Quote:
Originally Posted by UnknownJinX
Some input from someone who grew up in Shanghai, China:
Never really saw anything too outlandish in the local wet markets. The farthest I have seen are dogs in a rural part, but given Shanghai, it's far from popular. I am sure if you look for it, you can find some weird stuff, but my family never seeked out for that kind of stuff so as long as you stay in the "normal" parts of the market, I don't think you will come across something too weird.
I am no expert in TCM, but for most of the more common recipes I had as a kid, I don't recall anything that's too outlandish. The weirdest one is probably cicada shells... Now I don't doubt there is some weird stuff that are used for TCM, but at the same time, it also boils down to the price and access. Your average doctor in public hospitals(which most people go to) will likely prescribe you what you can easily afford(herbs and farm animal parts) versus the weird ones that are rarer, more expensive and possibly illegal.
TCM is a touchy topic. Personally I think it's been around for a long time so there is at least some truth to them. Like I said, very outlandish recipes exist for sure, but how widely they are used is up for debate.
And banning doesn't solve this problem. Illegal markets will always exist in any jurisdictions. Hard drugs are illegal and immoral, but people still make and sell them, but again, most people steer clear of them. A small number of people have that demand, it will have to be filled somehow.
Just did a bit of research on Pangolin, and came across a very interesting point mentioned on Wikipedia: Pangolin doesn't have a natural habitat in Wuhan or Hubei province for that matter. I know not to trust Wikipedia on everything but you can pretty much check any source and confirm Pangolin's natural habitats. So why did it break out in Wuhan and nowhere else? Seems odd, unless poachers know something we don't(highly unlikely).
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Pangolins are imported
by the ton into China for food and TCM, and continue to do so to this day.
It broke out in Wuhan because, despite your personal anecdotes, wet markets store tons of animals in dangerously close proximity, in tiny dirty cages covered in their own filth, the shit pouring down from the animals on the top of the pile onto the ones below them.
None of this is new or mysterious or made up.