Wujiang Perch

Wujiang Perch

　　During the Western Jin Dynasty, there was a high-ranking official named Zhang Han (courtesy name Jiying), who came from Wujiang. While serving as an official three thousand li away from home, he would think of the perch back in his hometown whenever the autumn wind blew. Yearning so deeply for the taste of his hometown's perch, he actually resigned from his post and returned to Wujiang. This story is evidenced by a verse he wrote: “When autumn winds rise, marking a fine season, the waters of Wujiang teem with plump perch, three thousand li from home I’ve stayed, yet cannot return — a sorrow that brings me to tears.” This tale was passed down through generations as a much-celebrated story. Perch feed on fish, shrimp, and similar prey. They grow large, reaching up to 0.6 meters in length, with small black spots on their backs and dorsal fins. They inhabit coastal waters and spawn in estuaries where freshwater meets saltwater in early spring. They grow quickly and migrate into freshwater rivers in autumn. Perch are naturally suited to being sliced thin and served raw (known as "kuai"). Their flesh is firm and delicious, renowned throughout the land. In Songling Town, Wujiang City, there is a river approximately twenty li long that draws water from Taihu Lake, flows through the Grand Canal, then into the Yangtze River and out to the East Sea. It is called the Wusong River (abbreviated as Song River), famous for its abundant perch. On the Wusong River stands the Chuihong Bridge, which has a pavilion called the Chuihong Pavilion atop it. Scholars and literati from the Song Dynasty and subsequent eras, drawn by the fame of the perch slices, often visited Wujiang. They would frequently climb the Chuihong Bridge to savor the perch, drink fine wine, admire the autumn scenery, and become enchanted at the Chuihong Pavilion. When inspiration struck, they left behind numerous classic verses praising the perch. For example, the great literary figure Su Dongpo wrote: “Jiying was truly a celestial being of the waters — the perch alone made him noble.” The great calligrapher Mi Fu (also known as Mi Nangong) wrote: “As the perch’s skin breaks like jade and oranges like frost, the autumn hues over Chuihong fill the southeast.” Thanks to their praise, the fame of Wujiang perch spread far and wide. Chen Yaozuo, a Prime Minister and Academician of the Longtu Pavilion during the Northern Song Dynasty, referred to Wujiang as the “Land of Perch” in his verse: “Mooring my boat on shore, I can’t bear to leave, the slanting autumn sun and winds greet the land of perch.” During the Xining era of the Song Dynasty, Lin Zhao, the magistrate of Wujiang, built the “Perch Hometown Pavilion” to commemorate the area’s association with the fish. Today, visitors from China and abroad flock to Wujiang to taste its famed perch slices. (Suzhou)