Rustication and Rudimentary

Food has the capability to act as a coping mechanism or can be used to nostalgically identify with history or times of the past.. In Cate’s article, handmade creations called spread are used as a unifier among prisoners. With what prisoners can afford, multiple ingredients are generated to create a plethora of late night snacks and pies, each with a personal taste depending on who makes it. Each dish is so complex and detailed and almost unrepeatable except by the creator. Not only is this “spread” a filling meal, it also reminds prisoners of life outside the cell. What I found interesting is that spreads and mealtimes are all hierarchical and racially stratified, with some spreads being given to ringleaders as a gift of respect. The hand made spreads are a way for all prisoners to remain free from authority because it is something they can do that is not chaperoned and their genius creations act as something to bring a jail community closer together.

In the vastly growing town of Shenzen, simple foods obtained through hard labor are appreciated by Old Shenzheners and act as a memory device for those growing up in a time where food was provided by the government and hopes for the future were utopic. With the shift from socialism to capitalism in China, food rations and food consumption were altered entirely. During times of socialism, long days were spent in fields in order to obtain your designated ration of meals like cornbread and gruel, but with the rise of capitalism, the communal dining and basic foods have been replaced with diverse meal options and business driven food establishments.

What was also interesting about this article is how food is analogous to a parable contrasting Northern socialists and Southern capitalists in China. The consumption of beef represents the North with idealisms like honesty and morality in economic equality. The use of fish as a primary source of food resembles trickery and corruption, but more food for all in the grand scheme of things. Shenzen is a prime example of transitions occurring in China and both old and newcomers to Shenzen are all fighting for a better living, but food in the community resembles HOW each separate party wishes to moves towards this common goal.