Hengshui Goldfish

Hengshui Goldfish

　　    Goldfish are considered a national treasure of China. With their vibrant colors, elegant forms, graceful postures, and countless captivating shapes, they delight the eye and refine the spirit, earning them such titles as “Golden-Scaled Fairy,” “Water Peony,” and “Oriental Sacred Fish” both in China and abroad. Regarded as a form of artistic beauty, they have become world-renowned as precious ornamental fish.

　　    The ancestors of goldfish were wild crucian carp, with a history of over 1,700 years. According to records, through evolution and development, there are now 162 varieties. They are mainly divided into four categories: grass type, wen type, dragon type, and egg type. The breeding of goldfish began in Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty and later spread to Shanghai, Zhenjiang, Beijing, Tianjin, and other places. During the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, around 1506, the imperial palaces and mansions in Beijing began keeping goldfish year-round. In China, they are primarily divided into two major schools: Hangzhou goldfish and Beijing goldfish. Hangzhou is the birthplace of goldfish, while Beijing has further developed and cultivated new varieties. The Hengshui Municipal Gardening Management Office’s Laishun Court Goldfish Farm was established in 1982 and is meticulously managed by Mr. Xu Licai, the tenth-generation descendant of the Beijing Court Goldfish Breeding family. The farm now covers a breeding area of more than 1,800 square meters, with an annual production capacity of over 100,000 fish. In recent years, Mr. Xu Licai has rescued and cultivated more than ten varieties of goldfish, with a current total of 64 varieties. Among the more precious ones are: Red Cap Oranda, King Character Tiger Head, Vermilion Eyed Bubble Eye, Magpie Flower Dragon Eye Globe, Twelve Block Red Dragon Eye, Agate Eye, Tangerine Scale Lion Head, Red Rabbit Eye Tiger Head, and White Jade Crown. Since 1986, the farm’s goldfish have been exported to countries and regions such as Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States.

　　    Goldfish have strengthened the connections and exchanges between China and other countries around the world. They are a symbol of friendship, peace, and beauty.     

　　    “The Goldfish Xu” Historical Tale It is said that after several southern inspection tours, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty was determined to create a scenic Jiangnan-style paradise in Beijing, so he ordered the construction of the Old Summer Palace. Once it was completed, the emperor looked at the dozen or so goldfish in the pond and frowned, asking his eunuch: “When I toured the south, I saw red fish there — beautiful in form and color, truly lovely. Why not bring some here?” The emperor’s words struck a chord with Eunuch Liang, who immediately knelt and replied: “Your Majesty, Jinan is full of skilled goldfish breeders. I have a relative surnamed Xu, who is the best goldfish breeder in Jinan, known as ‘Goldfish Xu.’ If Your Majesty desires, I will go to Jinan to bring him here to breed goldfish exclusively.” Emperor Qianlong said: “Go and do it quickly!”     

　　    So Eunuch Liang rode at top speed to Jinan to summon the Xu family to the capital. From then on, Beijing, a city teeming with hidden talents, gained another “Goldfish Xu.”     

　　    Goldfish are a national treasure of China. From around the early 16th century to the present, Chinese goldfish have been introduced to Japan, Thailand, Portugal, the United States, and various countries in Southeast Asia and Europe. Goldfish have strengthened the connections and exchanges between China and other countries, becoming a symbol of friendship and peace.     

　　    After the liberation, through generations of exploration, hard work, and careful cultivation, the Xu family’s skills became increasingly refined, and the varieties of goldfish they bred grew more and more diverse, eventually establishing the unique “Goldfish Xu” lineage. The Xu family once served as fish keepers for the embassies of the Soviet Union, Japan, and Czechoslovakia in China, and they entered Zhongnanhai several times to provide goldfish for Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai.     

　　    In the early 1950s, shortly after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, the Indian government gifted China elephants as a token of friendship. In 1955, on the occasion of Indian Prime Minister Nehru’s 60th birthday, the Chinese Premier presented goldfish as a return gift, symbolizing peace and friendship. At that time, Xu Jinsheng, then in his twenties, took on the responsibility of escorting a hundred precious goldfish. These included more than ten varieties such as Bubble Eye, Tiger Head, and Dragon Eye. When the plane arrived in New Delhi, Nehru personally received the gift, making it a celebrated story. Hengshui is known for its “Three Treasures,” and goldfish are one of them. Hengshui goldfish, also called court goldfish, belong to the Beijing school — one of the two major goldfish lineages.     

　　    Today’s Hengshui goldfish specifically refers to those bred by Mr. Xu Licai at the “Laishun” Goldfish Farm under the Hengshui Municipal Gardening Management Office. Mr. Xu is the tenth-generation descendant of the Beijing Court Goldfish Breeding family. Since 1982, he has successively developed new varieties and rescued extinct ones, including: “Red Head Sky-Gazer,” “Tiger Head,” “Bubble Eye,” “Agate Eye,” “White Jade Crown,” and others. His goldfish have been exported to countries and regions such as Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States, winning high praise from international friends and goldfish enthusiasts.     

　　    In 1986, some of Mr. Xu Licai’s goldfish were exhibited at the Shekou Sea World Amusement Center in Shenzhen, captivating many visitors from Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau with their stunning beauty and earning widespread acclaim.     

　　    In recent years, Mr. Xu Licai has hosted visitors from many countries, bringing honor to Hengshui and raising its profile. National leaders such as Wang Renzhong, Lin Liyun, Liu Runtao, Liu Zhenhua, and others have visited Hengshui and spoken highly of his work. (Hengshui)