Surprise! This City Holds the Key to China's Abalone Affordability
From South to North—A Culinary Tour of Five Major Seafood Cities.
To realize the seafood freedom of the Chinese people, Zhangzhou, Fujian, has silently contributed too much.
Every year, 2.3 billion abalone fry set out from Dongshan Island to major farms across the country. This area produces 60% of China's abalone fry, with daily sales of mature abalone reaching around 35,000 kilograms. Additionally, nearly 300,000 tons of oysters are shipped from Zhao'an County to all parts of the nation each year, delivering fresh flavors directly to the taste buds of food enthusiasts everywhere.
Out of every ten domestic abalones, six carry the taste of Zhangzhou.
Out of every hundred domestic oysters, six speak the Zhangzhou dialect.
Image / Tuchong Creativity · Photographer / Born Paranoid Meow
The people of Zhangzhou are skilled at "seeking the sea" and even more adept at handling seafood. There’s the curiously named Cat Kitten Porridge (packed with seafood), the incredibly springy Tusun Jelly (a type of sandworm), the crispy and fragrant Oyster Omelette (a daily oyster dish), Dongshan abalone that can be steamed, grilled, or stir-fried, and bowl after bowl of Sheng Tang, which tests the soul of Zhangzhou locals.
Clam soup, a daily taste of freshness for Zhangzhou people.
Image / Tuchong Creativity · Photographer / Matcha Not Sweet
Locally, seafood isn’t deliberately pursued for grandeur or intense flavors. Instead, it blends into everyday life, like a subtle delicacy凝结在烟火之中, carried by the sea breeze.
In Zhangzhou, one harbor is enough to taste the world.
No one can resist a plump Dongshan abalone. If someone can, serve them a large plate.
Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou, features a fishbone sandbar surrounded by extensive seafood farming.
Image / Tuchong Creativity · Photographer / Xu Changyu
Dongshan abalone is a specialty of Dongshan County (also known as Dongshan Island) in Zhangzhou. The area enjoys a subtropical maritime monsoon climate with mild summers and winters, and an average annual temperature of 20.8°C. The local waters are dotted with reefs and rock caves, with complex yet unobstructed tidal flows and clean, pollution-free conditions, making it ideal for shallow-water abalone growth.
Abalone rice—this is how bold it gets.
Image / Tuchong Creativity · Photographer / Matcha Not Sweet
Once, Dongshan abalone was primarily caught naturally and considered extremely rare. In 1972, China successfully developed artificial abalone farming techniques on Dongshan Island. Today, the achievements are remarkable, with the famous nine-hole abalone as the main product, along with a range of hybrid varieties such as Xipan abalone and black abalone, allowing Zhangzhou people to enjoy "abalone freedom."
Soy sauce-braised abalone, abalone skewers.
Thus, they’ve created countless ways to enjoy abalone. Steamed, braised, or in soup—it works every way. In soy sauce dishes, satay noodles, or Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, abalone is the perfect supporting actor. Seafood porridge, rice noodles with abalone, abalone chicken—it’s impossible to stop eating. There’s even abalone zongzi, abalone hotpot, abalone pizza… Sorry, it’s just that everyday.
Abalone zongzi, abalone coconut chicken—luxurious enough?
Behind all this lies the region's uniquely favorable natural environment.
Zhangzhou is located at the southernmost tip of Fujian Province. The mighty Jiulong River (also known as the Zhangzhou River) rushes down from the mountains, nurturing the fertile Zhangzhou Plain. "Even a carrying pole would sprout if planted here." Ordinary melons and fruits grow larger and sweeter in this land. The city of Zhangzhou sits on the largest alluvial plain in the province, providing the Minnan people with a place to thrive.
Although Zhangzhou has fertile land, southern Fujian is still predominantly mountainous with limited arable space. People have long made a living from the sea—not only through fishing but also by forging paths paved by the ocean.
During the Song Dynasty, Champa rice from Vietnam made its way here. In the Ming Dynasty, sweet potatoes and chili peppers from the Americas were introduced locally. In modern times, seafood such as abalone and oysters from the Sea of Japan, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic underwent hybridization and cultivation in Zhangzhou, resulting in the endless supply of fresh flavors on our tables.
With mountains, sea, and farmland, Zhangzhou has become a leading "land of fish, rice, flowers, and fruits" in China. Lin Yutang, born in Zhangzhou, once expressed admiration for his bountiful hometown: "Is there a more beautiful valley in the world than ours? What do foreign ports have that we don’t?"
