River Pufferfish in Zhangjiagang

River Pufferfish in Zhangjiagang

　　The pufferfish was anciently known as "tai" and, together with the shad and the long-snout catfish, is hailed as one of the "Three Delicacies of the Yangtze." The pufferfish has an oval body, a round head, and a small mouth. Its back is typically dark brown with patterns, while its belly is white with fleshy spines. It has no scales or gallbladder but possesses an air bladder that allows it to inflate by inhaling air. It inhabits waters where saltwater meets freshwater and migrates upstream along the river each spring to spawn. Zhangjiagang has an early pufferfish fishing season and also enjoys relatively high yields.

　　Pufferfish are rich in nutrients, tender, delicious, and have a unique wild flavor. The Song Dynasty’s *Mingdao Magazine* once praised it as “a marvel among aquatic delicacies.” Pufferfish are also believed to have benefits such as nourishing deficiencies, removing dampness, soothing the stomach, and relieving hemorrhoids. However, its blood, liver, and ovaries contain highly toxic substances, and improper cooking can easily lead to fatal poisoning if consumed. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the government prohibited private trading and centralized the purchase and sale of pufferfish. Once properly processed, pufferfish can be made into frozen fillets or canned food, and valuable medicinal substances such as tetrodotoxin and tetrodonic acid can be extracted from the liver and ovaries.