As a multi-ethnic country, different ethnic groups have formed their own unique cultural customs in the long-term historical development, including various taboos and taboos on food.
These taboos are often closely related to the beliefs and lifestyles of various ethnic groups. The Hui, the most populous people on the mainland, for example, are well known not to eat pork, a taboo that stems directly from Islam, which is practiced by the majority of the Hui people. Islam has always regarded pork as "unclean" and believes that the ingestion of pork affects the soul.
This custom of the Hui can be said to be an outward manifestation of their unique religious beliefs. The Manchus living in the Northeast also have their unique dietary taboo of not eating dog meat. This is closely related to the living environment and production and lifestyle of the Manchus.
The Manchus have lived by hunting for generations, using dogs to assist in hunting, and it can be said that without the help of hunting dogs, their lives would be unsustainable. Therefore, dogs gradually became indispensable companions in Manchu life, and were given a high status, so naturally they were not regarded as food.
When it comes to food taboos and dietary taboos, it is easy for us to first think of the traditional customs of some ethnic minorities, but in fact, the Han nationality, the most populous people, also has its own unique taboos, but with the changes of the times, this ancient tradition has been forgotten by many people.
For the Han Chinese society, which was mainly agricultural in ancient times, the role of cattle was very important. It is not only the most important agricultural production labor, but also an important means of transportation for people.
Without cattle, the entire ancient agricultural system would have collapsed. Therefore, whether it is for the sake of economic benefits or a belief in worshipping cattle, the Han people have formed a cultural custom of not slaughtering cattle and not eating beef.
For a long time, this taboo even became a clear legal requirement, and violators were severely punished. In the same way, the rooster is given a special meaning as an important tool for farmers to recognize time and season. The ancients believed that eating chicken was equivalent to harming one's own kind.
It was not until the Qing Dynasty, with the changes in society, that these taboos of not eating beef and chicken were gradually diluted, and beef and chicken slowly appeared on the Han diet table.
These seemingly peculiar dietary taboos and taboos actually have their historical origins, and together they constitute the rich and three-dimensional cultural outlook of China's multi-ethnic society.
Instead of blindly rejecting these traditions from a modern perspective, we need to explore the context in which these customs were formed with an open and inclusive mind, so as to understand the historical wisdom contained in them more comprehensively.
In the case of Islam, which prohibits the consumption of pork, this explicit doctrinal stipulation is actually inseparable from the geographical environment in which the religion was born. Islam originated in the arid and barren lands of the Middle East, which were filled with deserts, and the environment was hardly suitable for raising animals such as pigs, which needed large amounts of water and feed.
The lifestyle of the locals naturally finds it difficult to accept pork for food. Islam, as the main ideology in the region, naturally absorbed the habits of the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula and gradually developed into a religious doctrine prohibiting the consumption of pork.
This cultural practice has been passed down from generation to generation, and is eventually embodied in the Hui groups of the mainland as far east as possible. The fact that the Manchus do not eat dog meat is also a result of their living environment and hunting traditions. As an ethnic minority living in the northeast for a long time, the Manchus have lived by hunting for generations.
In the vast grasslands and dense forests, hunting dogs are their most important assistants in obtaining food. It can be said that without the help of hunting dogs, the life of the Manchus would be untenable.
As a result, the status of the dog gradually overtook the average prey in Manchu culture, becoming an unharmable friend, a fellow of the kind, and even a god. This formed the custom of the Manchus not to regard dogs as food.
As a multi-ethnic country, different ethnic cultures have integrated and collided with each other in the long-term historical evolution, and jointly built a huge and rich cultural system of Chinese civilization.
Each and every one of us citizens should have a positive and inclusive mindset to understand the diverse food culture in Chinese society, and to inherit and protect these unique cultural heritages.
China has always been a melting pot, bringing together the living habits and cultural traditions of various ethnic groups such as Han, Hui and Manchu. The dietary taboos and taboos of these ethnic groups have also been run-in through long-term exchanges, forming a three-dimensional appearance of Chinese food culture.
We must not narrowly deny the customs of any kind of nation, but we must embrace them with a broad mind. At the same time, in today's highly information-based society, these traditional food cultures are also in danger of being replaced by new things and forgotten by the younger generation. Therefore, every citizen should take the initiative to take the responsibility of inheritance and protection, and let these precious cultural heritages enter the lives of young people and into the future through oral and recorded records.
Let us work together to nurture these unique and interconnected food cultures, and continue to provide vitality for the big family of the Chinese nation. We should not only keep in mind the fine traditions of our respective nations, but also learn to appreciate the charm of different nationalities.
Only in this way can China's giant ship sail steadily and dynamically on the waves of history. As a multi-ethnic country, China's Han, Manchu, Hui and other ethnic cultures have influenced and collided with each other in the long-term historical evolution, forming a rich multicultural picture.
Each and every one of us should not ridicule or deny the food culture of any one nation, but should use a positive and tolerant attitude to understand the historical origins behind different customs and protect these cultural heritages.
Together, these unique dietary taboos constitute the three-dimensional landscape of Chinese civilization. They have been passed down from generation to generation and are timeless, and we need to inherit and carry them forward with enthusiasm.
In the context of the new era, it also provides the soil for sustainable development of different food cultures. Only in this way can the big tree of the Chinese nation grow vigorously and continue to blossom and bear fruit.