What are the main dietary taboos of the Hui people?

The core dietary taboos of the Hui people are derived from the dietary regulations of Islam. The most widely recognized food taboo at present is the prohibition of pork. In addition, self-dead poultry, animal blood, edible animals not slaughtered according to religious rituals, and alcohol are all dietary restrictions for most Hui people.

A friend of mine went to Lanzhou before and accidentally took a bag of pork jerky into a beef noodle restaurant at the entrance of the alley. As soon as he took it out, he was stopped by the boss with a smile. It’s not that the boss is hard to talk to, it’s a rule engraved in people’s lives, so you can’t touch it. Many people have misunderstandings about the origin of forbidden pork. They spread rumors that pigs are the ancestors of the Hui people. This is completely nonsense. The essence is that the teachings believe that pigs are omnivorous, live in a dirty environment, and are "unclean" ingredients, so they are included in the forbidden range. Similarly, ferocious tigers, wolves, eagles and other predators, as well as non-ruminant donkeys, mules and other livestock are actually on the fasting list, but people don't come into contact with them much, so they are rarely mentioned.

Of course, different groups have different strictness of taboos. Several young Hui friends I know who have lived in the hutongs of Beijing since childhood have no religious beliefs, and they will not deliberately ask Han friends around them not to mention pork in front of them. They even accept other people ordering other dishes during dinner parties, as long as the portion they eat is halal. However, things such as dead animals and blood, which have not been touched since childhood, will definitely not break the rules. Oh, by the way, there are different opinions on the taboos of horse meat. Some areas in the northwest with strict religious sects prohibit horse meat. However, there are also some settlements with traditional herding, and the restrictions on horse meat are not so strict. This is also a difference that has been developed over a long period of time in different regional cultures. One size does not fit all.

People who often buy halal meat should feel that halal beef and mutton from formal channels have very little blood. This is because when slaughtering, you have to ask the imam to recite the name of Allah before cutting, and try to remove the blood in the animals. Only those that meet the requirements will be marked with the halal label. Otherwise, even if it is real beef and mutton, Hui compatriots will not eat it. In fact, you don’t need to be cautious when getting along with Hui friends. If you are not sure about what can and cannot be mentioned, just ask in advance. Respect each other and it will be more comfortable to get along with them.