Raw sliced carp 脍鲤 was served during a victory banquet by Zhou dynasty minister 尹吉甫 who served under emperor Xuan of Zhou dynasty 周宣王 who ruled from 827 BC to 782 BC (more than 2,806 years ago).
This victory banquet held nearly 3,000 years ago was mentioned in a poem 小雅·六月 written by minister 尹吉甫 during the Western Zhou Dynasty era. This is one of the earliest mention of raw fish in Chinese history.
The poem has six stanzas. The final stanzas reads:
Victorious minister 尹吉甫 received many rewards from emperor Xuan of Zhou dynasty. Overjoyed, minister 尹吉甫 held a victory banquet.
We are going home from 镐京 (today's Xi'an, the Zhou capital city) after a long expedition (against marauding Xiongnu nomadic tribes from the north). Pour wine, steam turtle, slice carp, and other delicious delicacies.
Who else is coming for the victory banquet? My loyal friend, minister 张仲 is also present.
Minister 尹吉甫 lived (for 77 years) from 852 BC to 775 BC, which means that raw fish is eaten in China at least 2,800 years ago.
兮甲盘 823 BC
Minister 尹吉甫's victory banquet is also mentioned in the inscriptions on the Western Zhou era bronze basin 兮甲盘 (it's a hand washing basin). The bronze basin was cast in the fifth year of emperor Xuan of Zhou dynasty (823 BC) i.e. 2,847 years ago. That year, minister 尹吉甫 was 29 years old.
吴越春秋 written by 赵晔 505 BC
Emperor of Wu
In 吴越春秋 written by 赵晔, the book mentioned that in 505 BC, the Wu emperor held a banquet to celebrate the capture of 楚郢 Chu dynasty's capital (today's Yicheng 宜城 city in Hubei province). Raw fish 魚脍 was on the menu of the banquet.
赵晔 lived during the Eastern Han dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD).
When general 子胥 returned to Wu kingdom, emperor of Wu 阖闾 heard that the three army divisions were coming, and he served sliced fish.
When the time came, the fish smelled bad.
General 子胥 arrived, ate the raw fish, but he didn't know the smell. The emperor of Wu 阖闾 said the taste was the same as before. The people of Wu who made the raw fish made it since the time of emperor 阖闾.
Emperor 阖闾 ruled the Wu dynasty for 18 years from 514 BC to 496 BC.
Next, we examine how eating raw fish evolved in China over the centuries.
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