Echeng Silver Fish

Echeng Silver Fish

　　Echeng Silver Fish is a specialty of Echeng District, Ezhou City, Hubei Province.

　　Echeng Silver Fish is primarily produced in the 90-li-long Changgang River and Liangzi Lake in Ezhou. These water bodies are interconnected, with Liangzi Lake linked to the Yangtze River via the Changgang River. Echeng Silver Fish gets its name from its slightly round, slender, transparent body that shines like silver. This fish is extremely rich in calcium, high in protein, and low in fat, with virtually no large bones, making it suitable for children. It has a delicious taste, is highly nutritious, and boasts a unique flavor—especially before spawning when the fish is at its best. In addition to being eaten fresh, most are dried and sold elsewhere. The dried Echeng Silver Fish contains 72.1% protein and 13% fat, both higher than other edible fish. Each 100 grams also provides 4820 mg of lysine, 2308 mg of methionine, 4176 mg of isoleucine, 4396 mg of valine, and 6652 mg of threonine—such a rich array of amino acids is rare among other fish species. A poem praises Echeng Silver Fish: “The hundred-li Changgang River is famed throughout the land, where silver sprites swim in emerald waves. Like the ginseng of the waters served on jade plates, Echeng’s delicacy is known across the nation.” In 1972, Echeng Silver Fish, along with Echeng Crucian Carp, Echeng Mandarin Fish, and Wuchang Fish, were designated as premium fish species by the Hubei Provincial Government.