China is a multi-ethnic countryDifferent ethnic groups have unique dietary taboos!
As we all knowThe Hui do not eat pork, the Manchus do not eat dog meat, and the Dai do not eat mutton.
And the Han nationality, as the largest ethnic group, has also had dietary taboosNow it is forgotten by most people!
So, what kind of meat do Han people not eat? And why did it change to what it is now?
As a people who advocate loyalty and gratitude, the Manchus have formed a distinctive feature in their cultural traditions, that is, they do not eat dog meat, behind this customIt reflects the Manchu people's cognition of the special emotion and status of the dog as an animal.
The ancestors of the Manchus lived in the northeast region, where the climate was severe and snowy and snowy, in order to adapt to the environmentHe lived a life of fishing and hunting.
In the absurd natural environment, the dog became the most loyal helper and companion of the Manchu people, and every time they went out huntingManchu hunters would bring with them several alert hounds, they help hunters spot the trail of wild beasts and hunt down their prey.
It is said that these intelligent and hard-working hounds have been trained for a long time to be able to listen to their owners' whistle commands, nimbly move through trees and grass, track the smell of their prey, and besiege tired prey if necessaryIt greatly improves the hunting efficiency of hunters.
Even when their owners are in danger, these hounds will not care for their own safetySwear to protect the hunters to the death, it can be said that without the help of hunting dogs, it would have become extremely difficult for Manchu hunters to obtain food in the reckless wasteland.
Even in the harsh winter season, dogs will become an important member of the Manchu family, in the bitter cold, the body temperature of dogs is much higher than that of humans, and they will come close to their owners to keep warmBecome a "living hot water bottle".
It is worth mentioning that in the vicinity of Manchu villages, wolves and tigers are often infestedThreaten the safety of villagers' lives and property.
Faithful dogs patrol the area around the villageWhen danger is detected, it barks loudly to warn the owner, protect the whole village with their own lives.
The Manchus regarded these dogs who sacrificed themselves as confidants and mentors, and naturally they could not bear to hurt them, and they would never think of eating them when they were hungryA life-saver who once saved himself from fire and water.
And there is also a widespread legend among the Manchus about how the yellow dog sacrificed his life to saviorThis has also become an important source for the Manchus not to eat dog meat.
According to legend, when the Manchu leader Nurhachi was young, his uncle Long Dun was ambitious and tried to usurp the thronePick up a sharp blade and want to take advantage of the situation to kill.
However, a yellow dog beside Nurhachi was keenly aware of his uncle's misdeeds, and he barked loudly and recklesslyI want to wake up the owner who is sleeping soundly.
In the end, this brave yellow dog unfortunately died in the line of duty, but he also moved Nurhachi because of his loyalty, so that he recognized the true face of his uncle, and Nurhachi ordered the Manchus not to eat dog meatThis is a way to commemorate the dog's loyalty.
The Manchus have adhered to this code of conduct for generations, even now living in settlementNo more hunting for a living, and never eat dog meat.
This has become a kind of ethnic rule and taboo in Manchu culture, just hearing the word "dog meat".It was enough to make the Manchus feel uncomfortable.
This reflects the Manchu people's national virtue of advocating friendship and repaying gratitude, and in the Chinese nation, not only the Manchus have the custom of not eating dog meatEthnic minorities such as Tibetans have similar traditions.
In recent years, with the improvement of people's awareness of environmental protection, more and more people have begun to oppose eating dog meat, we should respect the food culture and traditions of various ethnic groups, but also be guided by the concept of humanity and environmental protectionJointly promote the establishment of a more civilized carnivorous culture.
Food choices are often not just based on personal preference, but are closely related to specific cultural practicesBoth the Hui and Dai have taboos against eating specific meats, which contains a unique historical origin and cultural connotation.
The Hui do not eat pork because of their Islamic beliefs, and in the 7th century, Arab traders brought Islam to ChinaThey became the ancestors of the Hui people.
The Qur'an, the sacred text of Islam, prohibits the consumption of pork, and the Qur'an also prohibits the consumption of self-dead animalsThis embodies the noble reverence for life in Islam.
In addition, the climatic conditions of the Arabian Peninsula at that time were not suitable for pig breeding, the climate was dry, water was scarce, and it was difficult to meet the dietary needs of pigs, under the combined influence of faith and living environmentNot eating pork has become a tradition for the Hui people.
