Tianjin Whitebait

Tianjin Whitebait

　　   Tianjin specialty — whitebait, scientifically known as Neosalanx anderssoni, was historically called "culinary remnant fish." Legend has it that whitebait are formed when leftover food dissolves in water. They are cylindrical in shape, scaleless, containing only a single cartilage inside, and even their fine bones are edible. By late autumn to early winter, they grow up to 20 cm long and weigh over 100 grams. Because they do not eat impurities and only absorb nutrients from the water, their insides are clean with no visible organs, and their entire body is as white and translucent as jade — hence the name. When eaten, there's no need to gut them, and they have no fishy smell. Whitebait live in the brackish waters of the Bohai Bay, migrating through the Haihe and Jiyun Canals. The section from Ninghe to Beitang is a renowned production area. Every winter, they become plump and full of roe, swimming in schools into the Haihe River to spawn. When they reach the Sanchahe Estuary, where the river surface is just beginning to freeze, fishermen break the ice and catch them with lift nets. At this time and place, their eye rims turn golden — the most precious variety, commonly known as "golden-eye whitebait." When sold, males and females are paired together, laid over vegetable leaves, creating a striking contrast of white and green that is very appealing, and they emit a refreshing scent reminiscent of cucumber, offering an exceptionally tender and fresh taste.

　　     Specialty Culture: Liu Jin, a powerful eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, loved eating whitebait and once set up a “Whitebait Eunuch Office” in Tianjin specifically to collect whitebait from the Wei River. During Yuan Shikai’s rule, a “whitebait tax” was even imposed, showing just how valuable they were. The “New Annals of Tianjin County” recorded: “While most fish are common, whitebait are a specialty. In the harsh winter when the river is frozen, they gather in the Sanchahe area. Fishermen cut the ice and set nets to catch them — their bodies crystal clear and their taste fresh and delicate, unmatched by those from other regions.” Cui Xu once praised them with the line “Out of the net, ice-fresh, fairer than jade.” Zhou Chuliang also wrote in his “Tianjin Folk Rhymes”: “Whitebait with Shaoxing wine in the cup, tasting like cucumber in soup, golden eyes may be rare, but silver eyes are precious; the Haihe may be good, but the Wei River is better.”

　　     Specialty Benefits: There are many ways to prepare whitebait, including savory dishes like cinnabar whitebait, Korean-style whitebait, white sauce whitebait, stir-fried whitebait with spring onions, and whitebait soup; as well as sweet-and-sour varieties such as sour-sand whitebait, imperial-style fried whitebait, and sautéed whitebait tofu. Whitebait have a sweet taste and mild nature, are good for strengthening the spleen and stomach, benefit the lungs, and promote diuresis. They are used to treat weak spleen and stomach, lung deficiency coughs, and various deficiencies and ailments.