Sea Delicacies

Chen HengqingNanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

3.3

Word count: 2.8K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Those raised by the sea love to eat seafood. Today people entertain guests and regard shark's fin as a delicacy. On examining the sources, shark's fin is not found in the classics; only in the Hanzhi Kao, in the gloss on dried meat by the meat officer, does it say: "Large creatures are cut apart and dried, called dried meat; today this means bird's wings." Perhaps it refers to this? I once saw men fishing for sharks in the sea. The fish was as big as a soldier; when it came, the waves rose in mounds. The fishermen burned a chicken in oil and hung it on a sharp hook, attached to a thick silk rope, and threw it into the waves. The shark swallowed the hook and could not get away; then they slowly drew it to the seaside. As the fish moved, the small boat followed, going along the shore. After half a day the fish had no strength left, and several boats together dragged it onto the shore and butchered it. Its flesh was coarse and not pleasant to eat; village farmers bought the meat at a very low price. Drying the fins and skin brought a good price. The skin was hard like armor, with fine scales like millet. Using the armor to decorate knife sheaths and vessels gave a mottled, colorful pattern. The fat meat under the armor was half an inch thick and could be dried as preserved meat. The fat meat on the head was thicker and more delicious. Among fins, those on the back are best—the so-called purse fin and meat fin. The water-splitting fin and tail fin are inferior. Men of letters all call the meat fin the Chi You fin; the Kaogu Qitu says a flying beast with meat fins is called Chi You, not a fish. Sea cucumber is also not seen in the classics. The Bencao has water ginseng, which grows on land, not in the sea. Later people regarded sea cucumber as a nourishing item, hence the name ginseng. It is abundant along the shore of Zhifu Island; those taken on the dog days are best.

Editor's review

Taking seafood as its theme, this book begins with common sea delicacies such as shark's fin and sea cucumber, examining their names and realities, distinguishing their places of origin, and describing their capture and processing; its style lies between a natural-history treatise and food notes. The author is not content to list flavors but weaves classical textual research, fishermen's experience, and local products together: the shark-fishing passage reads as if the waves are visible, and the discussion of fin quality goes down to body parts. Readers gain knowledge and also feel the coarse and refined texture of old coastal life. Its value lies in preserving many details from oral tradition and direct observation, offering useful reference for understanding traditional ways of using marine products. The writing is concise and unadorned, suited to casual browsing and to close reading by those interested in food culture and marine products. Note that much of the textual research is one person's view and should be used as reference, not settled conclusion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in traditional food and seafood culture
Readers who enjoy natural-history treatises and local notes
Culinary professionals or researchers working with ingredients
Readers wanting to learn about old fishing and seafood-processing methods

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic modern marine-biology knowledge
Cooking enthusiasts expecting a recipe-style guide
Readers impatient with classical-style narration

Reading tips

Read by item, starting with seafood you know and then expanding to unfamiliar kinds.
When encountering classical citations, you may postpone verification and first grasp the author's views and observations.
Read alongside coastal gazetteers or food notes to compare differences in names, realities, and methods.
In passages on shark fishing and fin preparation, note procedural details; they can be excerpted as cultural-historical material.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

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FAQ

Is the textual research in the book reliable?

The author cites classics and describes observations, often with personal judgments; this is traditional notebook-style research and may not meet modern scholarly standards. Readers may treat it as one person's view, remain cautious about specific conclusions, and consult professional literature when exact knowledge is needed.

How much is about shark's fin and sea cucumber?

They are the opening focus, and the author devotes considerable space to their name origins, origins and quality, and processing, but the book also covers other seafood. Read these two sections first to grasp the style, then decide whether to read the whole book.

Is it suitable as an introduction to food culture?

It works as supplementary reading. It offers observations and anecdotes about old seafood use, not a systematic textbook. Readers with some background in food-culture reading will appreciate it more easily; complete beginners can pair it with general histories.

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About the author

Chen Hengqing Author · Chinese · 1844–1920

Chen Hengqing (1844–1920), courtesy name Zijiu, was a native of Weixian in Shandong (present-day Weicheng District, Weifang). A late Qing official and scholar, he passed the provincial examination in 1873 and the metropolitan examination in 1886. He served successively as a secretary in the Ministry of Works, rising through the Waterways, Construction, and Colonization Departments, and later held posts as Supervising Censor of the Ministry of War, Investigating Censor of the Henan Circuit, and Chief Supervising Censor. In 1908 he was appointed prefect of Jinzhou. He retired at sixty and wrote works including Jianshu Xian Notes (also known as Jili Qingtan) and Unofficial Gleanings of the Late Qing. His extant writings are considerable, with 154 titles held in our collection, many drawing on folk literature and Eastern philosophy. They touch on modern upheavals such as the militia conflicts, the Boxer movement, and the Nian rebels, as well as rural tales and social types like foxes and swindlers, and social issues such as Manchu-Han differences, bearing the documentary flavor of note-style historiography. Public information is limited, and his literary standing and influence await further study.