China’s economy is expanding at an astounding rate and so are its waistlines. The food of the streets tells the story of a culture torn between tradition and modernity, the customs of an ancient past competing with the new age of convenience. What will survive and what will be lost? In a China which has gone within two generations from mass starvation to mass obesity, what does the future hold? Part 1 (9:47 min)
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on Jul 27th, 2008 at 8:00 am
great addition from this series! Hopefully a lot of the traditional foods will be able to survive. I think they will just based on the need to feed 1.3 billion people… anything and everything is food. Its a shame that traditional street vendors are not allowed though. It hasnt taken long for China to experience the effects of gluttony.
on Jul 27th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Each episode is so different in this series. They were denied for so long and now the floodgates are open with their economic boom. I hope they do not just sweep away their traditions. I know a lot of the beautiful traditional architecture has been destroyed to build new modern buildings. And yes, it would be sad if there are no more street vendors.
on Jul 29th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
this is such an interesting series…and agree it will be sad if the only street vendors are in a tourist place…
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I thought it was quite interesting the government want to get rid of the traditional markets (what presumably our farmers’ market?) because they are ‘unsightly’ and not very impressionable for China’s modern image. It’s ironic. I would have thought these markets are an aspect of the soul of the country. Getting rid of markets and street vendors will but leave only an empty shell behind.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Yes, it does make you want to pull your hair out… Why does modernizing mean getting rid of things. They can clean up, repackage and remake the image. I think they need to consult someone like you, Chaun.
It makes you really appreciate the street food vendor culture in Penang even more.