In the Water Margin, a treasure of classical Chinese literature, the lives of the heroes of Liangshan are often depicted as uninhibited, drinking and eating meat. Among them, the desire to eat two catties of beef per person per day is even more mouth-watering. However, could this seemingly simple wish really come true during the Song Dynasty? You must know that in an agrarian society, cattle are a precious tool of production, not a delicacy that can be enjoyed casually. So, what do the heroes of Liangshan think about this problem? Can they really feast with impunity? Or is it just a beautiful but elusive dream? Let's step into history together and unravel this mystery.
The dietary aspirations of the heroes of Yangsan
Everyone in the world knows the heroism of the heroes of Liangshan, but they don't know that they still have a simple and unpretentious wish in their hearts: each person can eat two catties of beef every day. The origin of this wish has to start from the origin of the heroes of Liangshan.
It is said that back then, when Song Jiang was still working as a priest in Yuncheng County, every New Year's Day, the county magistrate would slaughter a cow and distribute it to the officials in the yamen. Song Jiang was able to get a small piece of beef every time, and the aroma made him have an endless aftertaste. Once, Song Jiang and his colleagues discussed, saying: "It would be great if you could eat such fragrant beef every day!" "
These words reached the ears of the heroes who went to Liangshan later, and everyone echoed them. Wu Song said even more arrogantly: "If we can go to Liangshan one day, we will definitely let the brothers have meat to eat!" "
In this way, the desire of two catties of beef per person per day took root in the hearts of the heroes of Liangshan. This may not seem like a lot, but it's enough to make them feel satisfied. You must know that in the Song Dynasty, it was rare for ordinary people to eat meat once a year, let alone precious beef.
The pursuit of food by the heroes of Liangshan is not just to satisfy the appetite. In their eyes, it represents a life of freedom. Lin Chong once sighed: "When I was on an errand in the government, let alone beef, I couldn't even eat enough coarse tea and light rice." Now that he has gone to Liangshan, although it is a grass, he can let his brothers be fed and clothed, which is the real happiness. "
Behind this wish, there is a deeper social meaning. In the Song Dynasty, those who could often eat beef were often high-ranking officials and nobles. The heroes of Liangshan are eager to eat beef, and to some extent, they are also pursuing equality. Lu Zhishen once said: "Why can officials eat and drink spicy food, and we ordinary people can only gnaw on the nest?" On Liangshan, everyone is a brother, and they should be blessed and shared! "
However, can this wish really come true? You know, in the Song Dynasty, cattle were a valuable tool of production. The imperial court even enacted strict laws prohibiting the common people from slaughtering cattle without permission. Although the heroes of Liangshan claimed to be "doing the right thing for heaven", they did not dare to blatantly slaughter a large number of cattle.
Once, Li Kui snatched a cow at the bottom of the mountain and was eager to bring it back to the village to be slaughtered. When Wu Yong learned about it, he hurriedly stopped it and said, "Brother Li, this cow is the lifeblood of the people!" Although we are heroes, we cannot cut off the livelihood of the people. Only then did Li Kui put the cow back.
In order to solve this problem, the heroes of Liangshan racked their brains. Song Jiang proposed: "We can send people to other places to buy beef, which will not affect the local people and satisfy the wishes of the brothers." Gongsun Sheng suggested: "It is better to raise some cattle in the mountains and use them exclusively for meat, so as to ensure the supply and not cause criticism." "
In this way, the heroes of Liangshan are talking about how to realize this seemingly simple but difficult wish. Although they understand that there is still a long way to go before everyone can eat two catties of beef every day. But this desire has become the driving force for them to pursue a better life.
The current situation of beef consumption during the Song Dynasty
During the Song Dynasty, cattle played a vital role in agricultural production. It is not only the workhorse of arable land, but also an important tool for transporting goods. Farmers at that time used to say, "One ploughing ox is better than ten strong laborers." This quote vividly describes the important position of cattle in agricultural production.
There is a folk tale about the preciousness of cattle: a farmer's only farming cow was sick, and he waited by the cow day and night, even selling the family's grain to hire a veterinarian. When his neighbors called him stupid, he said, "Without cattle, where will next year's harvest come from?" "This story reflects the dependence of people on farming cattle at the time.
Because cattle were so important, the Song Dynasty government strictly controlled the slaughter of cultivated cattle. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, the imperial court issued a decree clearly stipulating that it was a felony to slaughter a ploughing ox without permission. Violators will not only have to go to prison for three years, but will also be sent to the frontier. Even those who fail to report the information can be sentenced to two years in prison.
