A Culinary Obsession of Song Dynasty Literati

During China’s Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), an unexpected culinary trend united the empire’s greatest poets and statesmen: an insatiable love for raw fish delicacies known as yusheng (鱼生). Historical records reveal that literary giants like Su Dongpo, Ouyang Xiu, Mei Yaochen, Fan Zhongyan, and Huang Tingjian were all devoted enthusiasts of this fresh aquatic fare.

Mei Yaochen maintained a household chef renowned for her knife skills in preparing paper-thin fish slices. Ouyang Xiu, while working in the capital Kaifeng, would famously purchase live fish during holidays and bring them to Mei’s residence for expert preparation—a detail preserved in Ye Mengde’s 12th-century memoir Bishu Luhua. This gastronomic passion transcended social classes, creating a unique culinary thread through Song society.

The Theater of Freshness: Elite Dining Practices

The preparation and consumption of raw fish became performance art among Song elites. Ding Wei, a prominent official during Wang Anshi’s reform era, took extraordinary measures to ensure freshness. His Kaifeng mansion featured a covered pond stocked with hundreds of fish. When entertaining guests, servants would dramatically lift the wooden cover, allowing diners to catch their meal which was immediately prepared—a spectacle recorded in Shao Bowen’s Shaoshi Wenjian Lu.

This obsession with freshness reflected broader Song values. The dynasty’s economic revolution had created unprecedented urban prosperity, with Kaifeng becoming the world’s largest city. Its advanced water transport networks enabled daily delivery of live fish to markets, while ice storage technology (documented in Dongjing Meng Hua Lu) allowed preservation without sacrificing quality. The elite’s fish ponds weren’t just status symbols—they were live refrigerators showcasing host’s wealth and connection to nature’s bounty.

Democratic Delicacy: Raw Fish Goes Public

Beyond aristocratic circles, yusheng became a beloved public pastime. Each spring, Kaifeng’s western suburbs hosted a remarkable civic ritual at Jinming Pond. As described in Dongjing Meng Hua Lu, ordinary citizens arrived armed with fishing rods, chopping boards, and sharp knives. The “lin shui zhuo kuai” (临水斫鲙) tradition saw families catching, cleaning, and slicing fish waterside—a communal dining experience blending recreation with gastronomy.

This practice reveals much about Song food culture:
– Unparalleled freshness standards (fish consumed within minutes of capture)
– Knife skills as public entertainment
– Seasonal eating patterns tied to natural cycles
– Surprisingly democratic access to premium ingredients

The Great Disappearance: Why Kaifeng Forgot Its Fish

Modern visitors to Kaifeng (modern-day Kaifeng, Henan) find no trace of this vibrant tradition. Local surveys show most residents neither eat nor recognize yusheng—a dramatic shift explained by two historical ruptures:

The Jin Invasion (1127 CE): When the Jurchen Jin dynasty conquered northern China, Kaifeng’s demographics transformed. The new ruling class—ethnic minorities without raw fish traditions—shifted culinary preferences. Meanwhile, fleeing Song loyalists carried yusheng customs southward, explaining why the practice survived in Fujian and Guangdong.

Yuan Dietary Revolution (1279-1368): Mongol rule introduced new cooking methods nationwide. Excepting southern holdouts, most Chinese abandoned raw preparations for cooked dishes—a preference reinforced by Ming and Qing dynasties. By the 20th century, only Japan’s sashimi tradition preserved echoes of Song fish culture.

Economic Epics: Fish Tales from Song Markets

Historical anecdotes reveal yusheng’s economic dimensions. In 1110 CE, disgraced chancellor Cai Jing purchased twenty live fish (each ~15cm long) for just 30 wen—evidence of fish’s affordability compared to other meats. Poet Lu You’s verses confirm this: “River perch costs nothing” while mutton and even spring greens commanded premium prices.

The case of Prime Minister Qin Hui (1090-1155) exposes more complex dynamics. When Empress Dowager Wei (a noted gourmand) craved mullet (“ziyu”), Qin’s wife promised 100 specimens—a potentially treasonous boast implying the minister’s household surpassed imperial luxury. Qin’s solution? Substituting cheaper black carp, banking on royal ignorance of fish taxonomy.

This episode illuminates:
– Mullet (especially roe) as ultra-luxury items
– Political risks in culinary one-upmanship
– Sophisticated fish species knowledge among elites

The Mystery of Ziyu: Tracing China’s Lost Caviar

Modern scholars identify “ziyu” as Mugil cephalus (grey mullet), whose processed roe becomes “wuyuzi” (乌鱼子)—an East Asian delicacy comparable to Mediterranean bottarga. Song texts describe winter-caught Fujian mullet “bursting with eggs,” suggesting early proto-versions of this:

– Premium Status: Even imperial kitchens struggled to source quality specimens
– Visual Mimicry: Mullet’s black-rimmed eyes distinguished it from similar species
– Modern Legacy: Authentic wuyuzi now costs up to ¥10,000/kg, though most commercial products are pumpkin-based fakes

Notably, no Song documents detail mullet roe processing methods. Whether Dowager Wei ate fresh roe or cured products remains unclear—a tantalizing gap in China’s culinary archaeology.

Chopsticks and Chops: The Knife Skills Behind Yusheng

What made Song yusheng distinctive wasn’t just freshness, but preparation artistry. Key technical aspects emerge from records:

1. Specialized Tools: Thin-bladed “kuai dao” (鲙刀) for translucent slices
2. Performance Aspect: Chefs sliced before diners like Japanese teppanyaki
3. Safety Measures: Vinegar or mustard dips may have served as early antimicrobials

This tradition influenced regional cuisines. Chaoshan’s modern “yusheng” (different from Singaporean lohei) and Jiangsu “kuaiyu” (鲙鱼) likely descend from Song practices, though now using briefly blanched fish for safety.

From Kaifeng to Kyoto: A Transnational Legacy

While disappearing from its birthplace, Song fish culture may have indirectly influenced Japan. Kamakura-period (1185–1333) documents show samurai nobility consuming “namasu” (raw fish with vinegar)—possibly inspired by Song diplomatic banquets. By Edo period (1603–1868), this evolved into sashimi, preserving Song-era emphasis on knife skills and seasonal appreciation.

Rediscovering a Lost Tradition

Contemporary food historians are reconstructing Song yusheng through:
– Textual Analysis: Reinterpreting recipes in Shanjia Qinggong (山家清供)
– Experimental Archaeology: Testing period-appropriate slicing techniques
– Culinary Revival: Some Hangzhou restaurants now offer “Song-style kuaiyu”

This research reveals surprising sophistication—Song gourmets preferred carp from specific river sections, rejected fish fed certain diets, and developed elaborate dipping sauces now lost to time.

Why This History Matters

Understanding Song fish culture illuminates broader historical truths:
– Economic History: Fish farming productivity supported by Song agricultural manuals
– Social History: Food as marker of ethnic identity during dynastic transitions
– Cultural History: How political upheaval can erase culinary traditions

Most poignantly, it reminds us that gastronomic preferences are never permanent—even a universal practice can vanish within generations, leaving only faint traces in yellowed manuscripts and unexpected regional survivals. The story of yusheng is ultimately about cultural memory, and how even the most beloved traditions can slip through history’s nets.