Freshwater Fish Delicacy

Freshwater Fish Delicacy

　　　　Product Name: Freshwater Fish Delicacy

　　Place of Origin: Linghu, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province

　　Product Features: Rich aroma, unforgettable taste.

　　Product Composition: Rich in nutrients such as protein and fat.

　　Product Efficacy: Sweet in taste and warm in nature. Functions include promoting diuresis and reducing swelling, benefiting qi and spleen, and improving circulation to promote lactation.

　　Product Introduction: The “Freshwater Fish Delicacy” of Linghu has three major characteristics: first, it is exquisitely prepared with an exceptionally delicious taste; second, it is affordable with fair pricing; and third, it offers a wide variety, allowing visitors to sample all kinds of freshwater fish from the Jiangnan region. People call Linghu the “Fish Capital of China,” and rightly so. Located in the central part of the Hangjiahu Plain and under the jurisdiction of Huzhou, Linghu Town has now become one of China’s three major freshwater fish farming bases. It is said that the artificial breeding of China’s four major domestic fishes—black carp, grass carp, silver carp, and bighead carp—originated here in Linghu. Throughout history, Linghu’s “fish market” has been quite prosperous. The Qing Dynasty’s *Linghu Town Annals* recorded: “The residents of Linghu set up goods in boats to trade, exchanging fish for other commodities, known as the ‘water market,’ which even had night markets.” The Qing Dynasty poet Li E also wrote in *A Short Ode to Linghu*: “Rows of eyes suddenly become a market, as if a family’s vanity mirror has opened. Fish are sold by the bucketful, and water caltrops are planted in time.” In fact, the name of Linghu Town, with its characters “ling” (water caltrop) and “hu” (lake), are derived from “fish”—as the saying goes, “Where water caltrops thrive in the lake, the fish grow fat naturally.”

　　Product History: Regarding the origins of Linghu Town, its *Town Annals* describe it as follows: “In the first year of the Baoli era of the Tang Dynasty, water conservancy projects were undertaken, and the Lingbo Pond was excavated, connecting to the Longxi Stream to store water for fish farming. The Xiuxi Creek and Xiuxi Bridge were also built. Lingbo Pond produced abundant water caltrops, hence the name Linghu.” “People gathered to build houses east of the pond up to Xiuxi Bridge, gradually forming a village. After the Southern Song Dynasty court moved south, markets and shops were established, bridges were built, and fish products were traded, leading to the growth of a bustling town.” This shows that Linghu’s fish market and aquatic products have a very long history. The “Freshwater Fish Delicacy” of Linghu is highly renowned, and diners unanimously praise it after tasting. Some say, “The Freshwater Fish Delicacy of Linghu is the best taste in the world!” Whether this is an exaggeration or not is unclear. However, it is true that many people travel “hundreds of miles” just to drive to Linghu, specifically to savor the “beauty of the Freshwater Fish Delicacy” and indulge their “appetites.” During the Song Dynasty, villagers from Shezhong used the local Baoxi Stream water to brew wine, making it one of the seven major distilleries of the former Guian County. For thousands of years, the people of Linghu have revered Yi as the Earth God and Chang’e as the Earth Goddess. On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the Double Ninth Festival, grand sacrificial ceremonies are held. A local folk rhyme goes: “Gold fills the fields, silver fills the ponds, eggsized pearls are shipped by boat, crisscrossing rivers form a crystal net, and ingots float on the water’s surface,” vividly depicting the prosperity and wealth of Linghu as a “land of fish and rice.” The local cuisine, sericulture songs, fishing dances, lantern riddles, and richly traditional Jiangnan-style folk music all contribute to the economic rise of Linghu. Undoubtedly, today’s promotion of Linghu’s “fish culture” will write a brand-new chapter in the town’s history.