Where’s the McDonald’s? Answer: Everywhere except Lhasa, in over 700 locations around China.

Because of the tendency for Chinese food (and my lack of appreciation thereof) to come up in conversation, I felt the topic of Chinese food deserved a second look, as well as some more photographs of my basic meals on campus.

The first and foremost thing to mention is that Chinese food, contrary to what many believe, is not as a whole healthier than American food! Key to understanding this is to simply realize that food in China is “scaled” in quality, much like food in America. One can eat quite healthy at many American restaurants or food markets, but at the same time walk down the street and find a hot dog vendor or a McDonalds. The same holds true in China–at the more upscale restaurants, the food is of good quality, reasonably good taste, and in general healthy if eaten properly; on the other hand, if one picks a restaurant off the street at random, the food is likely to be much less well prepared, much greasier, and of dubious origin.

Although not a dietician by any respectable standard, I would attribute the perceived differences to the prevalence of rice in the Chinese diet, and portion control. Rice, of course, expands when wet. Dunk a double cheeseburger in a tank of water, however, and it’s not going to change size. Thus, I was forced to conclude that eating rice made one feel fuller, with smaller portions. The family style of serving also contributes to eating smaller portions than one would in America–if you feel full, there is no visual cue to make you eat more, as you simply stop taking from the communal plates.

With that being said, however, I will include the extraordinarily odd observation that at least half the program–myself included–gained weight, rather than lost weight, by the end of the program. For me, perhaps switching back to a substantially more western diet in the last few weeks as I lost tolerance for Chinese food did it, but for the others, I have no explanation.

Now here is a photo of my principle lunch diet. As a major University, Peking University naturally has several food establishments. A perennial favorite is “campus,” a building row with four separate restaurants inside, a noodle house, a dumpling house, a “western” flavored establishment, and a rice-based dish section. One can eat for around $1.25, with the convenient debit meal card, and I found myself here for most lunches. Pictured was the meal I probably ate the most frequently, the rice, beef, and potato dish.

This next section may be grisly, but is meaningful in a broad sense of the term. One of our previous trips was an overnight near an unrepaired section of the Great Wall. To call this place old fashioned is putting it nicely; this is China pre-technology. Well, China before standardizing technology to be more precise; the locals had no cell phones or computers in sight, but tried to hawk the latest digital memory cards and batteries at us. While staying at a “farm” (in reality a run-down motel) and having dinner, we noticed a lamb lying in the courtyard. This lamb was about to die, as the owner sharpened a very big knife right in front of our eyes. Our chaperone quickly asked him to kill the lamb out back, and he complied; a discreet glance behind the building, however, revealed the disemboweled animal.

A few hours later, after walking around and playing some pool in a local shop, we returned to meat cooking over the fire. Sure enough, it was the lamb. And they offered us pieces. To the horror of the vegetarians in the group, Steve’s girlfriend (from China) asked the owner how much a small stick of lamb meat would be (surprisingly cheap at two kuai). Hungry myself, I reasoned that, as a committed animal eater (steak, burgers, bacon, sausage, mutton, etc.), I should finally live up to the standards of my more vicious ancestors and eat something that I saw a) alive, b) die, c) guts of, and d) cooked. It was actually pretty good.

Just as I thought my trials in exotic eating were over, the end of semester trip proved me wrong. Tibet, as one might expect, was the “final frontier” of exotic foods. As a yak based economy, our evening dinner in Lhasa featured yak butter tea, yak filled dumplings, yak meat in vegetables, and yak yoghourt. Shown here is me eating yak dumplings, and a photo of yak yoghurt.





The Guilin/Yangshou area also had what turned out to be a pleasant surprise: beerfish. This is, as the name implies, fish that is grilled with beer, although quite different than beer battered or similar alcohol prepared fish. If one puts away the fact that the fish is grilled whole and left for you to pick apart–at the risk of bones–the meal was pretty good.

Formal food in China–or I suppose I should say food on display–is also somewhat different, and yet the same. The content and taste is fairly typically Chinese, although the food is “gussied up” to look much fancier than one needs. Pictured here is a dish from a Chinese dinner show my family and I attended during our family tour.

By the end of the trip I had cracked totally, and here is my version of a Chinese-themed dish, complete with the double cheeseburger delicately garnished with several inedible sides.

This is my favorite–the smothered steak and loaded baked potato I had the night of returning to the United States of America.





On a final note, I realize that some of you folks may mistake my willingness and necessity to eat Chinese food as a license to assume that, somehow, after four months choking down rice, I now enjoy Chinese food. Not the case! Should there be any doubt, please read the proclamation I published on May 23, 2007, regarding what Chinese food I will (or not) be eating.

A Proclamation Regarding Dietary Intake (As Amended)

WHEREAS, MICHAEL DAVID WAGNER did live in the People's Republic of China for a duration from January 11, 2007 to May 21, 2007;

WHEREAS, he did eat an innumerable number of Chinese made or orignated meals during this time, many times averaging two out of three meals every day, and occasionally for every meal a day;

WHEREAS, he has made clear his preference for American and western food;

WHEREAS, his opinion has been clearly and irrefutably vindicated by his stay in the People's Republic of China; and

WHEREAS, his consumption of steak and a bacon steakburger upon his return to the United States of America has confirmed his opinion of western food;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL DAVID WAGNER, citizen of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim I will not entertain under any circumstances, save for life-threatining emergencies, the preparation or consumption of food or food products of Chinese origin or style, for a period no shorter than the remainder of the year 2007.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

MICHAEL DAVID WAGNER