First, in the laws of nature, meat eaters and vegetarians are both beasts and gentle ungulates, so meat eaters refer to people who are capable, powerful and capable. Vegetarians are just the opposite!
Second, during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (including the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period), the level of productivity was low, so it was stipulated in the etiquette that people should not eat meat! So only rulers or officials and nobles eat meat! There is a saying in classical Chinese that meat eaters are in power. From this, it is deduced that the intentional person is a meat eater, and the ordinary or sacrificial person is a vegetarian! "Vegetarian meat eater" is the vernacular!
The following is a reference to the word "meat eater"
Ritual system in Zhou dynasty
Ancient rulers had strict restrictions on eating meat. The etiquette of Zhou dynasty stipulated that the son of heaven ate cattle; Governors generally eat sheep, and cows can only eat in New Moon (the first day of every month); Doctors usually eat pigs and dogs, and sheep can only eat in the month. At that time, the emperors and nobles prepared more food than usual on the first day of each month, called "Shi Shuo", and the food specifications were also improved. In addition, doctors can only eat cows when offering sacrifices or when emperors and princes hold banquets.
Documentary record
The Book of Rites: "Governors don't kill cows for no reason, doctors don't kill sheep for no reason, scholars don't kill dogs for no reason, and Shu Ren doesn't eat treasures for no reason."
Edit class differences in this paragraph.
Because of the low productivity and cruel exploitation by the ruling class at that time, it was not easy for ordinary people to eat meat. Mencius described Qi Xuanwang's ideal picture of "the land of monarch and pleasure" like this: "A house of five acres, mulberry trees, fifty people can wear clothes and silks, and chickens, dolphins, dogs and cats can eat meat." (See Mencius Hui Liang Wang Shang) Even if a beautiful ideal society is realized, ordinary people will not be able to eat meat until they are 70 years old.