Haven’t tried 10+ types of beans? Can you really call yourself Chinese?

The world’s table begins with China’s small pulses

10 February 2025 marks the seventh World Pulses Day. This year’s theme is “Pulses: Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems”. Grow pulses, eat pulses; diverse farming, healthy living.

Soya beans, edamame, and black beans are common staples on the dining table, yet all these pulses actually originate from China.

Small Pulses, Great History

Pulses have a long history in China; thousands of years ago, the Chinese began cultivating and consuming them. Among these, the soya bean was one of the first to be grown and remains a vital food and economic crop today. Mung beans, adzuki beans, and broad beans also play significant roles in Chinese culinary culture.

Within traditional farming culture, the soya bean was more than just a vital food source; it was key to the cycling of soil nutrients. Soya beans exist in symbiosis with rhizobia, providing nitrogen to the soil. This natural nitrogen fixation played a crucial role in the development of crop rotation agriculture.

Small Pulses, Venturing Forth

Following the paths of trade and human migration, pulses spread from China to every corner of the globe. During the Han Dynasty, with the opening of the Silk Road, Chinese crops began to flow west, and the soya bean was likely among them. Pulses took root in the culinary cultures of Asia, Europe, the Americas, and even Africa. For instance, after the soya bean reached Japan, it became the foundation for essential fermented foods such as miso and tofu. Meanwhile, the Aztecs in the Americas cultivated black beans and pinto beans. Beyond the soya bean, other varieties like adzuki, mung, and peas also travelled through trade and migration, becoming indispensable ingredients in various cultures. Japan and Korea, influenced by China, developed a wide array of pulse-based foods; later, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chinese migrants brought these dietary habits to Southeast Asia, leaving a lasting mark on the local cuisine.

Small Pulses, Seeing the World

Small pulses, big world. Do not underestimate these inconspicuous little beans; they have played key roles in human history, culture, and diet. Wondering how pulses have shaped the world? We have selected a few books related to pulses, recommending that you read about their global influence while you enjoy eating them.

Jin Yamei: A Woman from Zhejiang Who Took on the World

The first person to introduce traditional Chinese soy products to the United States

Jin Yamei, a woman whose journey led her from China to the global stage, was not only among the first Chinese female university students to pursue advanced studies in the US, but also a pioneer of early Western medicine in China. She also held a lesser-known identity: the first person to introduce traditional Chinese soy products to the United States.

Throughout a career spent traversing between China and the US, Jin Yamei devoted immense effort to promoting the prestige of “Chinese cheese”. She sought to break down cultural barriers, encouraging mainstream American society to embrace soy-based foods common on the Chinese table—such as soy milk, bean sprouts, tofu, fermented bean curd, and even the uniquely pungent stinky tofu. (Source: Global Crossroads)

Magic Bean: The Rise of the Soybean in America

How did a crop originating in China spark an agricultural and dietary revolution in the United States?

The author, Matthew Roth, specialises in American history. He is currently the Deputy Director of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches environmental history and contributes to various magazines.

The soybean, so commonplace today, followed a trajectory of growth and dispersal marked by unexpected stages. In 1900, China was the world’s leading producer of soybeans. By 2000, the soybean had become one of America’s primary cash crops, second only to maize in terms of acreage. Through vivid and detailed research, Matthew Roth demonstrates the significance of the soybean across science, agriculture, the environment, and technology. (Source: The Commercial Press)

Chinese Tofu

Wherever there are Chinese people, there is tofu; whether in stir-fries or soups, paired with meat or vegetables, it is ever versatile;

Bitter, spicy, sour, or sweet—it adapts to every whim.

*Chinese Tofu* is a comprehensive guide to tofu. Beyond simple recipes, it encompasses essays, historical research, proverbs, poetry, legends, and interviews. The contributors, including Lin Haiyin, hail from China, Japan, South Korea, the US, and Germany. These writers have poured their creativity into describing the tofu of their imagination, ensuring the book is not merely a practical cookbook, but a work of literary significance—a “Chinese Tofu” imbued with thought and emotion. (Source: Guangxi Normal University Press)

Since 2015, the Farmers’ Seed Network has been dedicated to the preservation and utilisation of local bean varieties. With the support of the Vanke Philanthropy Foundation, they launched the “Small Beans, Big Health” initiative to explore the intersections between legumes and biodiversity, dietary culture, ecological protection, and climate change.

The soybean, an ancient seed originating in China, carries not only the wisdom of farming but also a deep connection to our diet, health, and folk customs. We have travelled across China in search of indigenous bean diversity, exploring how these crops nourish the land, sustain communities, and reshape our relationship with food. From field to table, this is more than a reflection on sustainable food; it is a rediscovery of local flavours and healthy eating.

On this World Pulse Day, let us look back at the stories of these small beans from every corner of China.

We have compiled these vignettes of local terroir into the following booklet, available in both Chinese and English. We invite you to click and read.

Beans in Progress: The Sino-German ‘Tofu Network’

The concept of the ‘Tofu Network’ emerged from the collaborative efforts of the Sino-German Agricultural Biodiversity Network. Experts from both China and Germany proposed the initiative to foster deeper exchange and cooperation within the field of agricultural biodiversity, focusing specifically on issues surrounding soybean and tofu culinary cultures. The Tofu Network is dedicated to raising public awareness of the rich heritage of traditional soybean and tofu diets, while promoting the protection, utilisation, and preservation of local soybean varieties globally. It further seeks to explore innovative ways to integrate traditional dietary culture with the green transformation of agriculture.

With the support of the Sino-German Agricultural Centre, the Farmers’ Seed Network commissioned the Zhinanmen Department to conduct research on tofu in China, resulting in the publication of the report *Tofu in China: A Preliminary Study on the Sino-German Tofu Network*. The report traces the evolution of tofu throughout Chinese history and culture, with a particular focus on the diverse characteristics of tofu across different agro-ecological zones. It highlights tofu’s multifaceted contributions to local culinary culture, economic development, and the preservation of biodiversity. Furthermore, the study examines the potential of tofu to serve as a bridge for international cooperation, emphasising its vital role in building sustainable agri-food systems.