Brief History of Taiwan Noodles: The Taiwanese beef noodle soup was introduced by Kuomintang (KMT) Sichuan province veterans who fled from mainland China during the 1900s. These veterans had possessed the skills to make noodles and hence, set up stores selling Beef Noodle Soup to earn a living. The origin of Taiwanese beef noodle soup was from Gangshan Village in Kaohsiung where the popular Gangshan spicy broad bean paste was made. This bean paste itself was used as a seasoning for the beef noodle and brought out the majority of the flavour of the dish. In addition, while the dish is considered “Sichuan” style, the dish is originated and created in Taiwan. [1]

History of Beef and Beef Taboo in China:

Beef was introduced to China as a domestic animal around 2500 BC. Cow was essential as a draft animal and hence, it was prohibited to treat it as a food. [2] The Beef Taboo in China begin during the Tang-Song transition and was called “牛戒” (niu jie). It was against the law to kill bovines. Bovines are oxen and buffalos. Despite their differences, they were similar in terms of the purposes such as sacrifice. [3]

However, the prohibition was not a result of Buddhism, Daoism or Confucianism. As mentioned, the taboo only being during the Tang-Song transition and hence, it was not related to conservative religious attitude.

By and large, this taboo was due to the respect for animals and since bovines worked as draft animals, specifically in cultivating fields, it was vital to agriculture. Agriculture contributed to the survival of society. To individuals, bovines were work companions and the ones keeping them alive by working to help plough the fields. Therefore, to slaughter and consume bovines would mean jeopardizing their livelihood. To commit slaughter and consumption of bovines would also go against ethical values as one should be grateful for the existence of these bovines in providing their strength and efficiency to lessen the workload for humanity in agriculture.

However, there were those that continued to eat beef in Chinese society. These people were not able to blend into society and adapt to the societal rules. These people are usually rich urban idlers, travelling merchants, homeless vagrants or the military. [3] With regards to the military, they possessed the tradition of being non-compliant to the beef eating taboo. This also reinforces how the KMT veterans who fled from Mainland China, brought the beef noodle soup dish into Taiwan.

Beef Taboo in Taiwan:

The Beef taboo of Taiwan was similar to China’s as not eating beef was a result of limited food supplies. [2] Eating something that was endangering the food supply was not viable and hence, the only way was to support a beef taboo to curb the demand for beef. Likewise, cows were significant to agriculture.

However, as a result of increasing imports, it led to a rise in food supply and hence, the fall of the beef taboo in Taiwan. Increasing imports also meant less use of cattle to till rice fields since shortage of food is no longer a problem with globalization and opening of economies.

Cooking with Water:

Looking at the Han Dynasty’s gastronomy, the Han Chinese separated their food resources into four categories: grains, fruits, vegetables and animal products (inclusive of both meat and fish) [4]. Grains were the source of energy, meat and fish were for protein while vegetables and fruits were for minerals, nutrients and fibre. 

In addition, there was also different methods of cooking. Notably, during the Han period they adopted the  method of cooking with water that was used for making clear soup or even thick stew of which containing many different types of ingredients.

Some recipes include the Seven White Soups which was prepared from meat, vegetables, rice (grain) crumbs. Ingredients include beef, venison, fish, chicken and vegetables such as gourd and lotus root. Not forgetting seasoning and spices which were the most important in adding flavour to the dish. These seasonings and spices include ginger, alliums, cassia and fagara. The variety of seasoning and spices within the dishes in Chinese cookery had evolved and grown and the modern period has now added on anise, fennel, clove, black pepper and chili pepper on top of the Han’s (even across other dishes).

The Yuan Dynasty:

When the Mongols conquered China, they succeeded the Song Dynasty and established the Yuan Dynasty. During the Yuan Dynasty they followed the “飲膳正要” (yin shan zhen yao – YSZY) which meant “proper and essential things for the emperor’s food and drink” [5]. There were rules for eating beef under the YSZY, such as pork cannot be eaten with beef and shallots also cannot be eaten together with beef as if done so, it will clog the bowels. 

For dishes with meat, lamb was an ingredient used in Mongol dishes but for those that could not stand lamb, they  would replace it with either beef or chicken.

The Yuan Dynasty had a diverse culture where muslims introduced Middle Eastern culture into China as well. In Middle East, such as the Turks, they also used lamb as a preferred meat. In addition they also used goat, fish and beef. These meat (individually) were often served with bean, puree or topped with sauce. This is similar to the Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup where the Gangshan bean paste was used as one of the main ingredients in the dish. 

Benefits of Beef:

The flavour of beef is sweet, and it does not have poison. Hence, it is beneficial to people with diabetes. In addition, beef can regulate or increase qi as the leaking of qi could occur as a result of vomiting. [5] Moreover, beef itself has a lot of other benefits. For example, the recipe for bear soup, a Mongol dish was replaced with beef instead of bear. This dish helps treat migratory arthritis and foot qi. Dried beef can cure serious chill of spleen and stomach, uncontrollable drinking and eating. [5] Furthermore using ingredients like beef can even help with urological conditions and pregnancy. For example, to help with women’s arousal, beef was inserted into the vagina or thinly sliced and thrice cooked with yam will help lighten the body and even increase qi. [6]

 

Bibliography:

[1] Taiwanese Beef Noodles. (n.d.). Brief history. [online] Available at: https://taiwanesebeefnoodles.weebly.com/brief-history.html [Accessed 13 Oct. 2019].

[2] Cheng-Chung, Lai (2000) Beef taboo in Chinese society. International Journal of Social Economics. [Online] 27 (4), 286–290. [online]. Available from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/274638052/

[3] Goossaert, Vincent (2005) The Beef Taboo and the Sacrificial Structure of Late Imperial Chinese Society, Of Tripod and Palate, Food, Politics and Religion in Traditional China, Roel Sterckx, éd., New York, Palgrave, pp. 237-248.

[4] Huang, H. T (1990) Han Gastronomy – Chinese Cuisine in statu nascendi. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. [Online] 15 (2), 139–152. [online]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/isr.1990.15.2.139.

[5] Husihui. et al. (2010) A soup for the Qan : Chinese dietary medicine of the Mongol era as seen in Hu Sihui’s Yinshan zhengyao : introduction, translation, commentary, and Chinese text . 2nd rev. and expanded ed. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill. [online]. Available from: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ntusg/reader.action?docID=634986&ppg=181#

[6] Sterckx, Roel. (2005) Of Tripod and Palate Food, Politics, and Religion in Traditional China. [Online]. New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, p.169.