Female Mountain Lake Silver Fish

Female Mountain Lake Silver Fish

　　　Legend has it that when the Taoist immortal Zhang Guolao took a nap in the Immortal Cave of Female Mountain, he was disturbed by a noisy flock of white goats, which ruined his rest. In anger, he turned the goats into stone. The snow-white wool did not turn to stone but fell off, was blown by the wind and washed by the rain, and eventually flowed into Female Mountain Lake. Over time, they grew into a type of slender, tiny fish. At first, there were only a few, and the fishermen paid them no mind. Later, they multiplied in great numbers, swimming in schools that shimmered under the sunlight, creating a silver-white expanse — the lake had become a silver lake. Some people caught a few and made soup with them. The soup had an exceptionally delicious taste, the fish was tender and boneless, leaving a memorable aftertaste. Because these tiny fish were silver-white and scaleless, they came to be called "silver fish."

The silver fish produced in Female Mountain Lake are considered top-grade among fish. When news of them spread, more and more people began to catch them. At first, they were for personal consumption, but as more people learned about them, city dwellers also started eating them, so they began appearing in fish markets. As demand grew, so did the price. One day, the county magistrate recommended the fish to the prefect, who found them uniquely delicious and of excellent quality. He then ordered them to be caught and delivered daily. Later, in an attempt to please high-ranking officials in the imperial court, the prefect selected a batch of premium specimens, all about an inch long, and presented them to the palace. The imperial chef prepared them into a delicate silver fish soup, which the emperor tasted and enjoyed so much that he drank two bowls in a row, repeatedly praising them as “delicious!” From then on, Female Mountain silver fish became a tribute. It is said that they were esteemed as a delicacy over a hundred years before those from Taihu Lake and Chaohu Lake.

Female Mountain Lake silver fish are small in size but plump, with tender and flavorful meat that is rich in nutrients. Their dried product, “dried silver fish,” is a high-protein, nutritious food. These products are pure white like silver, free of discoloration, uniformly sized, and can be used to prepare a variety of delicious dishes. They are very popular in both domestic and international markets.