What is Konjac?

It is commonly referred to by the aliases “蒟蒻,” “磨芋,” and “魔芋（konjac）,” all of which are generic or formal names for the Amorphophallus genus. These names have their origins in ancient Chinese texts.

The term “蒟蒻(含蒻、蒻头) first appeared in the Western Jin Dynasty in Left Su’s（西晋·左思 ）”Shu Du Fu《蜀都赋》,” stating, “其圃则有蒟蒻.” Tang’s “Six Ministers’ Annotations on Selected Literary Works《六臣注文选》” provides an explanation of “蒟蒻”: “Liu Yuanlin (刘逵之号) explains: 蒟蒻 is a type of sauce made from the fruit of a tree, resembling mulberry fruit. When ripe, it is greenish, about two to three inches long. It is eaten with honey, and it has a pungent, fragrant, and warm taste, harmonizing the five viscera. 蒻 is a plant; its root is called 蒻头, large like a peck, with a pure white texture. It can be boiled with lye, coagulating into a substance, and can be eaten soaked in bitter wine (vinegar). The people of Shu treasure it.” From Liu’s annotation, it is clear that the “蒟” and “蒻” referred to at that time are two completely different crops. 蒟蒻 is a vine that grows on trees, and its fruit, similar to mulberry, is preserved with honey to make fruit sauce. On the other hand, 蒻 refers to the underground root (stem) that is as large as a peck, with a pure white texture, and is cooked with lye (alkali), forming what is now known as konjac tofu and consumed. Sichuan is abundant in konjac, and people commonly consume it. Due to the lack of punctuation in ancient texts, later generations combined the two words “蒟蒻” and used “蒟蒻” to refer to the present-day konjac. The term “蒟蒻” is adopted by modern Chinese vegetable science. Japanese scholars and the industry also use the term “蒟蒻,” as konjac may have been introduced to Japan under the name “蒟蒻.”

The term “磨芋” is found in Wu Qirong’s “Illustrated Study of Plant Names and Realities《植物名实图考》” during the Qing Dynasty: “蒻头 produced in Hengshan, commonly known as 磨芋, also called 鬼芋.” Therefore, the term “磨芋” has been passed down to this day, possibly originating from the process of grinding the konjac into a fine powder during the production of “konjac tofu.”

“魔芋（Konjac）” has a connotation of demons and monsters, stemming from the diverse and bizarre morphology and peculiar biological characteristics of plants in the Amorphophallus genus. As for its unique economic component, glucomannan, which possesses some distinctive physicochemical properties compared to other plant gums, it seems to have a “magical” quality, leading ancient people to call it “鬼芋.” “Bencao Tujing《本草图经》” states: “White 蒟蒻 is produced in Jiangnan, also called ‘蒟蒻.'” “Bencao Gangmu《本草纲目》” records: “蒟蒻 is produced in Shu, and it is also found in Shizhou, known as ‘鬼头.'” The 1979 edition of “Cihai《辞海》” lists it as “魔芋（Konjac）, also known as 蒟蒻.” The 1979 edition of “Chinese Higher Plants Genus Index《中国高等植物科属检索表》” lists it as “Amorphophallus in the Pythelinae tribe of the Araceae family,” using both names.