Luanhai Sea Crab

Luanhai Sea Crab

　　Luanhai Sea Crab is a specialty of Luannan County, Tangshan City, Hebei Province. Known as “Luanhai Sea Crab,” it refers to the yellow crab, which has tender meat and rich, golden fat, making it deliciously palatable. It offers medicinal benefits such as nourishing sinews and boosting energy, regulating the stomach and aiding digestion, dispelling internal heat, and improving circulation.

　　The “Luanhai Sea Crab” is also a type of yellow crab that lives in shallow seawaters, spawns locally, and hatches naturally in the area. As a crustacean, it features large, sharp pincers and a bluish shell, crawling sideways. Its meat is tender, rich in golden fat, and deliciously tasty, providing medicinal benefits such as nourishing sinews and boosting energy, regulating the stomach and aiding digestion, dispelling internal heat, and improving circulation. Moreover, it is extremely nutritious — every 100 grams of crab meat contains 14 grams of protein, 2.5–5.6 grams of fat, and 7.4 grams of carbohydrates. It is also rich in various vitamins and essential trace elements such as phosphorus, calcium, and iron, making it a historically favored delicacy, especially admired by scholars and poets. As a result, an ancient poet once wrote this crab-themed verse: “I knew its fame before seeing the vast sea; its bones grow from within its flesh. Don’t say it has no heart to fear thunder and lightning — even under the Dragon King’s rule, it struts sideways.”

　　Luanhai Sea Crab comes from the coastal areas of Liuzan and Nanpu in southern Luannan County and has a history of four to five hundred years, making it one of the county’s renowned local products. Fishermen catch them in high yields during two main seasons: spring (from Grain Rain to Grain Full) and autumn (from White Dew to Frost’s Descent), using set nets, trawl nets, and rack nets.

　　Both the meat and roe of the Luanhai Sea Crab are exquisite. There are many ways to enjoy it today — it can be steamed, boiled, braised, stir-fried, or dried to make crab meat or crab roe. It can also be processed into crab paste. During the spring fishing season, when toon sprouts have just emerged and peonies begin to bloom, the crab pairs wonderfully with toon leaves, creating a delightful flavor. Enjoying it with wine while admiring the flowers adds even more elegance — hence the poetic line: “Golden crab, snowy-white meat, tender red toon, crisp and fresh; outside the window, peonies blend with wine’s perfume.” In the autumn season, when chrysanthemums are in full bloom, there is the saying: “Admire the chrysanthemums and eat the crabs — when the chrysanthemums turn yellow, the crabs are at their plumpest.”