Liu An was known as the Prince of Huainan (the area of today's Huainan City and Shouxian County in Anhui). He was one of the grandsons of Liu Bang, the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Liu An was a philosopher and a writer. In addition, he made pills of immorality, exchanged ideas with his followers in Huainan, and later authored the masterpiece called Master Huainan. In this book he applied the Taoist theory of "Tao" or "the Way" and "the Inner Breath of Yin and Yang" to his explanation of the changes of the four seasons. In his later life he created the lunar calendar system and the Twenty-four Solar Terms, which is still used in current Chinese farming.

Last but not least, Liu An is credited with making the first tofu, for which China is famous. It is said that while seeking the secret of longevity, he happened to put plaster into soybean milk. The result was solidified soybean milk with fine texture and delicate favor. By chance, Liu An made the first tofu, the famous Chinese delicacy.

(Photo/Chen Hailang)