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Q: Are vegans doomed in China?
Can those who are super strict (i.e. won't even eat food from a pot which once contained animal products) actually survive on their vegan diet here? And are there even any Chinese vegans in China at all?
12 years 33 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
I think it is impossible to think that you could eat just vegan anywhere except in your house. If you come here to work it would be a major problem trying to be part of your new community. They might think you are weird. Okay, if you are in a big city in a place where vegan people live you might want to start up a restaurant...just an idea I've talked to many Chinese about vegans and thay just think it is not possible.
Close to many buddhist temples are vegan restaurants. Buddhists who closely follow the rules are not supposed to eat animal products...
I was very surprised to find that being vegan or vegetarian is extremely difficult here. Forget about eating out. The only place I found they don't sell meat was at the top of a mountain among Buddhist temples. I lived on the border with Tibet and found everyone eating meat. Be careful eating out as they will not understand or respect you. If you ask for something fried they will tell you it is peanut oil and fry your food when they finish frying the fish.
I think it could be managed, as long as you don't have to attend endless company dinners and lunches and banquets. Different schools seem to involve their foreigners to different levels in those events.
It's tough here. I don't eat any red meat, just chicken, turkey (fat chance of finding it here) and seafood. So they are always trying to give me pigeon, duck, eel or anything else they think I can eat.
The chicken in china is horrible...and i am not a fan of duck or pigeon.
When in China I pretty much just eat tofu, veggies, and little bit of seafood...at least what I can stomach.
People here seem to have a class mentality. People with money eat meat and poor people eat rice and veggies. They can't seem to grasp the idea that some people choose to eat this way. Especially a westerner with money.
I am sure I have offended many hosts here at business dinners, but I don't care anymore.
Be polite but refuse any food you do not want to eat. They seem to accept your diet if they believe it is not based on ideological reasons and more about meat making you sick.
It's a culture thing. Chinese people want to eat meat and vegetable!
GoldenBoy:
A culture which is literally forced down everyone's throat whether from that culture or not. Chinese people are very closed minded when it comes to other cultures and can even become rude when they don't take no for an answer because of their lack of cultural respect.
My mum and my aunt r really strict vegetarians.
My mum has her own pan, pot and chopping board, if I want to eat along with her, I have to decide for that meal I will not eat any meat with my chop stick...
There a a lot people like that, and yes mostly because of the Buddhists part...
