Ye wei or yewei is essentially the wild-game category within Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...

. It is almost exclusive to the People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

, since the mainland

Mainland China

Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...

 geographic region has rural areas big enough for undomesticated animals.

History

Historically members of the imperial courts in the dynastic eras have requested grand animals for their meals. Famous examples include the Manchu Han Imperial Feast

Manchu Han Imperial Feast

Manhan Quanxi, literally Manchu Han Imperial Feast was one of the grandest meals ever documented in Chinese cuisine. It consisted of at least 108 unique dishes from the Manchu and Han Chinese culture during the Qing Dynasty, and it is only reserved and intended for the emperors. The meal was held...

. Though today it can be eaten by anyone with access to the wild animals.

Terminology

The word 野 basically means "wild". As it is the shortened form of (野獸), which means "wild beasts".

Styles

There is likely no set cooking methods as different regions may have different names for the dishes.