Fuzhou Evening News Writing Camp’s Exploration of the “Home of Fish Balls”: A Journey Full of Rewards
The young participants visited the Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum.
Have you ever wondered where the Fuzhou fish balls that CCTV host Benny Sa (Sa Beining) tasted come from? On March 2, the Fuzhou Evening News Writing Camp headed to Lianjiang County, known as the “Home of Fish Balls in China.” In one go, the group visited the Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum, the Maritime Fuzhou (Lianjiang) Themed Pavilion, and the Lianjiang Fish Ball Salon, getting an up-close look at the “past and present” of Fuzhou fish balls.
The young participants listened attentively to the guide at the Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum.
Visiting all the museum highlights in one go
As the birthplace and main production hub of Fuzhou fish balls, Lianjiang has achieved the remarkable feat of producing one out of every four fish balls in China. The first stop on the trip was the Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum, located in the Kuilongfang Historic District.
The Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum, curated by the Fuzhou Evening News, is the first fish ball museum in China dedicated to Fu culture. It has become a popular destination for many students on study trips.
It felt like a grand display of fish balls, with the young participants constantly expressing their amazement. “This is the world’s largest stuffed fish ball, weighing a staggering 278.8 kilograms. The bigger the Fuzhou fish ball, the greater the fortune it brings...” As the guide explained, many of the young participants eagerly reached out to touch the fish ball statue, hoping to bring some good fortune home with them.
The museum features street scenes like a Fuzhou fish ball shop, a pork wonton shop, and a pot edge paste shop, along with immersive experiences like the fish ball immersion room. These spots made the young participants feel as though they had traveled back in time to ancient Fuzhou, and they were delighted by the experience.
“There are so many creative fish balls here. Some are shaped like penguins, and others are vibrant and colorful, like fish balls dressed in floral patterns. They’re really eye-catching,” said young participant Liu Yichen. “This is just like a blind box. You can uncover different ‘Fu’ characters, and there’s even a ‘Fuway’!” “You can collect all five types of ‘Fu’: Reunion Fu, Friendship Fu, Health Fu, Wealth Fu, and Scholar Fu,” they said excitedly. The young participants took photos while eagerly taking notes, capturing every moment.
The second stop was the Maritime Fuzhou (Lianjiang) Themed Pavilion. Here, through a variety of exhibits including holograms, multimedia displays, projection walls, and 3D artwork, they saw abalone models as large as an adult’s palm, learned the story of how the large yellow croaker, once called the “panda fish,” returned to the dining tables, and discovered what the “luxury deep-sea home” of the large yellow croaker looks like.
The giant “fish ball” amazed the young participants.
An immersive fish ball-making experience
In Fuzhou, fish balls are an essential delicacy on the dining table. The third stop took the young participants to the Lianjiang Fish Ball Salon, where they had the opportunity to experience fish ball making.
Here, the young participants learned how to make fish balls from Master Lin Yufeng. He began with fresh eel, carefully removing impurities and mincing it into fish paste. After mixing in sweet potato flour, he stirred the mixture to form the fish paste. Holding the paste in one hand and the meat filling in the other, he gently squeezed, and a plump fish ball emerged from between his fingers… In just a few simple steps, a fish was transformed into a perfectly shaped fish ball.
Master Lin taught with great attention, and the young participants were equally focused. Ma Jinhao was the fastest learner. He made over 30 fish balls, and was praised by Master Lin as the “Little Fish Ball Expert.”
“It smells so good!” “So chewy!” “I could eat more than 20!”… The young participants tasted the fish balls they had made and paired them with pork wontons, delighting in the perfect combination of fish balls and wontons.
Group Photo of “Best Writers”
A lively themed writing class
That afternoon, under the guidance of Teacher Xiao Jie from Yixu Central Primary School in Fuzhou, the young participants enjoyed an engaging and fun fish ball-themed writing class at Fuzhou Daily.
Teacher Xiao Jie introduced the young participants to the origins, legends, and preparation methods of Fuzhou fish balls, and guided them on “what to write” and “how to write.”
“What can we write about in our composition? We can write about the activity, the fish balls, our findings, our feelings, the culture, and our reflections. We can create catchy titles by using rhetorical techniques and posing questions, such as Fish Balls: Dancing on the Taste Buds or Fish Balls: The Hidden Treasure of Lianjiang? to grab the reader’s attention,” said Teacher Xiao Jie. She also emphasized techniques like “focusing on key details to describe experiences, using sensory language to convey emotions, and leveraging imagination to tell cultural stories”.
Under Teacher Xiao’s guidance, fresh articles about the “Fish Ball Journey” were completed. “Fish ball culture is a key part of Mindu culture. These small fish balls are more than just a dish; they carry a sense of nostalgia and longing for home.” “Fish balls are roughly the size of a fist. In Fuzhou, they’re often cut into pieces and shared with family, symbolizing unity and togetherness.” “It’s often said that ‘The taste of home is worth its weight in gold.’ The fish ball journey in Lianjiang has deepened my appreciation for this beloved delicacy.”
At the end of the event, the “Best Writer,” “Writing Expert,” and “Observation Expert” were selected from among the participants.
The young participants learned how to make fish balls from Master Lin Yufeng.
A “Fish Ball Journey” that received widespread praise
The “Fish Ball Journey” in Lianjiang has garnered widespread praise.
“This is my first time tasting such delicious fish balls, my first time visiting the ‘Home of Fish Balls,’ and my first time seeing the world’s largest fish ball,” said young participant Liu Yanxi, using three “first” to describe this “Fish Ball Journey.”
“This is my child’s first time participating in an event without a parent. It not only offered a valuable opportunity for their growth but also allowed them to immerse themselves in fish ball culture. Through visual, auditory, tactile, and taste experiences, they learned the knowledge that went beyond the classroom, sparking their curiosity and desire to explore. It was truly a case of learning while having fun, and they gained a lot from it,” said Jiang Yan, a parent of one of the young participants.
The young participants focused intently on making fish balls.
“To preserve the intangible cultural heritage of fish ball-making skills, we must help more people understand and appreciate it. That’s why events like this fish ball-themed activity are so meaningful,” said Lin Yufeng.
It is worth mentioning that the Fuzhou Fish Ball Museum is located in the former residence of the Ming Dynasty scholar You Lian, serving as an innovative example of revitalizing ancient architecture in Lianjiang. The museum masterfully blends elements of fish ball culture, scholarly heritage, the legacy of notable officials, and ancient architecture from the Kuilongfang district, achieving a harmonious integration of “streets within the city, houses along the street, and museums within the houses.” The “Fish Ball Journey” event can further boost the tourism of Lianjiang’s ancient architecture and study tour, contributing to the integration of local fishing culture and tourism development. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporters: Zheng Ruiyang, Zhou Taomao/Text, Bao Hua/Photo)