Eating Meat and Confidence: Why does Fukuzawa Yukichi strongly advocate that Japanese people "eat more meat"?

Some time ago, Director Zhang Wenhong was on Weibo hot search because of a sentence of "eating more meat and drinking less porridge", and even some people were labeled as "admiring the foreign world".

Speaking of this, some people may wonder, what is the relationship between "eating meat" and "Western culture"?

Honestly, "eating meat" was once considered an important part of "Western culture." However, this realization does not appear in China, but next door to us, Japan. What is even more interesting is that the first person to vigorously advocate the Japanese to "eat more meat" was the famous modern thinker Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901).

So the question is, why did the ancient Japanese "not eat meat"? What was Fukuzawa's motivation for calling on Japanese people to "eat more meat"? I looked up some information and talked to you next.

Fukuzawa Yukichi on the yen

1) Why didn't the ancient Japanese eat meat?

It should be pointed out that from the end of the 7th century to the middle of the 19th century before the Meiji Restoration, we could hardly see the "hard dishes" that we commonly saw on the Japanese table. Therefore, many people (such as me) will always jokingly say, "The reason why Modern Japanese people are short in stature is because they do not eat meat."

The leaders of the Meiji Restoration: Takayoshi Kido, Shoho Yamaguchi, Iwakura Takeshi, Ito Hirobumi, and Okubo Ritsuru — did seem to be relatively limited in height

So the question is, why don't Japanese people eat meat? Scholars generally believe that this habit has a lot to do with the Buddhist precept of "not killing" and the concept of "impurity" in ancient Japanese culture.

1) The conflict between "eating meat in large bites" and Buddhist ideas

In the middle of the 6th century AD, Buddhism was introduced to Japan from China through Korea, and by the middle of the 7th century, Buddhism was already quite large in the Japanese archipelago, and even enjoyed the special status of "town protection of the country" for a long time.

As we all know, although buddhism has various sects, it generally has high requirements for the words and deeds of practitioners and their inner cultivation. Among them, the "Five Precepts", which take not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery, not speaking in vain, and not drinking alcohol as the main contents, are typical representatives.

According to the precepts of the Five Precepts, "Buddhist cultivators" are not allowed to drink alcohol or eat meat. In other words, in ancient Japan, where Buddhism was popular, "eating meat in large bites" was an act that was "inconsistent with mainstream values."

Japan Nara Daika

2) The "Official Meat Ban" in the Context of The Worship of Buddhism

In 675, Emperor Tenmu (c. 631-686), who was extremely devout to Buddhism, simply ordered that "meat is forbidden throughout the country." Specifically:

• Cattle, horses, dogs, apes, chickens and other livestock are included in the list of "fasting";
• Hunting and fishing people are not allowed to set traps, and cannot use guns or various mechanisms to obtain prey;
• Between April and September of each year, water barriers (designed to protect fry) should not be set up.

Of course, wild animals caught in mountain forests and fish caught in rivers, seas and lakes are not prohibited ("Do not eat the meat of cows, horses, dogs, apes and chickens, except for the prohibition"). It can be seen that the Japanese in this period can at least rely on "eating more fish" to "relieve hunger".

Yakushiji Temple, built in the 9th year (680) of Emperor Tenmu

During the reign of Emperor Shengmu (reign: 724-749), it was a time of frequent natural disasters and epidemics (smallpox). Fortunately, he handled it properly, so it did not cause major social unrest. Against this backdrop, he became an extremely devout Buddhist. Therefore, while he actively built Buddhist temples, he successively issued a stricter "meat ban order":

• In 737, he ordered a ban on the slaughter of animals, but with little effect.
• In the first month of 743 A.D., he once again issued an edict stipulating that "for seventy-seven days from the fourteenth day of the first month, killing shall be prohibited and all meat shall be strictly prohibited";
• Seeing that the results were not as effective as expected, in September 745, he issued an edict for the third time, stipulating that "for three years, the hunting of all animals and animals under the heavens shall be prohibited."

At this point, ordinary Japanese people have almost no chance of "solving their hunger".

Emperor Zhu Wu image

In short, from the second half of the 7th century onwards, almost all emperors issued "meat bans." With the passage of time, by the middle and late 8th century, "hunting animals" gradually evolved into a synonym for blood and cruelty, "prohibition of killing" became the norm of the middle and upper classes of society, and "eating meat" was regarded as a crude and barbaric act.

With the exception of the occasional bird (which, according to "Japanese custom", birds are not meat), meat has disappeared from the recipes of the princes and nobles.

Of course, a very small number of ordinary people living in mountainous and forest areas will also secretly hunt wild animals such as wild boars and mountain deer to "relieve hunger". However, livestock, represented by cultivated cattle, are never allowed to be eaten.

Japanese nobles of the Nara period (710-794).

3) The conflict between "filth" and "eating meat in large bites"

In addition, in the mythological system of Japan itself, there have always been the germs of the idea of "obscenity" represented by blood stains. With the introduction of the Buddhist concepts of "purity" and "sacredness", the connotation of this "filthy" idea represented by killing has been further deepened and extended.

