New rich fashion a Shanghai style of sorts

[Hachiko]

SHANGHAI -- "There is nothing the Cantonese will refuse to eat, and nothing the Shanghainese will refuse to wear" is a popular Chinese adage harking back to Shanghai's 1930s heyday when it had a worldwide reputation for decadence and glamour.

A Shanghai style queen helping the city's move toward fashion-capital status.

Japan Times

[Gaki]

There is nothing the Cantonese will refuse to eat

I find that offensive...how the heck do people get away with these kind of slander...

[Apollo]

If I was to go to China, it would definatelty be worth visiting SHanghai..Especially to shop on Nanjing road... A cool place!

[Maciamo]

I find that offensive...how the heck do people get away with these kind of slander...

At the contrary. That means that Cantonese are great cook and it is said indeed that they can cook anything that moves, even snakes or scorpions.

[Gaki]

At the contrary. That means that Cantonese are great cook and it is said indeed that they can cook anything that moves, even snakes or scorpions.

Ah ok, it sounded to me like the writer meant Cantonese people will eat ANYTHING.

[playaa]

Heh, I see what you are saying Gaki it did sound offensive.

[m477]

I think something is lost in the translation there... probably the original Chinese is worded in such a way that avoids that ambiguity.

[lexico]

There is nothing the Cantonese will refuse to eat.

I find that offensive...how the heck do people get away with these kind of slander...

I think it is a Chinese joke told by the Chinese. I remember a graduate student from Beijing telling me that, although I do not know the wording in the original language(s). But as always, context determines the sense of a meaning, so I hope not to hear that in an unfriendly setting, otherwise I would feel offended as much as any racist remark would. Maciamo put a nice, objective interpretation -- that should qualify to go into an encyclopedia of ethnic humour.

edit: Could a Chinese member help out on this one please ? Perhaps Tony, Sunshine, Inner Fire or Ranko ?

[quiet sunshine]

Wow, lexico san, where did you dig this out?

There is nothing the Cantonese will refuse to eat.

I find that offensive...how the heck do people get away with these kind of slander...

Well, I think that sentence is kind of derogatory, but it does depict one feature of Cantonese--enjoy eating so much, especially wild animals.

I think it is a Chinese joke told by the Chinese. I remember a graduate student from Beijing telling me that, although I do not know the wording in the original language(s).

Yeah, here's the joke I know:四条腿的，除了板凳不吃，天上飞的，除了飞机不吃. (they eat everything with four legs except wooden stool and everything that can fly except airplane)

[Silverpoint]

I heard a slightly different version from a Chinese friend. It went something like:

"The only thing with four legs that we won't eat is a table. The only things with two legs we won't eat are our parents"

[Minxie]

a majority of my sorority sisters are cantonese... and they say they eat "anything & everything" all the time... hence why sometimes I'm a little reluctant to go to dimsum/yumcha w/ them lol... im not into the chicken feet and intestines and stuff... =X

The byline is definitely "catchy" isnt it... lol