Illustration: Peter C. Espina/GT

Thousands of years ago, the Chinese Confucian philosopher Mencius said, "A superior man should keep away from the kitchen." He believed the base behavior of chopping meat and fish would conflict with men's magnanimous and noble spirit. Thus, it is inferior men and women who should be in charge of the kitchen work.

Even in the modern age, the idea has prevailed in China for decades. When I was little, my father rarely cooked. He always said that he had much more important things to do, such as earning extra money by playing saxophone with his band at local ballrooms. The situation is similar in all my friends' homes. The mother was usually the person who prepared meals.

But things started to change in recent years. If a woman can do the same work as a man in the office, why can't a man cook in the kitchen?

A friend of mine two months ago enrolled in a local cooking class. He was not the only male student in the class so he did not feel embarrassed. My friend has a stable government job, and decided to learn to cook for his own enjoyment and health. After dining out for years, he could no longer bear poorly-cooked dishes, possibly made from gutter oil or unhealthy food. What's more, cooking gives him a sense of accomplishment, especially when he is praised by family and friends.

Recently, an article claiming that men who love kitchen work show higher emotional intelligence has been widely circulated on social media. The article gives several advantages if a man cooks. It helps build a harmonious family where father shares an equal burden of the housework with mother. Moreover cooking, which needs a lot of practice, can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease for aging men. 

In the marriage market, culinary skills in fact can make men more charming and competitive. Increasing numbers of Chinese young woman are attracted by nuannan, which literally means "warm man." For example, Zhang Liang, father of Tiantian in the popular TV reality show Dad, Where are We Going?, turned out to be popular among women. This is not only because he is handsome (he works as a model) but also because he is good at cooking, which means he is thoughtful, patient and willing to take care of others.  

Another anecdote about men cooking comes from Wang Shi, China's real-estate tycoon. It is said that when Wang, at the age of 61, fell in love with Tian Pujun, a 30-year-old actress, he cooked hongshao rou (braised pork in brown sauce) for her every day. In an interview Tian said that the meals cooked by Wang are her favorite meals.

In my opinion, culinary skills add to a man's good image. A man shows the ability and intelligence to make a balance between private life and work by cooking for his family.

The era of Mencius has long passed. But today, a woman who performs well in her career is still often asked the question, "How do you balance your career and private life?" Now it is time we start asking our male counterparts the same question.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.