The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-28
Chinese Eat Wholesome Food,

From the Forum.
The cuisine of the Chinese and the
mode and ceremonies attending their
feasts have done much to give them
somewhat extraordinary reputation.
Globe rotters, striving to make their
letters brilliant and their books sensa-
tional, have told such wonderful tales
of bird-nest soup, canine hams, grimal-
kin fricassees, rats, snakes, worms and
other culinary novelties, served up in
such marvellous styles and eaten with
such apparent relish, that their read
ers naturally take it for granted that
these things form a large proportion of
the food of the people of China.
Generally speaking, the diet of the
Chinese is sufficient in variety, whole
some and we'll cooked, even if their
methods are essentially different from
our own. Doubtless many of the dishes
found are extremely unpaIatable to
Americans because Of the quantity of
nut oil used and by reason of the
pungent flavor of the large amount of
garlic introduced. In the latter respect,
however the dishes of southern Europe
are equally Objectionable AS to the
assortment of food, it has been said
that there is wider difference, per
haps, between the rich and poor of
China t han of any other country.
1t is probably true that the Chinese
use a greater variety of meats than do
the people of other countries, although
but little land is set apart for grazing
or for the cultivation OF food for live
stock Beef is not a common meat,
principally because of the Buddh1St1c
prejudice against killing any animal,
and particularly such useful one
Since hogs can be so economically rear
ed. pork is undoubtedly after rice, the
leading article of food. This is eaten
in every form, and one may say that
every part of the animal is utilized for
food. HOrsefesh, venisOn, antelope
and bear are often seen, but in passing
through the markets pork, mutton and
fowls are the most conspicuous.
For fish the Chinese have an omniv-
orOus appetite; nothing from the wa
ter, either fresh or salt, being rejected.
A few kittens and puppies may be Of
fered for sale in cages Those which
are intended for the table are fed upon
grain and clean food; so that, If the
nature of this food be considered, it is
far more wholesome than is the I'M
clean hog To assert that cats and
dogs form a staple article of food is
pure fiction.
One may live for years in a Chinese
city without seeing rats or mice offered
for sale as food. They are sold for
medicine, but even for this purpose
they are not 50 easily caught as to be
cheap. The treatment to which the
common people often subject unfOrtun-
ate rats which have been caught in the
granary initiates against the notion
that these animals are selected as
choice tid-bitS for the table Because
the rats steal their most precious arti-
Gle of food, rice, the Chinese hold that
they are criminals of the deepest dye
and they merit the worst hind of tor
ture. Black dogs and cats are favOrites
among the most supersutious natives
of the south. These animals invariably
command a higher price than others
and are eaten at midsummer in the
belief that the meat insures both health
and strength for the ensuing year. The
blood of all animals is taken, so far as
concerns religious scruples, except by
Buddhist priests, by a few of the
stricter layTnen, and, Of course, by the
MOhammedans, of whom there are
quite a number in the northern part of
the country.