Did ancient China consume milk as frequently as it does today?

Not only the Chinese, but also most of the time in ancient times, Europeans and other countries did not drink milk. Many so-called milk-drinking customs you think of actually began no earlier than two hundred years ago. Even many nomadic tribes themselves, if they had no other choice, would first choose tea rather than milk. There was a proverb among the leaders of nomadic tribes in ancient times that went, “Rather go without meat for three days than without tea for one day.” Because, to be precise, before the invention of pasteurization, directly drinking the milk secretions of other animals was extremely dangerous. Due to the huge proportion of bacterial colonies, which often included many of the animals’ own diseases, it was basically the fastest way to get dysentery. At that time, getting dysentery could really be fatal. In fact, if you just look at the historical works produced by Europe itself, it is not difficult to find that in the Middle Ages, the mainstream in Europe was also drinking tea. Because tea was the most safe beverage product recognized by all civilized circles at that time, which is why ancient tea was a highly profitable industry. If someone really thinks that the foreigners or other nomadic groups have always eaten meat and drunk milk since ancient times and that they would be the same in the ancient world, I suggest preparing targeted medications in advance. After all, the milk processing level in ancient times was extremely poor, with an extremely high bacterial colony ratio. Don’t let yourself get dysentery and die.

Most of the Chinese population learned to consume cheese from northern ethnic minorities during the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties period. Unlike solid European cheeses, traditional Chinese cheese was semi-solid and semi-drink. Wealthy families in northern China enjoyed cheese greatly, and this habit was carried over when they migrated south. Wang Dao, a prominent member of the Eastern Jin elite, actively proposed marriage to the Gu family in an effort to ally with the powerful families of Wu Prefecture. The Gu family objected, arguing that while the Wangs drank cheese, the Gusu family preferred tea—indicating stark differences in lifestyle habits. During the Tang Dynasty, cheese remained a common daily drink among people in northern China and was not expensive. The peak of dairy consumption among the upper classes occurred during the Yuan Dynasty, after which dairy products disappeared from many regions across China. Before the 19th century, due to lack of safe methods for sterilization and preservation, milk was considered a high-risk food. Freshly squeezed milk often became contaminated by bacteria, and during hot seasons, it could spoil within just a few hours. Moreover, many people were allergic to milk. For centuries, milk and cheese—referred to as "white meat" due to their low cost—were the primary food source for the poor, while the wealthy avoided them entirely.

Ancient nomadic peoples also drank fermented dairy products. The Mongols and Turks of the past would first boil fresh or sheep's milk, then ferment it and add water—adding three to four bowls of water for every bucket of milk. However, when fermenting horse's milk, they did not boil it but instead fermented the milk together with horse's milk wine.

Marco Polo, who lived at the end of the 13th century, mentioned in his famous travelogue that Genghis Khan's troops carried powdered milk dried for food during their long journeys. This is likely the earliest recorded mention of powdered milk. However, when Western explorers ventured into the New World, they resorted to a far more primitive and clumsy solution to address nutritional needs: bringing cows along on their voyages. When Columbus set out for the American continent for the second time in 1493, he learned from his previous voyage and brought cattle with him. As Puritans began to migrate en masse to the Americas (a period considered ancient in China, corresponding to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties), British law even mandated that every ship sailing to the New World must carry one cow for every five passengers. Upon arrival at port, the captain was allowed to sell these cows locally to earn extra income.