Nourishing life ( yangsheng ) and dietary rituals ( shili ): school lunch and food education in a Shanghai primary school

The cultivation of yangsheng (養生, nourishing life) and shili (食禮, dietary rituals) has a long history in ancient China and both have profoundly shaped the modern daily lives of Chinese people. Using a video-cued multi-vocal ethnography and taking a public primary school in urban Shanghai as an illustrative example, this article investigates the practices and perceptions of Chinese educators about school lunch and food education. Furthermore, it draws on the philosophies of yangsheng and shili as normative resources to critically scrutinise their practices and perceptions. This ethnographic–philosophical approach enables us to not only explore what has been done, but also reflect on what should be done to better achieve planetary sustainability and student well-being in China and beyond.