One of the things I was really looking forward to here in Beijing was the food. It’s not just the food itself, but the whole dining experience. From the ordering of the food which is usually fast and furious, to the gobbling it down, to the busy and loud surroundings. The process of sharing all the dishes, as opposed to our ordering separate dishes in the west, is a very heart-warming process. Food, talk and drink all splash across the table, and this is usually magnified during the summer months, and on weekends.
As I sat down for a meal with a Chinese friend today, she remarked that spicy food is becoming more and more popular here in Beijing. I have certainly noticed this in the past. It also seemed that when younger people want to really enjoy a night out, some, if not all of the dishes have to be sinus burning spicy. There is actually a term used now at some places to describe this incredible level of spice. They say ‘Bian Tai La’. Bian Tai actually means a pervert. ‘La’ means spicy. So, they say it is ‘perverted spicy’ or ‘criminally spicy’.
I asked my friend why these people enjoy the spicy food so much. She told me that it is a form of excitement, and a form of success or celebration. This really hit a note for me in terms of Chinese medicine theory.
Fire in the five element system relates to the season of summer and the heart-mind organ system. The emotion is enjoyment and satisfaction. Each organ system has a thought process associated with it; from the conception of an idea, to the action, and finally to the achievement of a goal. This achievement needs to be realized and appreciated before we can move on to the next process. In modern society we are bombarded by so much stimulation and have so many things on the go, we often get stuck in the process of action and striving for a goal, with little time for contemplation or celebrating our achievements.
I am not sure how healthy these pervertedly hot meats and veggies are, and it doesn’t take much for me to throw in the towel and go diving for a cold drink for some relief. But, they seem to be on to something with these spicy hot celebrations.
Spicy or not, taking a couple hours to share various dishes with good friends is certainly good for the soul.