Vegetarian Club at Tsinghua

Everything was as usual on June 17, 2016: students were moving to and fro in the hall of Qingfen canteen at Tsinghua. Nobody knew a surprise performance art event was underway.

It was one of the most unusual moments for Qingfen canteen. At about 12 p.m., the hall was suddenly shrouded in bloody red lights, investing the space with an air of gloom and terror. A person slowly descended from a hole in the roof with a string attached to his back. Along with him were several animal toys—pigs, sheep and cows—hung by strings from other holes. Beneath them, a large crowd gathered, shocked and surprised. The lights, the music, and the scene all pointed out the tragic destiny of the cute and lovely animals—death—and they died because of human beings’ appetites and meat eating habit.

The person who was hung in the hall was Ouyang Huiyu. A construction major, an animal right activist, and a vegan, he has found a new focus in his college life this semester—leading a branch of the Tsinghua Vegetarian Club and promoting a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.

“This is one of the best and most popular communities at Tsinghua,” Ouyang said proudly.

Vegetarian Club

Established in 2012, the Tsinghua Vegetarian Club now has over 300 club members with 40 in leadership positions, including both Chinese students and foreign students. Not all of its members are as adventurous and creative as Ouyang, but they all share his passion for vegetarianism. Since its commencement, the club has provided advice, support and resources to vegetarians at Tsinghua. It is now a community where like-minded people inspire and communicate with each other, and promote the healthy lifestyle around the university.

“We offer a wide variety of activities on campus, including reading sessions, movie nights, and DIY activities. It is open for not only vegetarians but also for those who concern vegetarianism, animal rights, or a healthy lifestyle,” said Hannah, co-president of the international branch of the club, who is in charge of promoting events to international students.

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Their most recent activity was titled “vegetarian challenge.” It encouraged students to take the challenge of eating vegetarian meals for 21 days consecutively and post photos of their meals online. Those who meet the challenge will have a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite or movie tickets.