Why do Chinesse people think of shrip as "peasant food"?

Question

On a business trip to China awhile ago, the owner of the company that my husband was doing business with, took us out for dinner with other high authority people in the company. During dinner and conversations, I couldn't help but notice no one has touch the plates of shrimp, prepared in different ways. Everything else was half eaten so I decided to eat the shrimps, not because no one was eating them but, they look delicious. I started to think that maybe theres something in the shrimp why these people won't eat them. It was so obvious. I excused myself to go to the ladies room but really, I wanted to ask somebody about this. I asked one of the somebody that was dining at the restaurant about the shrimp and he said that, chinesse people consider shrimp as peasant food. I decided not to ask anymore questions to anyone but in my head. If thats so, why would they serve the shrimps anyway? does all chinesse people feel like this? I think that only the rich who don't eat shrimps.

Answer 1

You are talking about people that eat dogs, cats and anything else that they can catch.. I wouldn't think too hard on this.


On the other side, I know of other cultures that do not eat shellfish and bottom feeders as they contain more toxins than other seafood and if cooked incorrectly can get you quite sick. Maybe that has something to do with it

Answer 2

I don't think that is true at all because I am 3/4 chinese and I know well enough that shrimp is good food. Although my mom doesn't like shrimp because most chinese foods (when out dining) contain shrimp and she breaks out. But I guess I can see why they think it's peasant food because in China there are so many other kinds of good seafoods and I guess shrimp is the lowest class.

Answer 3

I think that in your situation, the host may have though it improper to eat shrimp, which is usually in its shell, and you have to decapitate it and peel away the shell by hand to eat, so he may have thought you would be uncomfortable with that. Generally speaking, it is part of Chinese meal. I do not eat any crustation, and when I go to China I don't mind if my hosts eat whatever they like - I stick to salad and fruit.