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Author: Han Yang
Draft: Gu Hanyi / Editor: Salty Striped Fish
Recently, there is a topic on the Internet that has been extremely hot, that is, the "vegetarian concept" promoted by Zhang Jing and other stars, advocating that people eat more vegetarian and eat less meat. As soon as this remark came out, it attracted the dissatisfaction of many netizens.
(Photo: weibo.com)▼
It is true that vegetarianism, as a relatively "low-carbon" way of life at present, can catch fire for a long time. However, is it really meaningless for meat, eggs and milk to be the source of energy for human beings to maintain their bodily functions?
Then again, eating meat is not only a big thing for individuals, but also closely related to national fortunes. Japan, next door to us, changed its fate by "eating meat."
The meaning of meat, eggs and milk is not as simple as satisfying appetite
It is about the growth of each generation, enough to affect the direction of history
(Hold a thigh!) Figure: One Map Network)▼
Multi-cause gathering, meat eating problems
As we all know, modern Japan is one of the countries with a high standard of living in the world. However, during the Edo period, Japan was a typical representative of the poor land, resource shortage, and low living standards in Asia.
The most emblematic of Japan's poverty at that time was that meat was almost insulated from the lives of most Japanese people. Whether you are a commoner or an emperor, in the matter of not eating meat, it seems to have achieved "equality of all beings" in a sense.
The general Daimyo, the secretary of state of government and the public, is conditional but eats less
Scholars, farmers, industrialists, and merchants, three religions and nine streams, want to eat but have no conditions
(Cooking for the leader, pictured: "Late ShogunAteo Food Samurai Rice!") 》）▼
There are many reasons why Japanese people do not eat meat, but the first one should be economic reasons. The Japanese archipelago is surrounded by the sea on all sides, and in ancient times, when productivity and transportation conditions were not developed, it was extremely difficult to exchange species resources across regions.
In the early Days of japan, native species had only wild boars that had undergone initial domestication. The taste of this kind of pork is difficult for ordinary people to accept, and since it cannot be eaten, it is simply not eaten. As for the horses and cattle stepping into the Japanese archipelago, it was later.
The initially domesticated wild boar has not yet been fully domesticated, and the taste is too heavy
Moreover, at this time, the technology of the pig is not mature enough, and the meat quality is not good
(Wild Boar Pouting Man, Photo: ukiyo-e.org)▼
During the Yayoi period, Japanese people were also unable to eat meat. It is recorded in the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Zhi, and the Biography of the Wu people: "Its customs are not obscene... Its land is no cattle, tigers, leopards, sheep and magpies... Eat and drink biān beans". The gist of this passage is that Japan's land is barren, its products are scarce, there are few domestic animals, and people live by eating vegetables and grains.
At that time, the larger regime on the Japanese archipelago was the Evil Matai State
Emperor Ming of Wei crowned the country's queen, Beimihu, as "Pro-Wei King"
(The state of slash-and-burn farming, pictured: giftly.com)▼
In addition to economic reasons, the second biggest obstacle to Japanese eating meat appeared in the middle of the 6th century. At this time, Buddhism was introduced to Japan, and many Buddhist temples were erected with the support of the Yamato Imperial Court. At the same time, the number of temples is the proportion of meat eaten by the Japanese.
Japanese Buddhism developed considerably during the regency of Prince Shengde
He is an old Japanese acquaintance in our middle school history textbooks
(The leader of the Dahua reform, pictured: Flickr) ▼
From the moment Buddhism was introduced, it had an inextricable relationship with the development of Japanese culture. Buddhism advocates not killing, and this precept, combined with the native Japanese culture, gave rise to the "dirty" culture.
In the Japanese conception, the word "dirty" refers to "blood stains." The idea of "cleanliness" preached by Buddhism is bound to aggravate the status of the concept of "impurity" in the hearts of the Japanese people, and even reach an almost morbid degree.
For example, eating meat will be exiled, and killing dogs in self-defense will not escape the death penalty. In other words, from the Nara period to the Heian period, as long as there is no killing and no blood, people's hearts are pure, and they will be tolerated by everyone.
In Japan, under the political rule of the secretary of state, there are many superstitions and taboos
However, the samurai regime that rose later did not have so many problems
(Tough and rustic, photo: Flickr)▼
On the other hand, the promotion of the rulers also became the reason why the meat-eating culture in Japan at that time was very rare. In the late 7th century, Emperor Tenmu, a buddhist believer, ordered a ban on meat consumption throughout the country. The most typical example is "Commanding the nations, from now on, to control the fishermen and hunters ... And do not eat the meat of cows, horses, dogs, and chickens... If there is a transgression of sin", this edict.
As a result, the prohibition of meat became popular in japan's middle and upper classes. The later emperors Shōmu and Emperor Hyoken were even more "intensifying" fasting on meat, leading to a long-standing Japanese tradition of "vegetarianism."
On the contrary, some Japanese monks ate meat, married wives and had children, and continue to this day
As a result, many monasteries in Japan today are the property of monks and families
(Monks get married, pictured: storyofwedding.com)▼
The Meiji Restoration, carnivorous meat to save the country
After the "Black Ship" incident, the Japanese faced a deep national crisis. In the case of the Navy, about 17 percent of young men of japanese school age at that time were unable to control Western-style warships because they were less than 151.5 centimeters tall. In order to repeat the humiliation of warships knocking on the door of the country, the Meiji government made "leaving Asia and entering Europe" as an established policy, and eating habits were also one of the key points of reform.
