Laifeng Fish

Laifeng Fish

Laifeng Fish is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Laifeng Town in Bishan County (now part of Laifeng District in Qinggang Subdistrict), located in the western suburbs of Chongqing at the foot of Mount Jinyun, is 27 kilometers from the main urban area (the western ring of the inner ring road). It was one of the four famous ancient post stations. The Chengdu-Chongqing Expressway runs through the town, where Yulong Road and Bijin Road intersect. Historically a strategic military location, it has long been known as "Little Chongqing."

　　 Laifeng Town is world-renowned for its signature dish, "Laifeng Fish." With a long history, generations of chefs have built upon traditional Sichuan culinary techniques to create "Laifeng Fish," characterized by its "numbing, spicy, fresh, fragrant, and tender" flavors, winning the hearts of diners passing through. The famed calligrapher Yang Xuanting proudly inscribed the words "Fresh Fish Delight," praising the taste found in Laifeng, Bishan.

　　 Laifeng was originally a post station on the ancient Chengdu-Chongqing route, renowned alongside Longquan Post, Shuangfeng Post, and Baishi Post as one of the "Four Great Ancient Posts." Since ancient times, it has been a land of fish and rice. The Huayang Guo Zhi · Bashu Zhi states: "The land grows mountains, livestock includes the six domestic animals, silk, hemp, fish, and salt were all tributes." The Jiaying-era Bishan Annals recorded: "Fish species include river carp, cliff carp, silver carp, trout crucian, seven-star fish, red-tail fish, and zi-jin fish," among which the "seven-star fish," "red-tail fish," and "green-scaled fish" abundant in the Binan River of Laifeng, Bishan, were tributes through the dynasties.

　　 In the early 1980s, a group of chefs led by Tang Dexing and Tang Zhirong boldly innovated upon traditional Sichuan cooking methods, developing "Laifeng Fish" known for its "numbing, spicy, hot, and tender" characteristics. It quickly gained favor with passing diners. The celebrated calligrapher Yang Xuanting proudly wrote "Fresh Fish Delight," lauding the taste of Laifeng. This attracted renowned performing artist Zhang Ruifen, actor You Benchang, singers Li Danyang and Cai Guoqing, calligrapher Fan Pu, as well as political figures including Central Committee member and People’s Daily publisher Gao Di, and former Chongqing Party Secretary Xiao Yang, who all made special trips to Laifeng to enjoy the fish. For a time, diners came from near and far, regardless of status, gathering in Laifeng to savor the delicacy.

　　 "Laifeng Fish" is considered the originator of Chongqing’s popular "Jianghu Cuisine" in recent years, which later gave rise to dishes such as Spicy Chicken, Taro Chicken, Posthouse Crucian, and Taian Fish. These later popular "Jianghu dishes" have all been influenced by the cooking techniques of "Laifeng Fish."

　　 From ancient times to the present, the formation of "Laifeng Fish" can be roughly divided into three stages: The first stage occurred during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, amid the "Huguang Filling Sichuan" migration when large numbers of settlers from the fish-and-rice regions of southern China arrived in Laifeng. In addition to farming and fish farming, they brought southern fish-cooking techniques to Bashu, blending them with local Sichuan flavors to form "Laifeng Fish" that incorporated elements of Fujian, Hubei, Guangdong, Hunan, and Sichuan cuisines. Legend has it that during the Kangxi era, there was a famed chef in Laifeng Post named Tang the Deaf, skilled in fish cooking and capable of preparing over ten fish dishes—this was likely the prototype of "Laifeng Fish."

　　 The second stage took place during the Anti-Japanese War, when the Nationalist government relocated to Chongqing. As a satellite town of wartime capital Chongqing, Laifeng briefly hosted a gathering of officials and renowned chefs. Drawn by the delicious fish of Binhe River, they competed in cooking and presenting their skills, greatly advancing the culinary techniques of "Laifeng Fish." Many dignitaries and socialites flocked to Laifeng to enjoy the fresh fish, giving the dish great renown even then.

　　 The third stage was during the Reform and Opening-Up period. In 1984, the Central Committee issued Document No. 1 on rural work. The Laifeng District Committee and District Office, in accordance with the spirit of the central directive, carefully formulated preferential policies to encourage farmers to work and do business in towns. Leaders personally assisted farmers entering townships with land acquisition, licensing, and loans. Business-minded farmers began planning to open fresh fish restaurants in Laifeng Town. At the time, County Party Secretary Hu Chaomu even personally visited new eateries to offer congratulations. By 1988, there were over 120 restaurants specializing in "Laifeng Fish." Competition drove Laifeng locals to continuously refine fish-cooking techniques; varieties and styles constantly evolved, resulting in over ten flavors—including numbing, spicy, sweet, sour, lychee, orange, osmanthus, and pineapple—as well as over a hundred fish dishes such as Pearl Fish, Amber Fish Cubes, Salt-and-Pepper Fish Fillets, Pickled Vegetable Fish Soup, White Jade Fish Cubes, Agate Fish Intestines, Tiger-Skin Fish, Open-Mouth Fish, Dipping Sauce Fish, Steamed Fish, Roasted White Fish, Crispy Skin Fish, along with fish roe, fish floss, fish paste, and fish soup.

　　 Nowadays, "Laifeng Fish" can be found not only in major cities like Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Shenzhen but also in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the United States. Truly, "Laifeng Fish" enjoys fame throughout Bashu and aroma across the four seas.