Story by CGTN's Sun Ye, Chen Yu
The number of vegetarians has been growing in China, especially among young people, as the country witnesses a shift in dietary habits.
Traditional dishes like roast duck and braised pork are falling out of favor with many, but not because they do not taste well or are difficult to prepare.
Zhang Si, founder of Veg Planet, a growing organization that has more than 200,000 followers on WeChat alone, told CGTN’s Sun Ye that she does not approve of the industrial animal production, which she brands as “cruel.” Not wanting to hurt animals, she became a vegetarian five years ago.
Zhang Si, founder of Veg Planet, cooking a vegetarian dish. /CGTN Photo
Zhang said 75 percent of the Veg Planet members are under the age of 35. Some of them joined for religious reasons, but most are looking to improve their health condition, protect the environment and ensure animal welfare.
“Like young people elsewhere, they care about their impact on the world,” said Zhang.
Zhang said China’s vegan population, which could now be as high as 50 million, is following a global trend. Many of the young vegetarians in China are working to set a lifestyle that is more connected with nature, with other people and “the real basics of life,” added Zhang.
Vegan products from Veg Planet. /CGTN Photo
Meanwhile, vegan restaurants are now popping up all over China’s first-tier cities, to cater for this new trend.
According to He Fen, manager of Vege Tiger, a popular vegan restaurant, most of their customers are young people. Many believe that by going vegan, they are showing respect to other sentient forms of life.
A Tofu dish from Vege Tiger. /CGTN Photo
One of the popular Chinese dishes, Kung Pao Chicken, has been shifted into Kung Pao Mushrooms in the restaurant.
These mock meat creations appeal to vegetarians as they answer to the quest for mindful eating, but also to omnivorous as they preserve the taste of the traditional dish.
