Tuesday 24 January 2012

Feature: what kind of vegetarian is a "Guo Bian Su"?

Sometimes vegetarians in Taiwan will say they are "quán sù" (全素; "completely vegetarian") or "dàn nǎi sù" (蛋奶素' "egg-milk vegetarian"), but one can also hear the expression "guō biān sù" (鍋邊素; "pot-side vegetarian").

The first means strictly "vegan", the second is "ovo-lacto vegetarianism", and the last means that the person is easy-going about not eating meat, that he or she is happy simply to pick the vegetables out of a pot or plate of mixed meat and vegetables, or, similarly, eat vegetables or noodles that have been boiled in water used to cook meat.

Another name sometimes used for this is "fāngbiàn sù" (方便素; "convenient vegetarianism").


Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2012

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