Text/Kingdom Building
He is one of the four elders of the Kuomintang, not only set up and organized the Chinese work-study movement to France, but also introduced China's tofu making technology to Europe, known as "Tofu Doctor", which has made great contributions to the spread of Chinese food culture. This Kuomintang elder was Mr. Li Shizeng.
Li Shizeng (1881-1973), a native of Gaoyang, Hebei. He was a famous educator during the Republic of China period, one of the founders of the Palace Museum, one of the four elders of the Kuomintang, and the chief trustee of the private Nantong University. In his early years, he initiated and organized a work-study campaign in France, which made great contributions to Sino-French cultural exchanges.
In 1902, Li Shi, a subordinate of Sun Baoqi, the Qing Dynasty's minister to France, came to Europe. He was shocked by the fruits of the development of the industrial revolution in Europe, but also deeply disturbed by the current state of China's corrupt and backward society. He studied at the Mundatton Agricultural School, and after graduation, he entered the Pasteur College and the University of Paris. In 1906, he, Together with Zhang Jingjiang, Wu Zhihui and others, organized the "World Society" in Paris to promote anarchism. In the same year, through Zhang Jingjiang's introduction, Li Shi joined the Paris branch of the League.
Li Shi was very confident in the industry to save the country. But unlike Zhang Jingjiang, who opened antiques, tea and silk shops in Europe (Zhang Jingjiang's family is a huge wealth in Nanxun), Li Shi once decided to start with traditional Chinese cuisine and pry open the unknown huge market in Europe.
In 1909, Li Shi opened Europe's first tofu company in the western suburbs of Paris, France. In order to adapt to the European production environment, Li Shizeng's tofu making factory uses mechanical operation, which makes up for the shortcomings of low efficiency and poor sanitary conditions of traditional handmade tofu, and makes it more acceptable to Europeans. Soon, he broke out of Europe. Although tofu was introduced to Europe as early as the 19th century, there was no production base in the region and it all relied on imports from China. Not only was the quantity scarce, but the price was also very expensive, and only a few nobles or royals could enjoy it. After setting up a tofu company in Europe, Li Shi brought this traditional Chinese cuisine production process to Europe and made great contributions to the promotion of Chinese cuisine around the world. After more than a hundred years of development, tofu has become a popular cuisine in Europe, and it is sold in almost all large and medium-sized cities. Li Shi was also revered by the French as "Dr. Tofu"
In June 1915, Li Shi, together with Cai Yuanpei and others, organized the Work-study Association, calling on international students to be diligent in their work and study frugally, and to use their labor income to maintain their lives and studies. This bold proposal immediately received a positive response from many people with lofty ideals in China, so some young students with family financial difficulties found a very practical way to work-study.
Although Li Shi was a former elder of the Kuomintang, he had long been engaged in cultural and educational work. His highest positions within the Kuomintang were the Central Supervisory Commission (1926) and the president of the Palace Museum.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Li Shi stayed in Europe and the United States for a long time, lobbied various countries to support the Nationalist government, and made some contributions to China's War of Resistance Against Japan.
After returning to China in 1948, he served as a senior official in the Presidential Office. After that, Li Shi lived in Switzerland until 1956. He died in Taipei in 1973 at the age of 92.