Gathering around the dining table with my parents and reminiscing on the flavors of our childhood had me feeling some type of way. I’m naturally a bit of a foodie, now add in the food scene of China and you get a girl with a whole lot of cravings. For food and for travel.
I had spent part of my childhood growing up in China. Enough time for me to try all sorts of dishes that can only be described as interesting and weird to the point that may even be frowned upon by the rest of the world. For example, there is stinky tofu, sea snail, duck tongue (or literally any other organ of an animal) to name a few. While there may be weird food, there are definitely more commonly known ones such as bubble tea and roasted chestnuts (my fave) that are not to be missed.
As I began to list foods that I missed, I had found myself wondering “Why do people in China eat practically everything?” They even have insects in some herbal medicine! I found it quite amusing how coincidental the whole situation was, with so many other people googling the same thing but for reasons related to the Coronavirus. So, I don’t know if I should say this post was timely, or that it came at the worst possible time, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
What I have found was actually quite interesting. There were explanations that related to lack of religious effect on Chinese people (at least, a majority – I’m aware that there are predominately Chinese religions that forbid the consumption of certain foods). Fun fact: an article mentioned carp was forbidden during the Tang dynasty as the Chinese word for ‘carp’ was homonymous with the emperor’s family name. Another explanation I came across was related to famine dated back to the 1970s, which had killed millions of people. That had eventually led to government regimes that allowed private farming and trading of such as the government was struggling to feed the entire population.
While the validity of these claims, theories, and statements are to be questioned and verified, it brings light to the point that I want to make – one’s behavior is deeply rooted in their environment, upbringing, and history. I guess this can all be described using one of a traveller’s favourite umbrella terms: culture.
There is so much to be said on the topic of culture, Chinese culture to be specific, that I may just write up a whole other post. This is precisely one of the things I love about travelling. You get exposed to social norms that to you is anything but normal. You meet people who view the world through a different lens than you. As any other child growing up in a Chinese household would, I have learned about some Chinese history throughout my childhood years. On top of that, living in China for almost three years has me particularly drawn to Chinese culture. It has made me appreciate the food, landmarks, and attractions on a deeper level and I’m here for all of it.
You know what they say, you can take the girl out of China, but you can’t take the China out of the girl.
I hope this post opened your eyes to how different ways of living can be in parts of the world and gain an appreciation for a deeper understanding of why it is the way it is.
No diary excepts or photos this time, but maybe one day you’ll read more about other aspects of (my) life in China.
Until next time,
xx Clueless
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