Animal Protection (husheng) and Ethical Eating Practices in Modern Chinese Buddhism

Abstract This article presents a historical and ethnographic examination of a range of practices connected with the teachings of non-violence and animal protection. I situate Buddhist-inspired vegetarianism in everyday practice rather than referring to clichéd ideas of “identity” and argue that practices connected with ethical eating and the “protection of sentient beings” are useful as a theoretical construct. Conceptualizing vegetarianism as practice can shed light on key aspects of the religious repertoire and the materialities of care that Buddhists can draw from as needed.