Updated on 13 October 2026. The original 2007 post is kept below.
Where were these snacks sold?
Most of the skewers in the video come from Beijing’s Wangfujing area, where a snack street next to the main shopping boulevard became famous for “brave” food: scorpions, silkworm pupae, seahorses, starfish and more, all on sticks. Visitors usually come for the photo, and travel guides say the scorpions are often still wriggling on display until they’re fried to order.
It’s worth knowing that many of these skewers were aimed at tourists rather than everyday local lunches. Beijing street food is much more about lamb skewers, candied hawthorn, jianbing pancakes and dumplings. Still, insects are a real part of food culture in parts of China and across Asia. The UN’s FAO estimates that at least two billion people worldwide include insects in their traditional diets.
So the bug buffet is real, just with a strong dose of showbiz. Bring a camera, and maybe a napkin.
More from Beijing: scorpions on a stick and scorpion soup.
