear that a 'tofu dam' might fail, leading to hundreds of thousands of downstream victims."
During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, many schoolhouses fell down, and many students died. These buildings have been taken to exemplify tofu-dreg projects.
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
used to describe a poorly constructed
Structural failure
Structural failure refers to loss of the load-carrying capacity of a component or member within a structure or of the structure itself. Structural failure is initiated when the material is stressed to its strength limit, thus causing fracture or excessive deformations...
building. This phrase was coined by Zhu Rongji
Zhu Rongji
Zhū Róngjī is a prominent Chinese politician who served as the Mayor and Party chief in Shanghai between 1987 and 1991, before serving as Vice-Premier and then the fifth Premier of the People's Republic of China from March 1998 to March 2003.A tough administrator, his time in office saw the...
, the former premier of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, on a visit to Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province to describe a jerry-built dam.
In China, the term tofu dregs
Tofu
is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
(the messy bits left after making tofu) is widely used as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for shoddy work, hence the implication that a "tofu-dreg project" is a poorly executed project for which the government should accept responsibility.
After visiting China in early 2011, Canadian journalist Lawrence Solomon stated that many Chinese people "fear that a 'tofu dam' might fail, leading to hundreds of thousands of downstream victims."
Tofu-dreg projects in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
- See also: Collapse of tofu-dregs schoolhouses in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, many schoolhouses fell down, and many students died. These buildings have been taken to exemplify tofu-dreg projects.
See also
- 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
- Allegations of corruption in the construction of Chinese schoolsAllegations of corruption in the construction of Chinese schoolsThe Sichuan schools corruption scandal was a series of allegations of corruption against officials involved in the construction of schools in regions affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake...