Yewei (l=wild taste) is a Chinese language term that describes various types of bushmeat from exotic animal .
Terminology
The character 野 () means "wild", and is shortened from 野兽 (Traditional ), which means "wild beasts".
The character 味 () literally means "taste", and metaphorically refers to various delicacies that appeals to the popular palate.
History
Historically, members of the imperial courts in
Chinese dynasty requested grand animals for their meals. Famous examples include the Manchu Han Imperial Feast. Today,
yewei can be eaten by anyone with access to wild animals, which can also be imported.
Animals eaten
Yewei can include
,
bats,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
[
,][ spotted deer,]
Culture
It has been reported that the consumption of wildlife appeals only to a minority of people in China.[ "Why wild animals are a key ingredient in China's coronavirus outbreak" Bangkok Post. January 23, 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-31.]
In a 2014 survey of several cities in China, 52.7% of respondents agreed with the statement that wildlife should not be consumed.
According to The Guardian in an article back in 2014, some locals in Southern China sometimes boast that they will "eat anything with four legs except a table".
The consumption of exotic wildlife, especially in some provinces in the southern part of the nation, came under heavy criticism after the SARS epidemic. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese government formally made the practice illegal,
