China’s New Culture of Cool: Understanding the world’s fastest-growing market

6. Shi (food)

Food, or shi, has been a central focus of Chinese life for thousands of years. “Have you eaten yet?” is a common greeting, and “You’ve gotten fatter!” is a welcome compliment. These salutations reflect centuries of concern about getting enough food and the related value the Chinese place on eating well. The country’s most recent famines occurred during Mao’s rule, and the majority of Chinese lived on a basic and meager diet during ...