HIGH STEAKS

吃肉对中国人意味着什么？

Half a century ago, meat was a delicacy few Chinese ever tasted outside of holidays and celebrations. Today, China is the world’s biggest consumer and producer of meat. But as animal markets become the focus of viral outbreaks, and the government moves to curb a longstanding wildlife trade, health and environment regulators, consumers, and makers of alternative plant-based meat are trying to change the nation’s carnivorous palate

For centuries, meat was a rarity on Chinese dinner tables, reserved for festivals and the nobility—but no longer. China is now both the largest consumer and producer of meat in the world.

Memories of famine only a few decades ago make this change a powerful symbol of development. China’s carnivorous cravings, though, have come at a cost.

Rates of heart disease have ballooned, as have waistbands. A growing reliance on meat imports to satisfy demand is a worrying geopolitical time-bomb. Food scandals abound, wild game has been linked to disease outbreaks, and the environment suffers from intense farming.

The government now encourages citizens to cut down, and new plant-based products promise to replicate meat without those added worries. So, we ask, has China reached peak meat?

过去，“桌上有肉”是生活水平提高的标志。如今，关于肉食消费的讨论却涉及健康、环境以及饮食文化等各个方面。植物肉的出现给人们提供了新的选择，同时，为革除滥食野生动物陋习，人们也在不断努力。