Buddhism and Asian Food Cultures

1. Buddhism and Asian Food Cultures By Kevin Howell & Pamela Schmidt

2. Buddhism History • Buddhism flourished in India until 500ce, when it declined and gradually became absorbed into Hinduism. • There are about 2 million Buddhists in the United States. The majority are from Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.

3. Asians History • Chinese, Japanese, and Korea

4. Chinese • Asia is one of the largest continents, and it is believed to have been named by the Greeks, who had divided the world into two parts, Europe and Asia, this also includes China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. China’s history is also generally divided into periods for the dynasties under which once were ruled. • One of the significant events during the Han dynasty was the introduction of the Buddhism to China, which became one of the primary religions of the region. • Since the collapse of the Han dynasty came the period of the “Three Kingdoms,” after China was divided into three major regions. This was considered the most romantic time in the Chinese history, even though the period of political was uncertain. • China is estimated to exceed 1 billion people; this is more than four times as large as the population in the United States.

5. Japanese • The Japanese cultural society was organized into a number of hereditary clans units; they were unified in the fifth or sixth century under the authority of the Yamato emperors. • Japan was sometimes referred to as the daughter of the Chinese civilization, however, it was the sixth century that the Japanese began to absorb the Chinese knowledge of the science, art, agriculture, and cooking. • The Japanese borrowed much from the Chinese, and by the tenth and eleventh centuries, the Japanese culture had developed a distinctive character, by the twelfth century the emperor became a figurehead without political or economic power. • Japan became an important trading partner in the East China Sea by the fifteenth century. • The Japanese people were accustomed to rigid patterns and conduct, they looked to their superiors for leadership, and they followed order without asking questions. • Japan dominated the Korea’s and a large area of the northern China, and then by 1941 the military controlled the Japanese government. • On December 7, 1941 the Japanese aircrafts bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, which brought the United States into World War II. • The Japanese lost the war, but not until the United States had carried out a wartime use of atomic bombs. The democratic rule was established after the war. Japan is now a leading economic power.

6. Koreans • The Korean peninsula is suspended geographically and culturally between China and Japan. • Historically, Korea has been caught in the middle of both Chinese and Japanese expansionism, and has maintained a homogeneous population with independent, distinctive character. • Chinese established military outposts in leading to increase the Chinese control of the peninsula. • In 1876 Korea was finally opened to the modern world when Japan forced Korea to sign a commercial treaty, six year later the United States and other western countries established a relation with the nation. • In 1910 the Japanese victory led to annexation of Korea to Japan. • The Japanese exploitation and suppression continued until 1945, when the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II. • North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950 leading to the confrontation of the Korean War. • In 1953 when the war ended little was resolved.

7. Untied States HistoryChinese, Japanese, and Korea

8. Chinese • Since the 1800s immigrants from Asia, particularly China and Japan have been coming to the United States. • Many of immigrants have settled on the West Coast where the majority still live. • By 1870 there were 63,000 Chinese that came to the United States, it is estimated that another 120,000 Chinese will enter the US during the following decade. • By the 1920s the Chinese population had dropped to 1870 levels. • It was not until 1943 the Chinese could become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

9. Japanese • The Japanese immigration to the United States occurred after 1890 during the Meiji era • The immigrants primarily settled in Hawaii and on the West Coast of the United States, they often worked in agriculture, railroads, and in the canneries. • Most of the Japanese women came to the United States as “picture brides”. The marriages were arranged by professional matchmakers and were married by a proxy in Japan. • The women usually did not meet their husbands until they were disembarked form the ship in the United States. • Since World War II, heightened the prejudice against the Japanese on the West Coast, after the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor, all of the West Coast Japanese even if they were a U.S. citizens they were evacuated to war relocation camps, and many remained there for the duration of the war.

