Ye wei

Ye wei or yewei (from Pinyin yěwèi) is a form of bush meat or game including exotic animals and wild animals in Chinese cuisine.  It is also popular in countries such as Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. Yewei is often sold at Chinese wet markets, and is becoming part of the restaurant culture in China.

History 
Historically members of the imperial courts in the dynastic eras have requested grand animals for their meals.  Famous examples include the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.  Though today it can be eaten by anyone with access to the wild animals (which can be imported).

Terminology 
The word 野 basically means "wild".  As it is the shortened form of (野獸), which means "wild beasts".

Styles 
There is likely no set cooking methods as different regions may have different names for the dishes. Animals can include badgers, bats, beavers, camel, chickens, civets, crab, crocodiles, dogs, donkeys, fish, foxes, giant salamanders, hedgehog, "koalas", marmots, ostrich, otters,
pangolins, peacocks, pheasants, pigs, porcupines, rabbit and rabbit organs, rats, sheep, shrimp, spotted deer, striped bass, turtles, venomous snakes, (including bungarus multicinctus) wolf pups, and more. The animals can be sourced from all over the world.

Culture 

The consumption of wildlife is a topic with mixed reactions in China.  In a 2014 survey of several cities in China, 52.7% of respondents agreed with the statement that wildlife should not be consumed. 

In certain parts of China, locals boast about eating 'bush meat' and about the variety of animals they've eaten.

Notes

See also
Bat as food

References 

Category:Chinese imperial cuisine