Vegetarianism!
Eh, that means you just eat veggies right? You cannot eat eggs one right? Like that can you still get enough energy ah?
The answer to those questions – No, depends, and yes.
We’ve been hearing a lot about vegetarianism and veganism in media and from the people around us. Sometimes they get made fun of, misunderstood, and people tend to have a lot of misconceptions. Such as:
- Vegetarians can only eat vegetables.
- Some vegetarians do have eggs and dairy too, depending on the type of vegetarian they are.
- Vegetarians cannot eat meat only.
- Well, actually, some vegetarians also do not take dairy, onions, garlic for various reasons.
- Vegetarians can only order salads.
- Y’know, just because we’re vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean we’re rabbits. We eat plenty of carbs, curry and all other dishes, just without the meat.
- Y’know, just because we’re vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean we’re rabbits. We eat plenty of carbs, curry and all other dishes, just without the meat.
- Vegetarian food is boring.
- You’re so missing out my friend, for Malaysia is one of the most amazing food paradise for vegetarian cuisines!
And then, y’know, there’s the more radical stereotyping, like thinking every vegetarian sees a non-vegetarian as a murderer by associate.
That’s not true. (Not the majority think so, at least)
Being vegetarian is a lifestyle choice, and everyone has a right to decide what they put inside their mouths.
The other day, I actually spent over half an hour talking to my friends about vegetarians in Malaysia. That discussion sparked very interesting insights and gave me a great idea for a podcast discussion!
In order to shed light on other perspectives, I decided to ask some fellow Malaysians on their experiences being a vegetarian whilst coming from very diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in Malaysia. Here’s what they’ve got to say:
Why Am I “Sometimes” Vegetarian?
What you eat and how you eat is important as part of our identities. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”. Eating (and not eating) can be considered a very personal act, as what we eat communicates to others our beliefs, cultural and social backgrounds and experiences.
Like how some of my friends who grew up in a Chinese vegetarian community would later adopt the same dietary habits and identify it as part of his ‘Chinese-ness’. Or my Hindu friends who are vegetarian because of their beliefs in religious teachings.
Of course, there’s also those who tell me it’s because they got “fat liao” and want to lose weight. Then there’s me, who did it because my family did it and I just followed them, without ever really asking why.
But then I decided to stop being sheep and did some research on my own.
My ‘Brand’ of Vegetarianism
I’m what you would call a lay Buddhist (basically a part-time supporter). Like many other Malaysian Chinese in my community which practices a branch of Mahayana influenced Buddhism and Taoism.
This means most of the time, I only go vegetarian routinely on the 1st and 15th of each month according to the lunar calendar, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, among other specific ancestral holy days.
These days are known as lenten days in Buddhism, and this form of practice is especially common in the religion practiced in East Asia and Southeast Asia where they follow the monastic traditions, where the Buddhist teachings emphasise less violence, clean, pure eating and self-discipline.
In addition to not eating meat, many Chinese Buddhists would also avoid eating foods categorised as ‘hun‘ (acrid and strong-smelling), these include garlic, asafoetida, shallots, onions, leeks, allium chinense, as they are believed to excite senses and stimulate desires (the type of ‘desire’ here is open for interpretation, but generally viewed as a negative one).
Most countries following the Mahayana monastics like China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia tend to adopt these guidelines. East Asian Buddhists in particular, also tend to avoid consuming eggs, milk and other dairy products.
Chinese Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine
Vegetarian cuisine is known as sùshí (“vegetarian food”), chúnsù (“pure vegetarian”), zhāicài (斋菜) (“lent / fasting food”) in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
There are lots of different vegetarian cuisines offered around the world (all of which are amazing!), but today I’m going to introduce you to the one I’m most familiar with – the classic Chinese Buddhist Vegetarian restaurant:
Now, to cater to these lay vegetarians and also full-time vegetarians, restaurants serving Buddhist vegetarian cuisine (particularly those labelled as ‘pure vegetarian’) also never cook or serve meat, eggs, and milk. This is because some vegetarians are very particular about the cooking process and the cutlery used as well must all be “pure” and “clean” (similar to Muslims and the concept of halal requirements).
In Malaysia, these menus usually reflect a typical Chinese or East Asian cuisine, with the exception of substituting meat with other vegetarian products such as tofu, tempeh, and other imitating-meat products.
Vegetarian Eateries & Cafes
As vegetarianism become more and more popular nowadays, more eatery options are also opening up with youthful, hipster cafes serving vegetarian and vegan cuisines popping up around the suburban and urban areas.
These places usually feature a light, casual atmosphere and sometimes even include a reading space filled with books on religion, culture, and food. With everything I love, it’s one of my favourite places to visit!
I also noticed that in my hometown, these eateries are usually run by charity organisations. Functioning as more of a space of religious knowledge sharing, a quiet place to study, and also to reflect as you dine in peace of mind.
Apart from cultural religious reasons like myself, more recently, more people have told me they’re becoming vegetarians or going vegan because they want to be sustainable and more environmentally friendly.
Ultimately, being a vegetarian is definitely a personal diet choice. Regardless of what social, cultural, religious or political reasons, there shouldn’t be a judgment call made.
For non-vegetarians, this is not to prove you wrong, or propaganda to turn you into one; but rather to help you, and myself as I wrote this piece, understand vegetarianism better.
So after hearing all these thoughts and reading this post, I’m sure you’ve got different opinions or experiences to share as well. So ‘lettuce’ discuss!
Sources: urbandharma.org, buddhismandvegetarianism
Special thanks to Piya Raj, Elynn Tan, Fuad Rahmat for sharing their insightful thoughts and experiences in the podcast discussion!
Jiak Pa Bui 