10. Koreans • A small number of Koreans arrived before 1900 to the United States, and most of whom were Protestants seeking to escape the discrimination and to further their education in America. • Koreans in 1905, and in 1907 the United States entered a “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with Japan and limiting both the Japanese and Korean immigration. • In the next 17 years, only the picture brides (1000 from Hawaii and 115 from California) were permitted entry, and in 1924 the Japanese Exclusion Act was applied to Koreans as well as preventing all immigration. • Since the relaxation of the U.S. immigration laws in 1965, including many college-educated middle-class professionals, and their families, the number of Korean immigrants has increased.

11. Chinese Religion • The Chinese were not affiliated with a specific church. • The faith of China is a mixture of ancestor worship and respect for the forces of nature and heavenly bodies. • The few first generation of the Chinese American joined the Christian religions, but converts were found in subsequent generations. Chinese Culture Chinese Religion

12. Japanese Religion • The Japanese generation usually joined a Buddhist temple or a Christian church after arriving in America. • Today there are more Japanese Americans who belong to the Protestant faiths than there are of Buddhism. • Protestantism: The various aspects of the Protestant faith.

13. Koreans Religion • For the South Korea generation, Buddhism and Confucianism are the majority religions. • There is about 28 percent of the South Korea that are Christian. • For the North Korea generation, all religious beliefs expect national ideology of Marxism and the self-reliance are suppressed. Buddhism Religion Confucianism Religion

14. Chinese Family • The teachings about correct relationships are very important for many Chinese American families. • The wives are subordinate to their husbands. • The young girls are submissive to their fathers • The mothers obey their sons • The children were expected to by quiet, acquiescent, and deferential to their elders. • Harmony in the family is ideal, so children were taught not to fight or cry, and showing emotion was discouraged. • The Chinese parents were very strict, and the children were commanded to honor the family.

15. Japanese Family • The Japanese have strong social control; individuals should not bring shame on themselves, their families, and their communities. • Japanese believe it is virtuous to suppress emotions. • The Japanese believe it is important to be polite and show respect.

16. Korean Family • Family is highly valued and loyal, and is more important than individual wants or needs. • In Korea the male is always the head of the family, if the father is unable to fulfill that role, than the eldest son takes on the responsibility. • There are two major birthday celebrations in the Korean culture that occur. • Age 1 and when an individual reaches age 60. • Which means that the person had survived a full five repeats of the 12-year cycle of life and attained old age.

17. Chinese Communication • The Chinese culture have a quiet conversational approach • Emotional display is considered a sign of immaturity • Many Chinese avoid confrontation and will say yes to question that have a positive or negative response. • Touching between strangers and acquaintances in not common • You should avoid hugging, kissing, and patting a person on the back.

18. Japanese Communication • When communicating to the elders by using their first names they find it to be very insulting. • They are non-confrontational and may be reluctant to say no even when the answer to the question is negative. • It is disrespectful to have direct eye contact, but glancing around or downcast eyes are expected. • The traditional greeting for the Japanese is a bow form the waist with palms against thighs.

19. Koreans Communication • Expressions of emotions are avoided, and loud talking or laughing is considered impolite. • Korean may be hesitant to say no or disagree with a statement. • Direct eye contact is expected, and they use this to demonstrate attentiveness and sincerity. • Touching is uncommon except for a handshake between men. • They avoid hugging, kissing, and back patting.

20. Buddhism & ChineseFood Habits • The Buddhist mainly eat dairy products and eggs, but no meat. • They sometimes eat fish, and others abstain only from beef. • The Chinese indulge in a wide variety of foods, but they avoid very few foods. • The Chinese cuisine largely reflects the food habits and preferences of the Han people, which is the largest ethnic group in China.

21. Japanese & KoreansFood Habits • The Japanese are very similar to those of the Chinese; due to the strong influence China has on Japan, but yet different such as the food preparation and presentation which are unique. • The Korean cuisine is either Chinese or Japanese, although they have been influenced by both styles. • Korean is recognizable by its flavors and colors; sweet, sour, bitter, and salty they are brined in all meals. The foods are often seasoned before and after cooking. • There are five color; white, red, black, green, and yellow they are also an important considerations in the preparation and presentation of the dishes.

