When visiting a provincial capital in coastal southern China I was invited by a young businessman for lunch. I warned him in advance that as much as I appreciated his generosity I do not eat flesh foods. He reserved an impressive private room at a fancy restaurant and proceeded to serve me frogs legs. When I reminded him of my diet, he took it very lightly saying 'Oh, don't worry about it.' He wasn't belittling me, and it sounded like he wasn't offended but that I shouldn't be so strict. Almost like 'hey, nobody is going to see you' (the outer shame-based morality rather than an inner guilt-based one). Or maybe it really is true that Chinese will eat anything. What I find strange about China is that unlike Hindu or Muslim lands, the concepts of ethical restrictions on food (animals being either disgusting or too holy to consume) seems foreign. I am *told* that Mahayana Buddhism and some daoist practictioners observe a vegetarian diet, but I was not impressed by the restaurants attached to temples which seemed to be high-priced businesses with status appeal rather than promulgating vegetarian eating.