Silverfish from She County

Silverfish from She County

　　A specialty of Anhui—silverfish are freshwater fish, about seven to ten centimeters long, slightly round in body, tender and transparent, with a silvery sheen, hence the name. Those produced at the mouth of the Yangtze River are slightly longer and commonly known as “face-length fish” or “noodle fish.”

　　 Specialty culture: also called kuai can yu or bai xiao. The great Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu once wrote a poem titled “Bai Xiao,” which says: “Bai xiao group divided fate, naturally two-inch fish. Minute among aquatic creatures, custom treats them like garden greens. In shops, silver blossoms scatter; when boxes tilt, snowflakes lie bare. Born yet still shedding eggs, how fully do they fulfill their role?” This poem is quite comprehensive and vivid. These fish are small, translucent, pure white and glistening, delicate, round, tender, and entirely transparent.

　　 Specialty benefits: Silverfish are a high-protein, low-fat food, suitable even for those with hyperlipidemia. Traditional Chinese medicine considers them sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, good for strengthening the spleen and stomach, and beneficial to the lungs and diuresis. They can treat spleen-stomach weakness, lung deficiency cough, and various deficiencies and ailments.