The severity of this decree can be seen in a real-life case. During the Song Dynasty, there was a farmer named Wang Er in Zhejiang, because he had a grudge against his neighbor Zhang San, and secretly cut off the tongue of Zhang San's ploughing cattle at night, causing the ploughing cattle to die because they could not eat. At first, the government suspected that Zhang San had killed the cattle himself and was ready to deal with it in accordance with the law. Fortunately, the county magistrate was able to find out the truth and finally found out the truth, and Wang Er was sentenced to a heavy sentence for intentionally injuring a ploughing cow to death.
However, while the law is strict, there are always exceptions. For example, when a ploughing ox is unable to work due to old age or accidental injury, the government will allow it to be slaughtered. However, the process is also tightly controlled. First of all, the owner of the cow has to report the situation to the government; Secondly, the government sent people to inspect the site and confirmed that the cattle were indeed unable to continue working; Eventually, the government will compensate the cattle owners and then arrange for the slaughter and distribution of the beef.
Because of this strict control, access to beef is extremely rare for ordinary people. There is an interesting record: there was a farmer named Li Si in a certain county in the Song Dynasty who had only eaten beef once in his life. That's because his family's cattle unfortunately broke their legs and were slaughtered with the permission of the government. Li Si recalled: "I will never forget the taste of beef in my life, but unfortunately I am afraid that I will never be able to eat it again in this life." "
Even in exceptional cases, cattle are allowed to be slaughtered, and the price of beef is prohibitively high. According to the market records of the Song Dynasty, the price of good beef could reach "more than 100 yuan", which was equivalent to more than ten days' wages for ordinary workers. Therefore, the only people who can eat beef regularly are those rich businessmen and dignitaries.
Interestingly, despite its scarcity and high price, the literati of the Song Dynasty often mentioned beef in their poems. For example, the famous poet Su Shi once wrote: "Huangzhou is good pork, but the price is as cheap as soil." The noble refuse to eat, and the poor do not know how to cook. Although the poem is ostensibly about pork, it is actually a satire on the social ethos of eating beef as a status symbol at that time.
In general, beef consumption during the Song Dynasty was in a state of "unattainable". For ordinary people, beef is a delicacy that is hard to find; And for dignitaries, it is a status symbol. This situation also provides an important social background for us to understand the desire of the heroes of Liangshan to "two catties of beef a day".
Analysis of the beef consumption capacity of the heroes of Yangsan
Although the heroes of Liangshan claim to be the way of heaven, their lifestyle and spending power are far from comparable to ordinary people. To analyze whether they can fulfill their wish of two catties of beef per person per day, we need to consider it from multiple angles.
First of all, let's look at the economic sources of the heroes of Liangshan. According to the "Water Margin", Liang Shanbo often sent people down the mountain to rob merchants and rob wealthy households. Once, Song Jiang led a group of heroes to rob the wealthy Wang Taigong's house, and suddenly got "gold and jewelry, about one million yuan". This wealth was astronomical at the time, enough to support the squandering of Liangshan for a period of time.
Not only that, but the heroes of Liangshan often accept the "contributions" of wealthy businessmen. For example, in the episode known as "the real and false Li Kui", the wealthy businessman Li Xiaoer once went up the mountain with a heavy gift to ask to see Song Jiang. Although these "contributions" are nominally gifts, they are in fact a disguised form of protection money. In this way, the heroes of Yangshan amassed a lot of wealth.
However, money alone is not enough, there must also be a steady supply of beef. In this regard, the heroes of Liangshan can be described as painstaking. It is said that they sent a few clever brothers, disguised as wealthy merchants, to go to various places to buy beef. These people must not only be familiar with the market, but also have their own set of rhetoric. For example, they often say that they are running a birthday party for a big person, so they need a lot of beef. This argument is not only reasonable, but also avoids arousing suspicion from the government.
Once, Yan Qing, who was in charge of procurement, encountered a problem when he was buying beef in the Jiangnan area. The local government strictly prohibits the slaughter of cattle without permission, and beef is almost not seen in the market. Yan Qing had an idea and found a retired local butcher and persuaded him to return to his old business. The old butcher pretended to be an ordinary farmer during the day and slaughtered cattle secretly at night. In this way, Yan Qing successfully established a secret beef supply line.
In addition to buying from other places, the heroes of Liangshan also secretly kept a group of cattle in captivity near the cottage. The cattle were housed in secluded valleys and guarded by special personnel. In order to avoid people's eyes, the caretakers are not even allowed to go down the mountain, and all daily necessities are regularly delivered by the cottage. This practice, although costly, ensures a stable supply of beef.
