Shapu River Water Bugs

Shapu River Water Bugs

　　It is said that to the west of the Temple of the South Sea there are two conch-shaped mountains—one on the east side of Shapu Village on the north bank of the Pearl River, and the other in Panyu on the south bank. The two mountains face each other across the river. The one on the north bank is called Conch Male (the male), while the one on the south bank is called Conch Female (the female). Legend has it that if the male conch is particularly spirited, a bridge must be formed between them using water bugs so he can cross over to flirt with the female conch on the south bank. When this happens, undesirable behavior such as unmarried girls getting pregnant or widows becoming restless tends to occur among nearby villagers. Therefore, at the end of each year, when the wind is crisp and the grass and seedlings have withered, villagers near Conch Female Mountain would go up to Conch Male Mountain to set it on fire, burning all the vegetation so it would not be so spirited the following year. At the same time, they would catch water bugs from the Shapu River, cook them, and eat them, preventing the bugs from acting as messengers between the male and female conchs. This is how the dish Shapu River Water Bugs came about. It is said that those who eat this dish become especially spirited, and many people find themselves "coming back for more."