Jianshui, Yunnan, China has several tourist destinations including an old town with a restored Qing Dynasty mansion and garden and the Jianshui Temple of Confucius. The Jianshui wet market is primarily for the locals with a few tourists, like me, that take in some local culture.

The market isn’t really much different than many such markets all over South East and East Asia. They each vary a bit but are pretty similar.

Some of the rest of this post might be a bit much for some, so if you are squeamish you might want to skip it. One of the interesting things about traveling is seeing how differently people think and how our culture guides our thoughts and feelings.

I haven’t seen live frogs that often but seeing them at market is not uncommon. I am guessing those other containers hold eels (though I guess it could be snakes).

Frogs and eels at Jianshui, China wet market

I like lots of food but certain things I do not like, such as chicken feet.

Cooked chickens and chicken feet

Butchers are common at these markets. And, at times you will see whole roasted pigs.

The most surprising thing at this market though was roasted dogs. They didn’t want me to take a photo, so I didn’t – they were just behind me when looking at the caged chickens up above. From what I understand they use a specific breed of dog and raise them for food, just like pigs or goats or any other meat.

I have been sufficiently emersed in my culture so that I wouldn’t want to try dog meat. But I don’t really see much logical reason to feel that way about that versus eating some other animal.

Related: Photos of Little India, Singapore – Floating Down River in Yangshuo, China on a Bamboo Raft – Park Slope, Brooklyn, NYC, farmer’s market – Angkor Wat, Cambodia