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The 5th International Forum on Shiology concluded this week in Haikou, People’s Republic of China, bringing together experts, researchers, and policymakers from 52 countries to explore new approaches to understanding and improving the global food system.

The three-day event held October 28–30, marked a significant expansion of the movement since its previous forum in 2023. Professor Emeritus Dr. Claude Caldwell attended and emphasized that Shiology — a term still relatively new to Western audiences — represents an emerging interdisciplinary framework aimed at studying and structuring the entire food system with “eaters” at its centre.

“Shiology is about more than food,” said Dr. Caldwell.  “The Chinese word shi has deep cultural layers — it means not just eating, but the relationships and meanings connected to the act of nourishment.”

Discussions throughout the forum were framed around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with delegates examining how Shiology can contribute to addressing global food challenges through both local and international collaboration.

While Shiology was initiated in China and its directorate remains based in Beijing, a new Shiology Research Institute is being established at the University of Pisa in Italy, and there are active discussions about hosting the next forum outside of China — possibly in Canada — to underline the initiative is not political but global in scope.

A continuing challenge is explaining the concept of Shiology to Western audiences. The complexity lies in the cultural and linguistic nuances of the Chinese term shi, which can mean both “food” and “eating.”

“In English, food is often understood as a static noun,” he explained. “In Chinese, shi is active — it’s about relationships and processes. This is like Indigenous languages in Canada, where words for food and nature are dynamic and context specific.”

In Mi’kmaq culture, distinct words describe seasonal foods and traditional preparation methods — underscoring a deep, living relationship with sustenance.

“Understanding shi in its full sense is essential if Shiology is to be adopted globally,” he added. “If we translate it simply as ‘food,’ we lose the heart of what Shiology can be.”

The forum concluded with a call for greater North American engagement. “Those of us involved in the agri-food system in Canada and the United States need to become familiar with Shiology, its tenets and its opportunities,” he urged. “Global food transformation requires global cooperation.”

For more information, visit shiology.world