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"Tofu-dreg project" (Traditional Chinese: 豆腐渣工程) is a phrase used in Mainland China to describe a poorly constructed building. This phrase was coined by Zhu Rongji, the former premier of the People's Republic of China, on a visit to Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province to describe a jerry-built dam.
In China, the term tofu dregs (the pieces left over after making tofu) is widely used as a metaphor for shoddy work, hence the implication that a "tofu-dreg project" is a poorly executed project for which the government should accept responsibility.
After visiting China in early 2011, Canadian journalist Lawrence Solomon stated that many Chinese people "fear that a 'tofu dam' might fail, leading to hundreds of thousands of downstream victims."
Tofu-dreg projects in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake
During the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, many schoolhouses fell down, and many students died. These buildings have been taken to exemplify tofu-dreg projects.