Why do people in Yulin, China eat dogs?

This is a picture depicting local people from Yulin, Guangxi, gathering together to celebrate the Yulin Dog Meat Festival by consuming dog meat. This festival is not officially organized by the Yulin city government. In fact, the majority of Chinese people do not have the habit of eating dog meat. However, in Yulin, this gathering is a spontaneous event related to the local culinary culture and has a long history.

According to Douglas’s theory, food play a role in symbolizing social boundaries. Different cultures have varying dietary practices and taboos, and what is considered acceptable or taboo to eat can vary widely between social groups. By adhering to dietary rules and taboos, individuals reinforce their social identity and membership within a particular group (Douglas 1966:156).

As mentioned earlier, the consumption of dog meat is a unique custom specific to the local society in Yulin, while the vast majority of other Chinese people do not share this dietary habit. Dogs are among the most popular pets in China, so for those who keep dogs as pets, the idea of consuming dog meat is intolerable. Therefore, in recent years, there has been intense debate in China regarding the moral implications of the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Of course, aside from the illegal activities of a few dog meat vendors who may steal pet dogs for sale, according to Douglas's theory, the acceptance of food varies among social groups. For those outside Yulin, dogs have historically been regarded solely as pets, thus the instinct to protect these emotionally valuable animals from consumption is inherent, as dogs have provided sentimental value to them. However, for the local people of Yulin, within the societal culture in which they have grown up, dogs are viewed simply as animals bred on farms in large numbers, similar to pigs, cows, and sheep, destined for consumption. Therefore, in their minds, dogs are considered profane without such sentimental value as pets. By consuming dog meat and participating in the Dog Meat Festival, they reinforce their own social identity and sense of belonging. In fact, the culture of consuming dog meat in Yulin is closely intertwined with the traditional Chinese religion Daoism. In ancient China, Yulin was a place of Daoism activities, and Daoism emphasizes the concept of "supplementing Yang with Yang." Dog meat is considered a “Yang" food, so during the summer, which is considered a time of “Yang," people would gather together to consume dog meat, because it is beneficial for their religious practices. With the establishment of the People's Republic of China, religious factors gradually faded under the influence of socialist values, leaving behind only the custom of consuming dog meat. Therefore, fundamentally, the practice of eating dog meat by the people of Yulin is influenced by religion, much like how other religions have their own specific dietary cultures as described by Douglas.

Anoymous. 2017. Untitled. Retrieved April 05, 2024 (https://image.baidu.com/search/detail?ct=503316480&z=0&ipn=d&word=玉林狗肉节&lid=10532661757389963107).

Douglas, Mary. 1966. “Introduction and External Boundaries.” Pp. 1-159 in Purity and Danger: An Analysis of concept of pollution and taboo. London and New York: Routledge.