The Chinese military has always had strict requirements and habits, one of which is the training of stacking tofu blocks. This seemingly inconspicuous task contains profound military significance.
However, US President Richard Nixon tried to emulate this approach, but it did not have the desired effect, and the plan failed after only half a year.
They also came to a conclusion in the end.
So, what is the special significance of stacking tofu block quilts for the soldiers? And what conclusions did the American military draw after following suit?
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The PLA's "unique stunt"
The requirements for folding tofu blocks and quilts may vary slightly from army to army, but neatness and neatness are the general standard.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has stricter requirements for folding quilts, not only requiring quilts to be folded into tofu blocks, but also washing towels and military coats for daily use.
The height of the quilt must be strictly controlled within the range of (17±0.5) cm to ensure that each quilt has the same standard and specifications.
During Nixon's visit to China, he showed a keen interest in the Chinese People's Liberation Army's skills in folding quilts.
This interest was not limited to pure curiosity, but stemmed from an impression of the cleanliness and orderliness of the PLA dormitories and an admiration for the organizational discipline of the Chinese military.
At that time, Nixon and his delegation visited China, which was a historic event between China and the United States.
During the visit, the U.S. delegation was arranged to visit military bases and quarters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
They were amazed at the neatness of the PLA's dormitories and the neatly folded quilts, and believed that the high quality of the Chinese army was inseparable from the rigorous life style of peacetime.
As a result, some U.S. delegates hope that their own militaries will learn our quilt folding techniques to improve the cleanliness and efficiency of their troops.
They believe that if the US military can organize its dormitories in an orderly manner like the Chinese People's Liberation Army, it will not only improve the quality of life of the soldiers, but also help improve the combat readiness and combat efficiency of the army.
However, although the U.S. military tried various means to learn and imitate the quilt folding skills of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, it struggled to reach the level of the PLA.
After all, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has a long-standing traditional and systematic approach to training and enforcing discipline, and the U.S. military was unable to fully grasp the essence of this technique in a short period of time, and abandoned this plan in just half a year.
And the United States is not alone in facing this dilemma.
In November 2019, during the 7th Army International Cadet Week, the skills of mainland soldiers in folding tofu blocks and quilts amazed many foreigners present.
While participating in an international mock company, foreign soldiers encountered great difficulties in organizing their housekeeping, especially in the process of folding quilts.
The Chinese soldiers had to go online in person and teach them step by step, but the foreign students still said that they could not learn.
The reason is that other countries do not have the habit of folding quilts, such as South Korea, where the quilt can be laid flat on the bed.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been recognized internationally for its high military literacy, and its quilt folding skills have become one of the focuses of interest for the militaries of other countries.
In the end, they also believe that folding tofu cubes and quilts is something that only the Chinese People's Liberation Army can do.
The tradition and evolution of the army folding quilts
The tradition of folding quilts for the army can be traced back to the post-Renaissance armies in Europe. During that period, European armies began to be issued uniform equipment, including uniforms, backpacks, boots, and blankets.
At that time, the discipline of the army was also very strict, and when they got up in the morning, they also had to fold the quilt neatly, and then the officers would come to check it.
Officers were very strict about the housekeeping, and if the quilt was folded up in accordance with the regulations, they would be punished, even starved or corporal punishment.
In China, this tradition dates back to the Qing Dynasty. The soldiers of the new army at that time received six months of hand-to-hand training and courses, including housekeeping training.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army inherited the tradition of folding quilts from the Whampoa Military Academy.
Life at the Whampoa Military Academy is strict and orderly, and every morning as soon as the military horn sounds, the soldiers immediately get up, dress, and arrange the quilts, which are folded squarely in the center of the wooden bed.
This rigorous training has enabled the middle and senior officer graduates of the People's Liberation Army to master the art of folding quilts.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has very strict standards for folding quilts, and some troops consider it a sacred ritual. Not only should the quilts be folded squarely, but even the face towels and military coats should be stacked according to the same standard.
In order to ensure that the size of the quilt is accurate, it is even equipped with a plastic ruler in order to control the error within a very small range.
However, folding quilts is not an easy task. In order to fold the shape of the tofu cubes, press the quilt tightly when folding, try to remove as much air as possible, and then fold it carefully into a square.
To ensure a neat look, they constantly trim the edges, even by clipping wooden planks into the quilt or watering the surface of the quilt to make it easier to fold.
The quilt is folded into a square tofu block, which is mainly suitable for carrying on the march and convenient for carrying out urgent tasks, and the just right aspect ratio makes it easier to store and bundle the quilt.