He wasn’t exaggerating. In 2021, Zhangzhou's total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery approached 100 billion yuan, with fisheries accounting for 32 billion yuan. In the first half of 2022 alone, seafood exports from Dongshan Island in Zhangzhou reached $1.6 billion, not including domestic sales. From grains to fruits, from seafood to dried goods, the blend of agrarian culture and maritime essence has created a coastal metropolis that gathers flavors from both China and abroad.
Fresh sea crabs are unloaded, ready to be sent to the fish market.
Yet Zhangzhou remains remarkably low-key. It quietly secures China's "abalone freedom" without boasting about it. Despite having Dongshan, "China’s top seafood county," Zhangzhou people remain humble and content. Even among the "Minnan Three Brothers" (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou), known for their daring and competitive spirit, Zhangzhou is the most understated.
In Zhangzhou, the original flavor is the highest praise.
The modesty of Zhangzhou people is reflected in their taste—for example, in this seemingly ordinary bowl of Sheng Tang.
A bowl of fragrant, tender, and utterly delicious Sheng Tang.
It wakes the mind in the morning and calls back the soul late at night.
Image / TuChong Creativity · Photo / Uncle Da
"Sheng Tang" involves quickly blanching ingredients like beef, offal, fresh shrimp, and oysters in boiling pork bone broth. The clear, bottomless soup is so fresh it moves one to tears. The customizable ingredients are springy and sweet, inducing sweat in summer and warming the body in winter. It’s said that only worship gods and Sheng Tang can rouse Zhangzhou people early in the morning.
Don’t underestimate Sheng Tang. It appears minimalist but contains a universe of flavors. Minnan people love seafood and offal, and Sheng Tang brings them together in one bowl. The dazzling array of ingredients lets you feel like a master of choices. Simplifying abundance requires perfect timing—a slight miscalculation affects the texture. Thus, every Sheng Tang master is a virtuoso of precise control.
Sheng Tang—a simple name with boundless depth.
Only with rich ingredients can complexity be distilled into simplicity.
Image / TuChong Creativity · Photo / Lu0375
Sheng Tang accompanies Zhangzhou people throughout their day. Have a bowl in the morning with blanched rice noodles for original, sweet freshness. At noon, a hearty portion with fried five-spice rolls fuels the hustle. After work, late at night, Sheng Tang shops become a refuge for workers. After all the day’s toil, a generous bowl of unadulterated freshness is the ultimate comfort for the soul.
Those who excel at cooking seafood must value the original flavor. Another example of Zhangzhou's minimalist approach to freshness is Kitten Porridge.
Kitten Porridge—the name sounds strange,
but it can turn everyone into greedy cats.
Image / Tuchong Creativity Photography / imagemore
Kitten Porridge starts with a base of fresh fish or meat broth, to which pre-steamed rice is added, along with ingredients like fish slices, poultry, shrimp, squid, and shredded shiitake mushrooms. While the porridge is rapidly boiling, pepper and garlic oil are stirred in. In just five minutes, the porridge becomes clear enough to see the bottom, with red shrimp, white squid, yellow chicken, and reddish meat—even the capillaries of the fish remain visible. A fragrant and incredibly fresh bowl of Kitten Porridge is served.
Think it's like Cantonese-style raw-boiled porridge? Think again. In the eyes of Zhangzhou locals, imperfect seafood isn't worthy of being cooked in porridge. Only the truly fresh can be boiled without any disguise. Thus, for Kitten Porridge, only the firmest part of the fish—the back—is selected, shrimp must be shelled on the spot, oysters must be freshly scooped, and even the rice is sifted to remove excess starch, ensuring the porridge remains clear.
Whether in the heat of summer or the cold of winter, Kitten Porridge is always cooked fresh and served immediately.
Similar to raw-blanching, it is a form of minimalist luxury.
Such an unapologetically fresh flavor leaves even the most discerning food critics speechless, lost in the enjoyment of the porridge. In Zhangzhou, during festive celebrations, it's customary to host a "banquet" (village feast), and the final dish is often a steaming bowl of Kitten Porridge. After all, like the Zhangzhou Tulou, it carries significant cultural meaning.
Indeed, in Zhangzhou, the original flavor is the highest praise for seafood. Semi-transparent small squid need only a quick blanching; white pomfret, almost as big as a human face, is delicious when lightly pan-fried; prawns, sword shrimp, and all kinds of shrimp—regardless of their price—are simply boiled in broth; and the divine taste of giant grouper is best enjoyed steamed.