Specifically, "filth" will not only tarnish people's bodies and minds, but also disrupt and pollute the order of the social community. Therefore, those who have "suffered filth" represented by hunters are not allowed to participate in major sacrificial activities if they are not "washed and purified" through the rituals of "Zen" and "Qi".

In short, since the end of the 7th century, it has been almost impossible for meat products to enter the "eyes" of Japan's upper class. Ordinary people can eat meat secretly, but given the extremely limited amount of capture. Therefore, at least before the Meiji Restoration (1868), the vast majority of Japanese people no longer had the "need to eat meat".

Japanese nobles in the Heian period (794-1192).

2) Why does Fukuzawa Yukichi advocate "eating more meat"?

In fact, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, with the introduction of Christianity, the phenomenon of beef consumption in the southwest region of Japan had a great "burning trend". However, with the opening of the Tokugawa shogunate's policy of locking down the country, the trend of "eating beef" quickly subsided.

1) Whether to "eat more meat" is a tangled problem

After the outbreak of the Black Ship Incident, the United States and Japan signed the Treaty of Goodwill between Japan and the United States in 1854. Soon, the shogunate signed a series of unequal treaties of commerce with The British, Russian, Dutch and other Western powers. At this point, the "policy of locking the country" that lasted for more than two hundred years completely collapsed (Extended reading: An overview: Why did the Meiji Restoration succeed, but the Penghu Reform law ended in failure?). ）。

Perry in a ukiyo-e painting with a U.S. Navy officer

In this context, Western culture quickly became popular in the Japanese archipelago, including "Western food culture" represented by "eating meat".

However, in view of the long-term ideological and institutional confinement, the upper echelons of Japan still hold reservations or even resistance to the issue of "eating meat."

Seeing that so many people were "stubborn" and had always advocated "breaking away from Asia and joining Europe," Fukuzawa Yukichi immediately concocted the so-called "meat-eating theory," that is, "calling on all Japanese people to develop the habit of eating more meat." In today's view, he is undoubtedly a "heretical" being.

2) Fukuzawa Yukichi's "Concept of Civilization"

In fact, before the meiji restoration officially began, he had three "experiences in the west".

• In 1860, as a beginner in English, he arrived in the United States for the first time as a member of a mission sent to the United States;
• In 1862, as a member of the European Mission, he visited Britain, France, Prussia, the Netherlands and other European countries.
• In 1867, he served as a commission commissioner on a warship, visited the United States for the second time, and purchased a large number of books in English.

Three times of staying in the West, he deeply felt the all-round gap between Japan and the European and American powers. At the same time, he was acutely aware that China (the Qing Dynasty), which had always resisted Western civilization, was about to fall into the abyss of eternal doom. Therefore, he was determined to guide the Japanese to take the initiative to align themselves with the European and American powers (Extended reading: Toeishi: How did Fukuzawa Yukichi "look down" on China?). ）。

Members of the visiting delegation in front of the Utrecht Embassy, the second from the left is Fukuzawa Yukichi

So the question is, how should Japan align itself with the "West"? Fukuzawa Yukichi believes that:

There are two aspects of (Western) civilization, namely "external things" and "inner spirits." Specifically, thoughts, concepts, and consciousness belong to the "inner spirit", and food, clothing, (Western) equipment, and even government decrees and laws belong to the "external civilization". "External civilization is easy to take, and inner spirit is difficult to seek, and if [Japan] wants to enter the ranks of civilized countries, it must first learn its inner spirit."

Therefore, he has been focusing his main energy on "enlightenment of thought". According to the data, by 1869, he had successively written and published works such as "Western Affairs (1866)", "List of All Nations in the Palm of The Hand (1869)", and "The End of the World (1869)". In the 1970s, he wrote a collection of essays, "Persuasion (1871-1876)" and "Outline of Civilization Theory (1875)".

Cover of Compendium of Civilization (1875).

However, it should be pointed out that Fukuzawa's frequent emphasis on the "inner spirit" does not mean that he ignores "external things (in Europe and America)."

In fact, as early as 1867, under the name of "Junnosuke Katayama", he wrote a pamphlet entitled "Western Clothing, Food and Housing", which introduced in more detail the tableware of Western food, the way Europeans and Americans eat, and "Western wines" such as red wine and beer (ale).

Inside page of "Western Food, Clothing and Housing"

3) "Eat more meat" and "national self-confidence"

It should be pointed out that Fukuzawa's admiration for meat products is mainly due to the deep recognition of its high nutritional value. "One of the reasons why the Western countries are strong is that the Western race is strong and tall", "The reason why the Western race is strong and tall is because of their reasonable meat and dairy food composition.".

In his view, if Japan wants to achieve "a rich country and a strong army," it must first ensure that the people have a strong physique. If you want to create a strong physique of the people, the first thing to do is to "eat more meat".

