Tiger penis soup () is a

Chinese soup Soups in East Asian culture are eaten as one of the main dishes in a meal or in some cases served straight with little adornment, particular attention is paid to the soups' stocks. In the case of some soups, the stock ingredients become part of ...

prepared with

tiger penis In traditional Chinese medicine, a tiger penis (Vietnamese: ''Pín hổ''; ) is said to have important therapeutic properties. However, there is no scientific proof that tiger penis can be used to treat any medical disorder. The demand for tiger ...

. It is typically an expensive dish, due to the rarity of tiger penis. In some cultures and countries, people believe that the dish can enhance male

virility Virility (from the Latin ''virilitas'', manhood or virility, derived from Latin ''vir'', man) refers to any of a wide range of masculine characteristics viewed positively. Virile means "marked by strength or force". Virility is commonly associ ...

—a notion that has not been supported by scientific evidence. There has been opposition to the dish from

environmental organization An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environment ...

s, and ongoing consumption of the soup has contributed to the decline of tiger populations. The legality of the dish varies in different countries, as tigers are a

protected species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invas ...

Overview

Preparation involves soaking dried tiger penis in water and then cooking it along with other medicines and spices. Sometimes tiger bone is also included in the soup's preparation. Tiger penis soup has been sold for US$300 a bowl in China and other places in the

Orient The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of ''Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the c ...

, and can cost as much as US$400. In 1998 in Southeast Asian and East Asian markets, the soup sold for US$350 per bowl. Prices are expensive due to the rarity of tiger penis. Chris Coggins reported in 2002 that the dish was available and had been consumed in various

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

Medicinal beliefs

Some people and cultures in Asia believe that tiger penis soup acts as a medicinal

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs like cannabis or cocain ...

, can improve one's sexual performance or virility, or cure impotence. However, consumption of cooked animal genitalia does not increase testosterone levels in humans. Furthermore, there is no empirical evidence of tiger penis being correlated with sexual enhancement in humans. It has been stated that men may be fooled into thinking their sexual prowess is increased by consuming tiger penis soup due to

placebo effect A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like Saline (medicine), saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general ...

s, in which the placebo effects act to counteract mild impotence, rather than the soup.

Opposition

In 1996, the

Wildlife Conservation Society The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a non-governmental organization headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City, that aims to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions. Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological ...

, an organization that focuses upon

wildlife conservation Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habita ...

, ran an international

advertising campaign An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC). An IMC is a platform in which a group of people can group their ideas, beliefs, and conc ...

stating that claims of sexual potency being enhanced from consuming tiger penis soup are fraudulent. It has been stated that beliefs of tiger penis soup contributing to sexual enhancement has contributed to the endangerment of tiger populations, because of tiger

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...

that occurs due to the high prices penises and other animal parts can command. Additionally, a high demand for tiger penis soup has significantly contributed to reductions in tiger populations.

Legality

Tigers are an endangered, protected species. It is illegal in some countries to consume tiger, and it has been stated that consumption of tiger is unethical due to the animal's endangered status. Some shops in China and Hong Kong may sell deer or ox tendons while claiming that they are selling tiger penis.

References

{{reflist, refs= Extreme Cuisine: The Weird & Wonderful Foods that People Eat – Jerry Hopkins
p. 97. Listverse. Com's Ultimate Book of Bizarre Lists – Jamie Frater
p. 207. {{cite web , url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/130813/breast-milk-tiger-penis-rich-vices , title=What China wants: Breast milk and tiger penis , publisher=Global Post , date=20 August 2013 , accessdate=31 January 2014 , author=Carlson, Benjamin In Search of the Rain Forest
p. 198. Wars, Women and Other Wonders: Arguments From A Latter Day Visigoth – Philip Rushlow
/ref> A Doctor's Vietnam Journal – Carl E. Bartecchi
p. 90. The Tiger and the Pangolin: Nature, Culture, and Conservation in China – Chris Coggins
p. 70. Exploring the Dimensions of Human Sexuality – Jerrold S. Greenberg, Clint E. Bruess, Sara B. Oswalt
p. 171. The Rise of Viagra: How the Little Blue Pill Changed Sex in America – Meika Loe
p. 44.

External links

Aphrodisiacs and the Myth of Tiger Penis Magical Cures
Tigerhomes.org. Chinese soups Mammal penis Traditional Chinese medicine