Bullshit. It has everything to do with their culture. Bear bile farms for the extraction of bile for medicinal purposes. These bears will stay locked up in an iron cage that they can't move from. 15 to 25 years of pure agony before they finally die. Rhino horns for medicinal purposes. Bear feet for medicinal purposes. Sale of ivory for artistic purposes. Eating of cats and dogs. Horse and donkey hide industrial use - from the U.S. Animals having their fur ripped apart while still alive prior to human consumption. The Chinese atrocities of animals in human history is unlike any other culture. Cultural practices that have been going on for thousands of years. Go visit China. Go to both the countryside and the big cities. Tell me what you find out regarding animal treatment.
The Japanese fall close behind with their slaughter of whales and dolphins.
First of all, not sure if its your 1 second attention span or illiteracy, I was criticizing the mistreatment of animals also. Only thing I singled out was how too many people, including you it seems, use culture for every behavioural trait.
And sure, chinese medicine is well documented. As is westeren,where they also use many animal parts. But we still care for our animals, compassion is cherished in societies and people strive towards it and we try to progress towards something better.
Their attitude towards animals was not always like it is today, animals seen as things. That is not, nor was CULTURE. That attitude came in the 80,90 or so, when the mao mentality became part of everyones thinking and has progressed ever since until today. Today a chinaman will sell his parents if it means advancement in work environment or a money prize. Everything is valued, everything is objectified, life is far from sacred. That is not Chinese culture as is though it might be becoming one.
Which is sad and ironic, since theyre a people with teachings like buddhism,which has psychology and mental techniques and realisations that are far far beyond anything the western psychology has to offer regarding the human thought processes/ego. I guess no wonder theyre so keen in destroying it, facing ones immorality and primitivism is a though pill to swallow.