Before the early 90s of the 20th century, the People's Liberation Army's outfit was relatively simple, and the marching equipment was mainly trapped by straps.
And although the PLA now has a new type of field backpack, the quilt on the back will occupy the backpack space, making the march more inconvenient. As a result, the practice of stacking tofu cubes is being phased out in some countries.
"Tofu cubes" are not a trivial matter
Standardized management helps to maintain discipline and order in the military. The military is a highly organized collective, and the maintenance of discipline is essential to accomplish all tasks.
Through clear norms and standards, each soldier is clear about his responsibilities and tasks, ensuring that the organization runs in an orderly manner.
The military is often faced with complex tasks and high-pressure environments, and standardized management can help the military organize and use resources more effectively, improve the efficiency and quality of task execution, and reduce the risk of accidents and mistakes.
Standardized procedures and operating procedures make decisions faster and more accurate, help prevent accidents, and enable quick response when problems occur.
The rites of life in the military embody a unique cultural expression that represents order, values, and collective cohesion within the military.
In the modern military, life rituals are an important cultural symbol, they are not only superficial forms, but also profoundly affect the inner quality and spiritual world of military personnel.
Among them, ceremonies such as folding quilts into tofu blocks highlight the unique charm of military culture.
At the heart of the rituals of military life is the person, which is supplemented by the arrangement of time and space to complement its important external context. These ceremonies not only include the dress, language, movements, and norms of interaction of military personnel, but also rely on specific time and space to be carried out.
The presence of rituals and ceremonies can not only guide individual behavior and provide a sense of order and continuity, but also provide cultural connotation and motivation within the military.
They are one of the most striking manifestations of military culture in peacetime and are of great constructive significance.
Through in-depth study of the rituals of military life, we can more directly understand and plan the construction of a strong military culture in the new era.
This kind of research is not only close to the reality of the military's culture, but also helps us better understand the order, values, and cohesion within the army, and provides guidance and support for the development of the army.
Meticulous ceremonies such as folding quilts into tofu blocks are an important part of the rituals of military life, which show the great importance that military personnel attach to discipline and neatness, and embody the profound heritage and spiritual pursuit of military culture.
How to fold out tofu cubes
I believe that students who have participated in military training have more or less had the experience of folding quilts into tofu blocks, so how to fold the perfect "tofu blocks"? Folding a quilt into tofu cubes is a task that requires skill and patience.
First of all, the quilt should be flattened or trifolded to ensure that the surface of the quilt is neat and flat. Then, kneel on one end of the quilt, grasp the mazaar and other hard objects with both hands, press the quilt firmly, and use the forward push motion to make the quilt tight.
This process is similar to pushing the back, requiring continuous pressure until the quilt is evenly pressed. During the training period, the quilt pressing project will be included in the daily rest and recreation time to develop the patience and skills of the soldiers.
The whole quilt is one of the key links in folding the quilt into tofu blocks. After the quilt is initially formed, individual skills will determine the quality of the final product. The requirements for the whole quilt are sharp and angular, symmetrical left and right, the rear axle is firm, and the top is flat as a face.
In the process of dressing the quilt, the key is to pick the four corners of the quilt with your fingers to make it angular and angular. In addition, you can also use items such as phone cards to assist in picking the quilt to increase the sharpness of the quilt corners.
For enlisted soldiers, even washing the quilt is one of the important links in the process of folding the quilt, although it is not directly related to the quilt itself, but it is the key to ensure that the quilt is neat and fresh.
In the barracks, you can see that the color of the sheets fades over time, especially in places where they are often rubbed by hand.
In order to make the quilt look more "qualified", some soldiers will even add bleach when washing the quilt to achieve the effect of worn.
epilogue
Although this cross-cultural military experiment had its initial comics, it presented us with an important truth: the spirit of orderly and uniform management of the mainland PLA is not only embodied in military training, but also integrated into their daily life and work.
This discipline is not just a superficial phenomenon, but also a high degree of teamwork, resource utilization and strategy execution.
In today's globalized world, from military parades to drills, Chinese soldiers are orderly and uniform in all aspects, which gives us more confidence to deal with the various challenges facing the world.
Resources
1. Foreign soldiers learn to stack "tofu blocks" in the Chinese army, and their expressions light up! Netizen: Exclusive secret recipe - Beijing News Network, released on November 4, 2019
2. National Defense Online "Military Training Rushes Forward": Folding Quilts in the Internal Affairs Chapter - China Military Network, released on September 6, 2019
3. Military culture with Chinese characteristics: "tofu block" quilt past and present life - China Military Network, released on December 24, 2014