Despite fact that using “腐” to refer to a food item would be inappropriate, it was nevertheless used to mean “豆腐” (bean curd) in Chinese. What does “腐” mean in this case? Nobody has a clear idea about it as yet.
The author investigated this question, arriving at the following conclusion.
The protein and fibrous portions of the soybean are difficult to digest. During the olden days, people tried to cook soybeans so as to make them more digestible. In 豆腐,there are four processes:(1) soaking soybeans, (2) grinding them in a stone mill,(3) heating and filtrating them to remove the fibrous matter, and (4) curdling the thick liquid obtained after removing the fibrous matter. The processes clearly show that 豆腐 is a food that makes the soybean digestible.
On the other hand, there is a word- “腐熟” -that is used in the field of Chinese medicine. This word refers to the initial digestion of the foods that naturally make their way into the stomach. After the initial digestion takes place in the stomach, these foods turn into a milky color and achieve a thick consistency. This thick liquid resembles the product before the curd-making process in terms of its function and appearance.
It should be noted that “腐” in the word “豆腐” originates from “腐熟.” It is thus possible to assume that “豆腐” means an easily digestible soybean.
