DMR: Why American Chinese Food Deserves Respect (And Why the MSG Fear is a Hoax)
Xiran Jay Zhao (they/them) is a Chinese-Canadian author and youtuber who came to fame bringing up the cultural inaccuracies in the 2020 Disney’s Mulan live action remake. In this video, they explore the history of American Chinese food and how it is often looked at through a racist and xenophobic lens, not only by non-Chinese Americans, but also by people within China, and how it is actually a beautiful part of Chinese-American culture. They also discuss MSG and the history behind the medical fear that came about in the 1900’s and bits about the food culture in mainland China. As someone who lived in China (the Sichuan region), I found this video refreshing because when I came back I was asked all the time how I can still eat “American Chinese food” after having experienced “real Chinese food.”
Really well-researched and written.
You nailed it.
This article is a gem.