Still, it is a huge challenge to achieve the wish of two catties of beef per person per day. Let's do the math: Suppose there are more than 180 people up and down Liangshan (in fact, it may be more), and each person has two catties of beef per day, then three hundred and sixty catties of beef are needed a day. According to the calculation that an adult cow can provide about 400 catties of meat, Liangshan has to slaughter at least one cow every day.
This may seem like a small number, but it is not easy to maintain in the long term. First of all, slaughtering cattle in such large quantities can easily attract the attention of the government. Second, even if Yangsan was rich, it was extremely difficult to obtain such a large supply of beef in the social environment at the time.
Interestingly, the heroes of Liangshan also seem to be aware of this. It is said that Song Jiang once proposed that some of the beef could be replaced with other meats. For example, they can keep pigs and sheep in the mountains to reduce their dependence on beef and enrich their diet. After Wu Song heard this proposal, he also said half-jokingly: "My old Wu likes to eat lion meat the most, why don't we go and catch the 'yellow lion' in Zhenguanxi and stew it?" This sentence caused all the heroes to laugh.
In general, although the heroes of Liangshan have economic strength and special social status beyond ordinary people, they still face many practical difficulties in fully realizing the desire of two catties of beef per person per day. This desire reflects more of their yearning for a life of freedom and abundance of food and clothing, rather than a strict daily dietary standard.
Dietary characteristics of two catties of beef per day and its effects
The dietary standard of "two catties of beef a day" is widely spread among the heroes of Liangshan, and has even become one of their life goals. This eating habit not only reflects their yearning for a better life, but also affects their daily life and physical condition to a certain extent.
First, let's take a look at the features of this way of eating. Eating a lot of beef every day means that the diet of the heroes of Liangshan is mainly high in protein and high fat. This diet was in stark contrast to the grain-based diet of the common people at the time. According to the description in "Water Margin", the diet of the heroes of Liangshan is not only beef, but also often accompanied by a large amount of wine. For example, when describing the scene of Lin Chong ascending Liangshan, the scene of "a large plate of beef, a large bowl of wine" is mentioned.
This way of eating had a significant impact on the physical condition of the heroes of Liangshan. There is an interesting story to support this: Once, Li Kui, a good man from Liangshan, went down the mountain to run errands, and met a group of officers and soldiers on the way. Those officers and soldiers originally wanted to arrest Li Kui, but when they saw Li Kui's burly figure and strong muscles, they were so frightened that they didn't dare to step forward. Later, when someone asked about this, the officers and soldiers said: "That big black man's arms are thicker than our thighs, where are we his opponents!" Although this story is a bit exaggerated, it also reflects from the side that the heroes of Liangshan have an extraordinary physique because they have eaten a lot of beef for a long time.
However, this way of eating also comes with some negative effects. It is rumored that some heroes in Liangshan have some health problems due to long-term excessive consumption of beef. For example, some people often feel dry mouth, while others often have uncomfortable bloating. In this regard, Wang Jin, a military doctor on Liangshan, put forward some suggestions. He believes that beef should be eaten in moderation and with some vegetables and fruits. It is said that at the suggestion of Wang Jin, some vegetables began to be planted on Liangshan, and every once in a while people would be sent down the mountain to buy fresh fruits.
In addition to the impact on the body, this eating habit has also affected the daily life of the heroes of Yangshan to a certain extent. Due to the need for a large supply of beef, a department was set up in Yangshan to purchase and store beef. This department is in charge of Yan Qing, who is proficient in market conditions, and has multiple teams responsible for procurement, transportation, storage and other work. In order to ensure the freshness of the beef, they even built a large ice cellar in the cottage to store the beef.
Once, due to heavy rains, the road to transport beef was washed away, causing the supply of beef on Yangsan to be interrupted. This matter aroused Song Jiang's great attention. He immediately gathered everyone to discuss countermeasures, and finally decided to send an elite team to forcibly transport beef up the mountain in the wind and rain. Although this decision is risky, it also reflects the importance of beef in the daily life of Yangsan's heroes.
In addition, the standard of "two catties of beef per day" has also become a selling point for Liangshan heroes to attract talents. There is an interesting story like this: Once, a man with high martial arts skills was pursued by the government and fled to the vicinity of Liangshan. When the heroes of Liangshan learned about it, they sent people to persuade him to join. The man was not tempted at first, but when he heard about the treatment of "two catties of beef a day" on Liangshan, he immediately changed his mind and happily joined Liangshan. Although this story may be exaggerated, it also reflects the appeal of the standard of "two catties of beef a day" at the time.