For example, the old Japanese Navy took the British as a teacher and learned from the British Navy to eat curry
But they were not allowed to let go of the building, and it was only supplied once a week on Fridays
(Now also eat, photo: oominato-kc.com) ▼
In 1870, the Japanese thinker Fukuzawa Yukichi published an article entitled "The Theory of Meat Eating", putting forward the view that "the method of herding cattle and sheep should be opened, eating their meat, and drinking their milk to make up for the nutritional deficiencies of the Japanese people", and gave the example of using meat to cure their dysentery and help the Japanese people unshackle the "shackles" of their thinking.
At the call of Fukuzawa Yukichi, the Japanese who became rich first gradually eliminated their aversion to meat and embarked on the road of rich country that ate meat and drank milk.
Fukuzawa Yukichi was an epoch-making enlightener in Japanese history
The "strong prosperity" he advocated was based on the idea of militarism
(Shoulder face, picture: one picture network) ▼
The Meiji government not only laid a good economic foundation for Japan's industrialization through the strategy of breeding and developing businesses, but also allocated a large amount of funds to improve the diet of the Japanese people.
Of the Japanese army's 2.51 million yen spent on food, 80 percent was used to import beef. These beef undoubtedly alleviated the "urgent need" of the Japanese army, which was in urgent need of nutrition at that time. The improvement of nutritional levels made the beriberi that plagued the army in the Meiji period no longer become an "incurable disease".
At that time, the Japanese army served expensive white rice to attract people
As a result, the lack of vitamin B1 in refined rice is induced
(Make it?) Photo: oldtokyo.com)▼
Meiji Emperor Muhito, who gradually embarked on the "altar", used his authority to guide the people to eat meat. Although he himself did not like to eat meat, he was still one of the first japanese rulers to eat beef. Under the leadership of Mu Ren, whether to eat meat or not has become the dividing line between "civilization" and "barbarism".
As a result, beef consumption became popular in Japanese folklore. Beef restaurants began to appear in Japan. In Japan's big cities, the middle and high classes who sit around the restaurant and eat beef with wine have become an urban scene.
Everything from diet to social life is gradually westernized
So that for a while, it could not adapt to it, and the trend of "eclecticism with foreign countries" sprouted
(Photo: blog.japanwondertravel)▼
Through a series of dietary reforms in the Meiji period, Japan's physique has been significantly improved. In terms of weight, Emperor Muhito of Meiji increased his weight by eating meat, and in the last years of Meiji, Muhito even suffered from "three highs" and diabetes.
In his later years, Mu Ren basically lived in the palace and rarely summoned his courtiers
It is said that because diabetes worsened, the facial features were too puffy
(Passed away, pictured: One Map Network)▼
What Makes Japanese people most proud is the change in height. Due to the ancient "meat ban", the average height of Japanese people was maintained at about 140cm, which left the impression of "Wajin" in the surrounding countries. The average height of Japanese nationals also increased by 9 to 11 cm during the Meiji period. By 1914, the average Japanese male reached 1.56 meters tall.
All of this is inseparable from the "hard indicator" of meat, eggs and milk intake. According to the data of the last meiji years, in 1910, The total consumption of beef in Japan was 38,431 tons, and the per capita consumption reached about 600 grams. It can be said that Japan successfully embarked on the road of modernization and became the only developed country in Asia at that time, and the meat eating was "indispensable" to it.
Well, which one to eat? Difficulty in choosing is committed
(Photo: Flickr)▼
In post-war Japan, nutritious lunch
After World War II, the United States stepped up its material assistance to Japan, including food, medicine, and clothing. During the five months from May to October 1946, the residents of Tokyo were largely inseparable from the United States, with food aid in August alone amounting to 210,000 tons.
These assistance from the United States laid the material foundation for Japan's implementation of the recess set meal system and the nutritious lunch system after World War II.
The japanese are the ones who are hungry
If we do not engage in foreign aggression and use our military strength, we will not be reduced to this point
In 1954, the Diet of Japan passed the School Feeding Act, which defined the establishment of a nutritious lunch system throughout the country as part of school education. From the recipes for nutritious lunches in Japanese schools, we can see that the Japanese attached great importance to the supply of meat and dairy products after the war.
In 1947, the Japanese nutritious lunch consisted only of stewed tomatoes and milk, but by 1952, it had included bread, milk, fried fish and salad, which was more balanced and retained the ratio of meat to dairy products.
For a long time after the war, life in the Japanese did not fare well
Without this system, children would not be able to eat anything decent
(Photo: uswheat.org)▼
By 1977, nutritious lunches in Japanese schools had been added to curry meat rice, a food that contained both grains and meat, and still retained milk. It can be seen that the spirit of a strong meat and dairy country is still remembered by the Japanese people after the war.
Driven by the nutritious lunch system, the nutrition of Young People in Japan is basically guaranteed. Moreover, the increase in the average life expectancy of Japanese people is not unrelated to the nutritious lunch system that includes meat, eggs and milk.
Only when you eat enough to have the strength to work and study is the last word
(Swirl meal time, picture: one picture network) ▼
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