German Female Artist Proposes 'Vegetarian Train Cars' in Taiwan
German artist and vegetarian food entrepreneur Tan Manran sparked backlash after proposing dedicated vegetarian train cars in Taiwan to avoid the smell of pork rib bento boxes, a cherished part of Taiwan's railway culture.
German artist Tan Manran, who has lived and worked in Taiwan for over a decade and founded the vegetarian food brand Manran Vegetarian to promote plant-based eating culture, has become the center of an online debate. She posted on the Threads platform proposing that Taiwan Railways establish "dedicated passenger cars for vegetarians" to avoid the smell of pork rib bento boxes, which she finds disruptive during travel. In her post, she explained that whenever she takes Taiwan trains, she prepares her own vegetarian bento box, and thought that dedicated vegetarian cars would make travel more comfortable for this group of passengers, allowing them to avoid "enduring the smell of pork rib bento boxes for hours on the train."
After the post went public, it sparked widespread criticism on social media. Many netizens view Taiwan's pork rib train bento as part of Taiwan's unique railway culture and expressed displeasure with her opinion. Some commenters suggested that some vegetarians were displaying superiority, or argued that if vegetarians find the smell of meat food unpleasant, meat-eaters might similarly dislike vegetable smells. Critics also pointed out that while promoting vegetarianism is seen as commendable, referencing train bento boxes—a cherished memory for many Taiwanese across generations—could be seen as directly attacking local food culture.
Some internet users commented that while most Taiwanese are friendly to foreigners, her proposal might trigger strong backlash. She responded that after living in Taiwan for over a decade, "this is the first time I've encountered the dark side of people's minds, but I can endure it." Her response only intensified online dissatisfaction. She has since deleted the post and made her Threads account private.
Beyond food culture debates, some netizens also questioned her work permit status and business registration in Taiwan. However, she clarified that she is "currently registered correctly, residing legally, and working according to law," confirming there are no legal violations.