Meiji Restoration, allowing Japan to "take off" quickly

In 1870, he unfortunately suffered from an intestinal dysentery and was rapidly emaciated. Soon, a livestock company in Tokyo offered him milk to restore his health in a very short time.

After his recovery, he deliberately wrote a short article entitled "The Theory of Meat Eating", "righteously" calling on the Japanese to "drink more milk and eat more meat": "In ancient times, I was engaged in agriculture in Japan, and people's daily food was five grains, and there was little meat. As a result, human nutrition is biased to one side, resulting in a weak constitution of the Japanese. From now on, the method of herding cattle and sheep should be prescribed, eating their flesh and drinking their milk to make up for the nutritional deficiencies of the Japanese. ”

Immediately afterwards, he launched an extremely powerful attack on the Buddhist "Five Precepts" and the traditional "view of impurity": "People often think that meat is a filthy thing, and they have disgust. But what is greater than a cow compared to a whale? Why isn't it weird to hunt whales and eat their flesh? Or if some people see the scene of the slaughter of living creatures and feel cruel, is it not painful to cut the eel alive or cut off the head of the turtle? Some people may think that beef and milk are filthy things, but the food of cattle and sheep is only grains of grass and wood and water, and the cleanliness of their meat does not need to be discussed. ”

Finally, he once again emphasized the importance of "eating meat". "Today, the lack of meat in our Japanese people is an unhealthy practice, so there are not a few people who are weak. This is the destruction of a nation. Now that we know of its demise, and now that we know the method of making up for it, why not apply it? ”

Statue of Fukuzawa Yukichi in Keio University

In December 1882, he published an article entitled "Must Eat Meat" in the newspaper Heshi Xinshi, which he founded. He believes that the main reason for the "liveliness of the European and American minds, the strength of the bones and bones and the strength of the physical strength" is mainly the "difference in food":

"Europeans and Americans eat the most nourishing animal meat of mankind, while the Japanese eat the untrophed roots of grass and vegetables and do not like meat. Therefore, even in the prime of life full of blood, it is not as energetic as that of Europeans and Americans when working physically and mentally. Slightly older, physically weak, suddenly old, while Europeans and Americans, even if they are full of white hair, they are still rosy, seventy years old without the help of crutches, the difference is really not only the world! ”

At the end of the article, he even said "pessimistically": "The Japanese people's short torsos and pale colors, like dogs that have lost their families, are really a major problem for the country in today's competition among all countries." If you don't quickly cut off the old bad habits of eating and turn to the beauty of meat, you will regret it once you suffer. ”

In Fukuzawa's view, if the Japanese want to be "physically strong and mentally strong," they must abandon the concept of "filthy meat" and the Buddhist "Five Precepts" and "eat meat in large bites." In today's view, behind this psychology of seeking "physical strength and mental health" undoubtedly reflects his urgent mood of "becoming one of the world's civilized powers".

Silhouette of The Current Affairs Newspaper

3) Japanese "Meat Eating Tour"

From the perspective of development, behind Fukuzawa's strong advocacy of "eating more meat", there is a deep meaning of "enlightenment of people's wisdom". Specifically, through changes in Japanese eating habits, the distance between Japan and the European and American powers was further narrowed, aiming to reach the level of Western civilization.

Of course, eating habits and even the physical condition of the people cannot be regarded as the only yardstick to measure the level of civilization. However, it is undeniable that Fukuzawa's idea of "eating more meat" caused a great shock in all walks of life in Japan at that time. In fact, the Meiji government, which had been striving for "civilized civilization," allowed the navy to make beef a nutritious food as early as 1869.

On January 24, 1872, under the arrangement of the government, the then 20-year-old Meiji Emperor decided to "taste beef" on this day, and reported it through the "News Magazine" and other media. At this point, the "meat ban" that has lasted for a thousand years has been officially revoked, and the Japanese people can "eat meat unscrupulously".

Soon, local governments at all levels also promulgated policies to encourage people to "eat more beef". In April of that year, the government even issued a proclamation allowing monks to eat meat, grow their hair, and marry wives—a pure rule that Buddhists adhere to, which was completely overturned.

Modern Japan, which is becoming increasingly Westernized

Constrained by conceptual awareness and economic standards, the Japanese ate less than a fraction of the amount of meat in the Middle Meiji Period as the European and American powers. By the end of the Meiji period, "eating meat in a big mouth" had become one of the prominent signs of Japan's "civilization and civilization" like wearing suits, living in buildings, and speaking English, and "eating meat in a big mouth" had become a broad consensus from all walks of life.

In the context of the "big bite of meat" of the whole people, the height of Japanese citizens has also increased significantly. The data shows that by 1914, the average height of Japanese men had reached 1.56 meters, and the "increase" exceeded 10 centimeters.

It can be seen that the reason why Japan has successfully embarked on the road of modernization and once became the only developed country in Asia is really related to the existence of "eating meat in a big mouth".