In the legends of the Hui people, there are also beautiful stories of gratitude and virtue, reflecting that they do not hate pigs, and some anecdotes contain the complex emotions of the Hui peopleA variety of behaviors that both love and hate pigs.
The pig's personality is strange, often making some unexpected moves, the Hui people are surprised and delighted by this, and the pig has the habit of pulling dung everywhere to forage for foodLet the Hui people love and hate them.
Although a small number of people taste it privately, the majority of Hui people still follow the faith devoutly and practice the custom of not eating pork with practical actionsThis has become part of the Hui culture and identity.
In contrast, the Dai people's refusal to eat mutton stems from the worship of sheep, and in Dai legends, sheep have rescued their ancestors from dangerSo sheep are regarded as holy taboo animalsIt can be seen that the noble spiritual pursuit of the Dai people and the inheritance of beautiful legends.
The dietary taboos of different ethnic groups represent their unique cultural symbols, and we should also use a positive and open mind when tasting exotic foodUnderstand the human history behind different cultures.
This is a kind of cross-cultural connection and communication, and if you only stay at the level of appetite, it is difficult to appreciate the profound connotation of these customsThe choice of food is as much about emotion as it is about intelligence.
China is a multi-ethnic country, different ethnic groups have a unique food culture, among them, the ancient Han people have a certain taboo on beef, which contains a rich historical and cultural connotation.
In the ancient Han agrarian society,Cattle play a very important roleIt is one of the most important labor forces of farmers, and in the era of lack of agricultural machinery, cattle participated in a large number of agricultural production labor such as farming and transportation.
It can be said that cattle made a great contribution to the ancient agricultural economy, out of gratitude and respectIn ancient times, the Han people regarded cattle as sacred animals and were not allowed to be slaughtered and eaten at will.
In the Tang Dynasty, there was a special law to protect the cow, even if the cow died of old age, it could not eat its meatViolators are subject to severe penalties.
This kind of beef taboo is also related to the religious beliefs and moral concepts of the ancient Han peopleCattle are seen as benefactors who provide labor, should be protected and respected.
Eating beef was considered immoral and would be punished by the gods, so even during periods of severe famine, many Han Chinese preferred to starve rather than eat their own cattleThis fully reflects the status of cattle in the hearts of the ancient Han people.
With the development of history, this beef taboo gradually faded, and after the Song Dynasty, beef began to appear in street stalls, and in modern timesBeef has become part of the daily diet of the Han Chinese, especially in the north.
Modern technology and agricultural machinery have greatly reduced the dependence on cattle, which are mainly raised as economic animals, although some regions and families still retain the tradition of not eating beefTo commemorate the ancients and respect the ecology.
At the same time, there are other ethnic groups in our country that have similar respect and taboo for cattleThis reflects the common awareness of animal protection and ecological wisdom.
The food culture of different ethnic groups is a microcosm of its long history, and we should respect each other's different dietary taboosRemember that any living being deserves to be treated with kindnessOnly then can we build a pluralistic, symbiotic, harmonious and inclusive society.
In addition to beef taboos, there were many other food taboos in ancient Han China, such as not eating dog meat, and in ancient times, dogs were regarded as friends and guardian saints of humansHelp humans take care of their homes and homes, and they shouldn't eat it.
This is similar to the taboo of the Hui people not to eat pork, all of which stem from respect for a certain animal, in addition, the ancients also forbade the eating of many wild animals, such as leopards, tigers, bears, etc., mainly for safety reasonsIt also embodies the concept of protecting wildlife resources.
In ancient times, it was taboo to eat fish, elk, monkeys and other animals, which had mythological overtonesIt is regarded as the embodiment of a god or a legendary beast, not edible.
Violating these dietary taboos was morally and religiously condemned, and the ancients believed that they contained providence and human heartsIt represents the wisdom of harmony between man and nature.
It is worth mentioning that in ancient times, there was also a clear hierarchy for eating wild meatIt is difficult for the poor to eat rare game, only high-ranking officials and nobles have the privilege of enjoying rare birds and beasts.
To a certain extent, this has played a role in protecting the species, although modern society no longer has these taboosBut protecting wildlife is still very necessary.
The dietary taboos of the ancient Han nationality contain rich historical and cultural connotationsThese taboos reflect the ancient worldview and reverence for animals.
In contemporary society, we should still keep in mind the concept of ecological symbiosis and animal protection through the inheritance of food cultureThe food customs of different ethnic groups are worthy of our respect and cherishmentThis is an important foundation for building a harmonious and pluralistic society.