Dongshan Island, Zhangzhou—scene of the light-fishing for small squid (a type of small squid).
One can never fully grasp the depth of Zhangzhou people's belief in preserving the original taste. This is why, to outsiders, Zhangzhou's approach to cooking seafood seems so straightforward, even primitive. To this, they simply smile and say: "I have the seafood—do you have a story?"
Wait, there's more—the delicious oysters haven't been mentioned yet.
The sea is vast, and another ingredient that single-handedly defines Zhangzhou's flavor is the oyster. While most people prefer large oysters, Zhangzhou locals favor small oysters (also called pearl oysters), believing that "concentrated is essence." Though Zhangzhou oysters are smaller, their freshness is second to none.
Oysters have a bold, briny flavor that appeals to many.
Image / Tuchong Creativity Photography / Waha
Oyster Omelette, also known as *ô-ā-jiān* or *hǎi lí jiān*, is a popular delicacy in Southern Fujian, but Zhangzhou's version is unique. Fresh oysters are cleaned and mixed with beaten duck eggs, garlic, celery, sweet potato starch, and a dash of fish sauce for umami. The mixture is then pan-fried in lard into a round cake and served with garlic chili sauce, vinegar, and radish slices. The crispy, fragrant omelette with bursting oyster juice is simply irresistible.
Oyster Omelette—a must-try when visiting Zhangzhou.
Image / Tuchong Creativity Photography / Leila REILA
Another Zhangzhou favorite is Oyster Vermicelli. Pearl oysters, with their black edges and white bellies, are lightly coated in sweet potato starch and briefly fried—taking care not to let them clump together. They are then quickly boiled with vermicelli, stirred swiftly but gently to allow the oysters and noodles to blend while remaining distinct—avoiding a mushy "oyster stew." Finally, celery, cilantro, and the essential crispy fried shallots are sprinkled on top, completing this childhood favorite—Oyster Vermicelli.
Oyster risotto, a new trend in recent years.
Photo / Tuchong Creativity · Photography / Matcha Not Sweet
There is a local saying: "Oyster vermicelli well-cooked, good people come to connect; vermicelli mixed with oysters, even ghosts won’t interact." It means that if oyster vermicelli is cooked well, the oysters and noodles blend yet remain distinct, much like the interaction between good friends—inseparable yet mutually respectful. If poorly cooked, the oysters and noodles become a messy blend, like tangled relationships where everyone clashes and harmony is lost.
Surprised? Such a small bowl of oyster vermicelli, yet Zhangzhou people can taste the profound philosophy of life in it.
Zhao'an, Zhangzhou: A once-every-nine-years Wangjiao祈安 Grand Ceremony in a coastal village.
Photography / City Wanderer
Zhangzhou cuisine does not deliberately pursue luxury. It emphasizes lightness and freshness, appearing simple on the surface but actually requiring deep skill, blended into the烟火 of everyday life. As one of the "Southern Fujian Trio," compared to the sharpness of Xiamen and the prosperity of Quanzhou, Zhangzhou people quietly face the sea, cultivate the land, and humbly cook their dishes, just as they did a thousand years ago.
This temperament is described in Southern Fujian dialect as "hān." It is not derogatory; it means honest, principled, and kind-hearted, just like unadorned boiled dishes, cat仔粥, steamed seafood, oyster omelets... steady and restrained, sincere and simple, with mountains and seas transformed into a bowl of freshness.
Zhangzhou has lived by the sea for millennia, with folk beliefs passed down to this day.
There is another Southern Fujian saying: "Heaven favors the honest." It means that honest people are blessed, and the taste of Zhangzhou is just like this "hān"—authentic yet simple,原始而朴素.
Made it this far? How about trying some seasonal seafood from Zhangzhou?
If there’s one seafood from Dongshan Island in Zhangzhou that you must not miss, it’s the "small tube squid." Loved by locals for its tender, plump, and springy texture, it attracts大批 food enthusiasts from June to October every year, all eager to taste this "internet-famous seafood." The blanching method preserves its original flavor, authentic and genuine. High-quality Dongshan small tube squid is only produced in specific areas around Dongshan Island. Freshly caught and quickly frozen, we can now enjoy the same delight as the locals right at home!
Article cover image, header image | Tuchong Creativity
Cover and header image photography | Life Recorder Uncle Da