It is worth mentioning that this eating habit of the heroes of Liangshan has also caused some controversy. Some people believe that the overconsumption of beef by the heroes of Yangshan will lead to a decrease in the number of cattle, which will affect agricultural production. In this regard, the heroes of Liangshan also have their own countermeasures. They claim that the beef they consume comes mainly from old and frail cattle that are no longer able to farm, so that agricultural production will not be affected, and these old cattle will be able to exert their last value.
The relationship between the beef consumption of the heroes of Yangsan and the society at that time
The standard of "two catties of beef per day" of Liangshan heroes is not just a simple eating habit, it has far-reaching influence and complex significance in the social background of the time. This type of consumption is closely related to the social structure, economic conditions and cultural traditions of the time.
First of all, from an economic point of view, the beef consumption of the Yangsan heroes reflected the gap between the rich and the poor in the society at that time. In the Song Dynasty, the diet of ordinary people was mainly coarse grains, and meat was a rare luxury. According to historical records, at that time, the average farmer could only eat a few catties of meat a year. And the heroes of Liangshan can eat two catties of beef every day, and this huge contrast clearly shows the inequality of society.
There is an interesting story that illustrates this. It is said that once, Wu Song, a good man of Liangshan, went down the mountain to run errands, and passed by a village when it was lunch time. He saw the villagers sitting around with only a bowl of gruel and a few pickles in front of them. Seeing this, Wu Song couldn't help but ask, "Do you usually eat these?" The villagers replied, "It's a rare good day, and I don't even eat pickles." After hearing this, Wu Song couldn't help but sigh at the huge gap between the lives of Liangshan and the mountain.
This huge difference in consumption has also raised some social problems. Rumor has it that because of the large purchase of beef by the heroes of Yangsan, the price of beef in the surrounding area has soared, making it even more difficult for ordinary people to afford it. In this regard, the heroes of Liangshan have taken some measures. For example, they regularly distribute some beef to the surrounding villages, or hold a "beef feast" during festivals to invite people from the neighborhood to participate. Although these practices cannot fundamentally solve the problem, they have alleviated the contradiction to a certain extent.
From a cultural point of view, the beef consumption of the heroes of Yangshan also reflected certain values of the society at that time. In traditional Chinese culture, beef has always been regarded as a noble food. There is a record in the "Book of Rites" that "the Son of Heaven does not kill cattle for no reason", which shows how precious beef was in ancient times. The pursuit of the standard of "two catties of beef per day" by the heroes of Liangshan is, to a certain extent, a challenge and rebellion against this traditional concept.
There's a story to illustrate this. It is said that on one occasion, an official infiltrated Yangsan to inquire for information. He disguised himself as an ordinary person and was taken to the house in Liangshan. He was speechless with astonishment when he saw the chefs eating large chunks of beef. Later, he said in his report: "Those thieves dare to eat beef so unscrupulously, it is really unlawless!" Although this story may be exaggerated, it also reflects the peculiarity of the beef consumption of the heroes of Yangshan in the society at that time.
In addition, the beef consumption of the heroes of Yangshan also had a certain impact on agricultural production at that time. In order to meet the demand of Yangsan, beef cattle began to be raised in large numbers in the surrounding area. This change has changed the traditional cattle breeding model based on cultivated cattle, and promoted the development of animal husbandry to a certain extent. It is recorded that in some areas around Yangsan, there are even special "beef villages" where villagers raise beef cattle for a living.
However, this change also comes with some problems. There are concerns that overfeeding beef cattle will affect agricultural production, as it may reduce the number of cultivated cattle. In response, the heroes of Liangshan proposed a solution: they promised to give priority to the cattle that were too old and infirm to farm. This practice not only ensures their own beef supply, but also relieves the burden on farmers to a certain extent.
It is worth mentioning that the beef consumption of the heroes of Liangshan also influenced the food culture of the time. It is said that because of the regular consumption of beef, many unique beef cooking methods have developed in Yangsan. For example, there is a dish called "Yangsan beef", which is said to be made by slow-boiling whole beef and adding various spices, which is extremely delicious. These dishes were later spread down the mountain and became a local specialty.
The beef consumption of the heroes of Yangsan has also given rise to some interesting folklore. There is a well-known story that one year, there was a severe drought near Yangsan, and farmers prayed to the god of the land for rain. However, the god of the land was slow to manifest. Some people speculate that it may be because the heroes of Liangshan ate too much beef and angered the gods. So, the villagers raised money to buy a cow and prepare it for sacrifice. Just as they were about to slaughter the cow, it suddenly began to rain heavily. It is believed that this is a manifestation of the gods, and since then, there has been a custom of sacrificing cattle during droughts.