VEGETARIANS & VEGANS

Vegetarianism in China can be traced back over 1000 years. The Tang dynasty physician Sun Simiao extolled the virtues of vegetarianism in his 60-volume classic, Prescriptions Worth More

Than Gold. Legend has it that Sun lived to the ripe old age of 101.

Because of China's history of poverty and famine, eating meat is a status symbol, symbolic of health and wealth. Many Chinese remember all too well the famines of the 1950s and 1960s when having anything to eat at all was a luxury. Eating meat (as well as milk and eggs) is a sign of progress and material abundance. Even vegetables are often fried in  animal-based oils, and soups are most commonly made with chicken or beef stock.

In larger cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, vegetarianism is slowly catching on and there are new chic vegetarian eateries appearing in fashionable restaurant districts. These are often pricey establishments and you pay for ambience as well as the food.

Chinese vegetarian food often consists of 'mock meat' dishes made from tofu, wheat gluten and vegetables. Some of the dishes are quite fantastic to look at, with vegetarian ingredients sculpted to look like spare ribs or fried chicken. Sometimes the chefs go to great lengths to even create 'bones' from carrots and lotus roots. Some of the more famous vegetarian dishes include vegetarian 'ham', braised vegetarian 'shrimp' and sweet and sour 'fish'.

WHINING & DINING

Eating out with children in China can be a challenge. Budget eateries won't have special menus for children nor will they supply booster seats.  Higher- end restaurants may be able to offer these things but it's best to check in advance. On the up side, in larger cities there are now more family-style res- taurants that offer set meals and cater to families. Some of these places have special meals for children, usually consisting of fried chicken or fish. Fast- food restaurants are another option, for their kid-friendly atmosphere.

Supermarkets in China sell Western baby formula and baby foods, as well as infant cereals. For more information on children see p888.