The foods selected for consumption by various ethnic groups and their outlook on food and eating manners are closely related to religion.It is well known that Moslems never eat pork,and followers of Islam cannot eat other animals as well unless the animals are slaughtered by a Moslem.The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is a month of fasting,during which Moslems may not eat or drink the whole daylight hours.For Hindus,the cow is sacred and the eating of beef is forbidden.Many Hindus go further and are vegetarians for religious reasons.
In China,the influence of Taoism has led to the deeply-rooted belief in food as a way to long life.Food is thus deemed to be medicinal,and all foods are classified according to their medicinal properties.In Japan,because of the influence of the Buddhist proscription on killing,meat was not commonly eaten until the late of the 19th century.
Compared to Chinese food,Western food is a bland mixture of meat and starch.There is a saying in China that goes like this:"People in Guangdong are brave enough to eat anything with four legs except tables and anything that flies except airplanes." In other words,they eat wild animals many of which are taboo for people living in other areas.An African said,“I still remember that how scared I was of ordering dog,rat or some other unimaginable delicacy when I first came to Shenzhen two months ago from South Africa.”