22. Common Food Staples • Protein Foods • Milk/milk product • Buddhism was the only culture that was not lactose-intolerant. The other cultures did not consume • Meat/poultry/fish/eggs/legumes • Mainly used by Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans • Buddhism sometime consumed fish • Cereals/Grains • Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans all had rice. • Japanese and Koreans also ate noodles • Fruits/Vegetables • Both fresh fruits and vegetables are preferred

23. Meal Composition • The Chinese customarily eat three meals a day, and they eat numerous snacks. • In southern China, breakfast often includes hot rice porridge congee, which sometimes is seasoned with small amounts of meat or fish. • In northern China, breakfast includes hot steamed bread dumplings or noodle. • In the urban areas, lunch is normally a smaller version of dinner; which includes soup, rice or wheat dish, vegetables, and meat or fish. • The Japanese eat three meals a day, in addition to a snack • There breakfast starts with a salty sour plum followed by rice garnished with nori soup, and pickled vegetables. • Lunch often consists of rice topped with leftovers from the previous night, sometimes hot tea or dashi is added to the rice mixture, or cooked noodles served with meats, poultry, or fish. • Dinner must always include three dishes, such as rice, soup and pickled vegetables, and the main dish consists of fish or shellfish which is broiled, steamed, or deep-fried. • The Korean, eat three small meals, with frequent snacking throughout the day. • For breakfast soup is always served along with rice, they also have eggs, meat or fish, and vegetable the top the meal. • Lunch is noodles served with broth of beef, chicken, or fish and garnished with shellfish, meat, or vegetables. • Supper is more like breakfast, but with steamed rice.

24. Etiquette • Chinese: The meals are eaten with chopsticks and a porcelain spoon that is used for soup. • At their meals, all diners should take equal amounts of dishes, and the younger diners have to wait to eat until the elders have started eating, and it is rude to reject food. • Japanese: They also eat with chopsticks. • The dish on the left are picked up with the right hand and the dish to the right are lifted with the left hand. • Koreans: The only eating utensils used are chopsticks and soup spoons. • Elders are served first and the children are served last. The food is always passed with the right hand, and a beverage may be passed to share.

25. Feasting • Chinese • The Chinese have numerous feasts to break up the continuous work days. • New Year’s is the most important festival, which can fall any time from the end of January to the end of February. • On the evening of the 23rd day of the last lunar months of the year the New Year’s holiday season begins. • Japanese • The most important and largest celebration is New Year’s. They celebrate New Year’s on the first day of January. • Koreans • They celebrate several holidays thought out the year. The first is New Year’s they called this “Sol” it is a 3-day event and which traditional dresses were worn, and the elders in the family were honored.

26. Therapeutic Foods • The Chinese culture believes that a good diet is critical for physical, emotional harmony, and it is necessary to strengthen the body against diseases. • There heath is generally maintained by eating the proper balance food of yin & yang. • The Japanese, use of the yin and yang is not as prevalent to them as it is among the Chinese. • Many of the Koreans follow the yin and yang foods. • The preparation of healthy tasty food is an important way that Korean women show affection for family and friends.

27. Food Taboos • Chinese: Some taboo foods have been noted during pregnancy, that soy sauce should be avoided to prevent dark skin. • Iron supplements are not to be taken because they are thought to harden the baby’s bones and could make the birth difficult. • Koreans: For pregnant Korean American women it is suggested that certain food such as seaweed soup, beef and rice are thought to build strength during the time. • Some of the food taboos during pregnancy are eating blemished fruit which may result in a baby with skin problems.

28. Nutrition • The nutrition for the Chinese in America, their breakfast and lunch has become really Americanized by the foods that they eat. • Diner on the other hand is their most traditional Chinese meal of all. • As for the Japanese nutrition the second generation eats a typical American diet, but they eat more rice and soy sauce than non -Asian. • The Koreans traditional food habits continue even after coming to America. They eat rice at least one meal a day and kimichi 2/3 of the day and fish once a week.