China.org.cn 1/18/04: Over 100 local chefs headed by Zhang Xingguo signed their names on a declaration in Huludao, Liaoning Province, vowing not to cook wildlife all through their career as chefs

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0Xingguo

 

 

 

Voice of Nature

 

December 22, 2003 was a memorable day for Zhang

Xingguo, a certified first chef. Over a hundred

local chefs headed by Zhang signed their names on

a declaration in Calabash Island City (Huludao),

Liaoning Province, vowing not to cook wildlife

all through their career as chefs. It was a day

that Zhang had anticipated for a very long time -

the plight of Zhang from 1996 to 1998 was perhaps

no better than that of disappearing wildlife.

Because he refused to cook wildlife, Zhang was

sacked by 12 restaurants, yet he had stuck to his

words and his long cherished dream: to get all

the chefs in the nation involved in a battle

against cooking wildlife.

 

Zhang used to live in Dongping county of Shandong

Province. At the age of 8, he happened to save a

turtle dove with broken wings. Under his tender

care, the bird recovered in two weeks and he set

it free. Not long after the bird's departure,

Zhang was happy to find that the bird was back

again - to permanently nest in the big tree by to

his house. In four years, the family had grown

into several dozen members. An amazingly trustful

relationship developed between these birds and

Zhang. When Zhang opened his arms, the birds

would joyfully perch on his arms and shoulders.

" They can even understand my words, " said Zhang

proudly.

 

In 1991, Zhang went to study cooking in Fushun

city, Liaoning Province, after high school

graduation. Four years later, when he returned to

his hometown, he was dismayed to see that the

chirping of birds was heard no more and the fish

had almost disappeared from the rivers. It was a

crazy time, when wildlife was extremely popular

with diners around the country. Zhang was sad

that the harmony between nature and human beings

was gone without a trace. Starting from this

appalling find, Zhang became resolute that he

would never cook a single wildlife dish.

 

This promise was a major challenge to Zhang - in

the mid-1990s, over 95 percent of the restaurants

in Fushun city served wildlife dishes. Snakes,

cranes, pangolin, hedgehogs and pheasants -

anything edible went straight into the pot. To

the restaurant owners, profit was everything,

while the voice of nature sounded so weak.

 

As for Zhang, he had to constantly transfer to

new restaurants to avoid the bloody killing. He

was considered a weirdie and a fool - veteran

chefs like him could earn high salaries in big

restaurants, while Zhang was still scrabbling for

a living. Zhang was even beaten up by one

restaurant manager because he refused to cook

wildlife. In the most destitute days, when Zhang

was unemployed, he could hardly afford a bus

ticket, let alone the rent. If it hadn't been for

his girlfriend, Zhang would have ended up

penniless in a strange city.

 

In 1999, Zhang finally got a job in Dalian city,

which he kept until 2002. As the nation gradually

started to become aware of the importance of

maintaining a balance between nature and mankind,

Zhang could manage his life more easily.°@

 

In January 2002, the Wildlife Conservation

Association of China and a food magazine launched

a grand movement, calling on professional chefs

in China to protect rare wild animals and never

to cook wildlife. Zhang was more than happy to

know this and immediately applied to be a

voluntary representative chef of this movement.

Six months later, Zhang was elected " Green Chef

Ambassador " to publicize their cause. In 2002,

SARS attacked, and wildlife was increasingly

suspected to be the source of the disease. This

made it easier for Zhang to get his message

across to restaurants, other chefs and the

general public.

 

In Calabash Island city, which was his first stop

on an educational tour, Zhang visited almost all

the local restaurants. " Men should respect wild

creatures - the birds, camels, antelopes, bears

and golden monkeys, which are part of nature.

Without them, human existence would be

meaningless. "

 

Zhang patiently tried to reason with the chefs,

restaurant managers and customers. To Zhang's

satisfaction, the city is realizing the

unbreakable tie between men and nature and more

and more people are getting involved in this

campaign.

 

Zhang is currently planning to tour south China's

Guangdong and Fujian provinces, where wildlife

conservation still has a long way to go, and rare

animals are still popular items on the menu.

Zhang refuses to be discouraged and will

persevere in his mission until all the people in

China see wildlife as part of the beautiful

family of life, not as things to eat, regardless

of whether they could disappear forever.

 

(CRI January 18, 2004)

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