Confucian ethics and the narrative construction of sustainability and food safety: a case study of ‘ A Bite of China ’

As public concern about food crises has risen, China faces the challenge of rebuilding confidence in its domestic food supply chains. In response, state media has intentionally utilised culturally rich, visually appealing storylines to reframe food governance through traditional ethical ideals and ecological sustainability. This study examines how Confucian ethics are incorporated into the Chinese food documentary ‘A Bite of China’ and how the series constructs narratives of food safety and sustainability. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), the study analyses all 3 seasons (22 episodes) through the Confucian theoretical lens of the harmony between humans and nature, the ‘Doctrine of the Mean’, filial piety, and self-cultivation. The findings demonstrate that the documentary reframes contemporary concerns about ecological sustainability and food safety through Confucian ethical values rather than primarily through regulatory discourse. Sustainability is represented as harmony with nature, while food safety is constructed as a moral outcome of moderation, familial responsibility and relational trust. Furthermore, the series functions as aesthetic propaganda, employing romanticised rural imagery and traditional culinary practices to promote an idealised vision of cultural continuity and social harmony. This study demonstrates how state-produced documentary narratives transform Confucian ethics into a discursive mechanism for representing governance, legitimacy and ecological responsibility.