Jiangchuan Bighead Fish

Jiangchuan Bighead Fish

　　Jiangchuan Bighead Fish is a specialty of Jiangchuan County in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. The fish gets its name from its large and wide head, which sits atop its body, along with its large, arc-shaped mouth, absence of barbels, and silvery-white body color. It is renowned for its rich head fat, tender meat, freshness, delicious taste, and high fat content.

　　Located in central Yunnan, Jiangchuan has a mild climate and is part of the subtropical semi-humid region. The county currently has 165,000 mu (about 11,000 hectares) of water area, making it the only county in China where the water area exceeds the cultivated land area. For many years, it has been an important base for fishery production in Yunnan. Four lakeside towns (townships), 13 villages, and 37 natural villages are involved in fishing, with 70% of the county’s population engaged in fishing-related activities. Last year, the county’s fishery income exceeded 40 million yuan. The main economic fish species in Jiangchuan include black carp, grass carp, silver carp, common carp, crucian carp, bighead fish, and golden-line fish, among which the bighead fish and the resistive fish (Kanglang fish) are particularly famous. The Ming Dynasty's "Records of Yunnan" states: "Bighead fish come from Xingyun Lake. Fishermen weave bamboo cages on the day of Wu Er, sink them into the water to catch the fish, and its head tastes exceptionally delicious." In 1869, foreign scholars collected specimens of the bighead fish and stored them in the Paris Museum. The bighead fish is named for its broad head, and its flesh is delicate, flavorful, and can even be used medicinally for nourishment and dispelling wind. It holds high economic and medicinal value and is one of the native fish species unique to Xingyun Lake.

　　A specialty of Xingyun Lake in Jiangchuan, the Lu fish, commonly known as "bighead fish," with the scientific name Pellegrini's carp, belongs to the carp family. It lives in the middle and upper layers of freshwater lakes, feeds on plankton, and reproduces naturally. Generally weighing between 300–400 grams, it holds significant economic value. Jiangchuan Bighead Fish is well-known both within and outside the province.

　　Historically, Jiangchuan was famous for producing "bighead fish," although the exact origins remain unverified. During the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1506–1520 AD), there are records stating “its fishing profits have long been famously abundant in central Yunnan.” Records from the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period noted that “Lu fish” came from Xingyun Lake, resembling carp but with an unusually large head, plump body, delicious taste, and commonly called “bighead fish,” with its brain matter being especially nutritious.

　　Xingyun Lake was historically famous for its abundance of bighead fish, with bighead fish accounting for about 50% of the catch in the 1950s. It is now a rare fish species. In 1987, the national government listed the bighead fish as one of the key protected fish species.