Qingtian Rice Field Fish

Qingtian Rice Field Fish

Qingtian Rice Field Fish is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Rice field fish are a famous specialty of Qingtian County in Zhejiang Province. The practice of raising fish in rice paddies in Qingtian dates back to the year 711 AD when the county was established during the reign of Emperor Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty, boasting a history of over 1,200 years. The Qingtian County Annals from the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu era contains the record: “Rice field fish come in red, black, and mottled colors, and locals raise them in rice paddies and ponds.” This is the earliest written record about the cultivation of Qingtian rice field fish.

　　Rice field fish are a variant of carp and come in four colors. Although they are raised in rice paddies, they have no muddy taste. Their flesh is tender, delicious, and their soft scales are edible, making them highly nutritious and very popular among people. According to tests conducted by the Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, fresh rice field fish contain 15 types of nutrients in their edible parts, including crude protein, crude fat, copper, zinc, and amino acids.

　　Rice is grown on the surface while fish are raised in the water. Fish waste fertilizes the fields, creating a symbiotic relationship between fish and rice, and coexistence between fish and grain. Normally, many weeds in the rice paddies compete with rice for fertilizer, water, and space, requiring weeding at least twice a year. With the presence of rice field fish, the weeds are eaten by the fish, eliminating the need for weeding throughout the year. This ancient and practical fish farming method is now drawing attention from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization: the rice provides shade and organic matter for the fish, while the fish supply oxygen to the water and consume harmful insects, contributing to nutrient cycling.

　　On May 16, 2005, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization selected five ancient agricultural systems worldwide as World Agricultural Heritage sites for protection. As a farming method with a history of over 700 years, the rice field fish farming in Zhejiang became the only project from China and Asia to be included.

　　The practice of raising fish in rice paddies in Qingtian County dates back to the year 711 AD when the county was established during the reign of Emperor Ruizong of the Tang Dynasty, boasting a history of over 1,200 years. The Qingtian County Annals from the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu era contains the record: “Rice field fish come in red, black, and mottled colors, and locals raise them in rice paddies and ponds.” This is the earliest written record about the cultivation of Qingtian rice field fish.

　　Product Name: Rice Field Fish

　　Product Origin: Qingtian, Lishui, Zhejiang

　　Product Characteristics: Delicious taste, mild nature, fine texture, soft scales

　　Product Composition: Rich in crude protein, trace elements, and 15 essential human amino acids

　　Product Benefits: Beneficial for brain health and intelligence improvement, also supports physical wellness, anti-aging, prevention of mental retardation, disease prevention, and skin beautification.

　　Product Introduction: Qingtian County is located in the southeastern part of Zhejiang Province, in the middle and lower reaches of the Ou River, adjacent to Wenzhou. As a scenic tourist destination known for its stunning landscapes in central and southern Zhejiang, Qingtian is also a national-level ecological and natural reserve. The ingenious farming method preserved in Qingtian—“planting rice on the surface, raising fish in the water, using fish waste to fertilize the fields, and achieving a symbiotic relationship between fish and rice”—is truly remarkable. Qingtian has a long history of rice field fish farming, with current aquaculture covering an area of 100,000 mu. The rice field fish produced here are highly favored by consumers. Local farmers in Qingtian have a tradition of smoking and sun-drying rice field fish into dried fish. Through processes such as slaughtering, salting, drying, seasoning, and smoking, the dried fish is produced with excellent color, aroma, and taste, making it a premium product. Qingtian’s rice field fish were recognized in June 2005 by the United Nations FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) protection project. Seizing the opportunity of “Qingtian Rice Field Fish” going global, the company established the “Qingtian Fish” brand to grow and thrive alongside it. Qingtian’s rice field fish farming has been listed as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) protection project.

　　Product History: Historical records indicate that rice field fish farming was already relatively common in areas such as Fangshan in Qingtian during the Song Dynasty. The Qingtian County Annals from the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu era documented “Qingtian Rice Field Fish”: “Rice field fish come in red, black, and mottled colors, and locals raise them in rice paddies and ponds.”

　　Recently, “Qingtian Rice Field Fish” was approved and registered as a certification trademark by the Trademark Office of the National Administration for Industry and Commerce. This marks another geographical indication certification trademark for Qingtian County in Lishui City, following the “Qingtian Stone Carving.”

　　The practice of rice field fish farming in the county began in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of over 1,300 years. Although raised in rice paddies, the fish have no muddy taste, with tender flesh, delicious flavor, soft and edible scales, and high nutritional value, making them very popular. As early as 1999, Longxian Village in the county was awarded the title of “China’s Rice Field Fish Village” by the Ministry of Agriculture. In June 2005, it was recognized by the United Nations as Asia’s only World Agricultural Heritage site for the protection and implementation of the rice-fish co-culture system. Currently, the area under rice field fish farming in the county exceeds 100,000 mu, including over 35,000 mu of standardized farming areas, with the annual output value of rice field fish exceeding 100 million yuan. The specialty product “rice field fish” is not only popular in surrounding counties, cities, and provinces but has also gone international, being exported to Europe.