locust plague? This word, after the rough first half of the year, must have awakened the memories of the Chinese people again. As a large agricultural country, we have suffered the most from locust disasters in the world for thousands of years. In ancient times, many people died of hunger because of locusts crossing the border, and even there was a scene of human cannibalism.

But nowadays, looking at the overwhelming African migratory locust, what about the so-called online madness? China's food culture can eat anything. Will you be eaten when you come to China? And so on, many people can't help wondering why the ancients couldn't eat locusts to survive the crisis of lack of food. Is it because locusts are poisonous or have parasites?

▲ Horror of locust plague in Africa

In fact, according to modern nutritional analysis, locusts are not only nontoxic, but also the species with the highest proportion of protein in wild animals, among which protein accounts for more than 5% of itself, while the proportion of fat does not exceed 5% of itself. Looking at it from the perspective of modern fitness, it is simply the best food to lose weight and shape. According to nutrition experts, after cooking, locusts with the same quality will be three or four times higher than protein with the same quality steak.

So, since locusts have such high edible value, why did the ancients prefer to go hungry rather than eat?

Chinese food culture is extensive and profound. In fact, no matter Han nationality or ethnic minority compatriots, there have been various cooking and eating methods of locusts in our country for a long time, and they are various and strange. In a province with a large number of ethnic minorities like Yunnan, there are? Eighteen monsters in Yunnan, three grasshoppers and one dish? The statement; Another example is that Hani compatriots also have a unique way of eating. This dish about locusts is called grasshopper pickles.

▲ Pickled grasshoppers in Mojiang River

Perhaps some Han people can't understand the diet of ethnic minorities, and even find locusts difficult to swallow, but that's because after the establishment of New China, our life is getting better and better, and there are fewer and fewer locust plagues. In fact, some cities today are still rumored to eat many locusts, such as Tianjin, a municipality directly under the Central Government of China, where there are not only? Fried grasshopper? The practice, and even unique? Pancake roll grasshopper? Our dishes.

So, since we have been able to make locusts delicious for a long time, why do people still prefer to eat people or starve to death when locusts break out? In fact, there are roughly four reasons.

one of the reasons is superstition. In ancient times, whenever we encountered any natural or man-made disasters, the powerless ancient people blamed it on God's punishment for us, and the sudden and sudden disappearance of locust plague puzzled people, so it was also attributed to God's punishment.

The most typical story is that in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, there was a widespread locust plague, which made the whole country miserable at that time. Many people blamed this disaster on Li Shimin's immorality of Emperor Taizong, and although the ministers didn't say anything, they were also afraid, which made Li Shimin have to find some live locusts to eat directly, alleviating the inner anxiety of everyone. But even so, people are still full of fear of locust plague and still dare not eat it to solve hunger.

Actually, it doesn't need to be explained, just? Locust? How to write the word? Worm, emperor? They all represent the people's fear of locust plague. After all, in traditional culture, Emperor? Words have supreme significance. So with this superstitious fear, even though people can eat locusts at ordinary times, who dares to eat them when they punish them on behalf of heaven? An angel? And?

the second reason is that the ancient people were full of fear of the plague of locusts, so people often ate their own stored food and preserved food to live without having to. However, the plague of locusts came quickly and went quickly. After they finished eating their food, even though they were crazy with hunger, the locusts had eaten their food and fled by this time, so they could only encounter the disaster of hunger.

the third reason is the species of locusts. Most of the ancient people lived on the small-scale peasant economy, which was extremely fragile. After all, there were only a few people with surplus grain at home, but the people who didn't have surplus grain began to fight locusts in hunger for a long time, willy-nilly. In fact, some people tried to use locusts as food in the history books.

▲ Horror of locust plague

However, in fact, the types of locusts in locust plague are actually different from those that people usually eat. The locusts that people usually eat are commonly known as? Grasshopper? Although they are also harmful to food crops, their signs and habits make it difficult for them to form locust plagues. The locusts in the locust plague are migratory locusts, which are generally larger than grasshoppers, like to live in groups, act in unison, and fly at a speed of up to 15 kilometers per hour. So in the face of this overwhelming plague of locusts, most people can't catch a few even if they want to hunt, and they all fly away.

the fourth reason is that even if some people are good at hunting locusts, they can still catch a lot, but in the absence of preservation technology in ancient times, the meat quality of locusts is extremely perishable and difficult to preserve for a long time. Some people may think that it can be preserved by pickling, but ancient salt is the foundation of people's livelihood and a luxury item. How can ordinary people get so much money to pickle locusts?