As Wei actively explores new opportunities emerging from the area's former coastal mudflats, not far from the grassland, 56-year-old Xiang Weihui, owner of Tianqiao Restaurant, is working to preserve the fishing heritage of Shanyang town, part of the Jinshanzui Fishing Village.
Located on the coast of Hangzhou Bay in the East China Sea, Jinshanzui Fishing Village is the oldest and best-preserved fishing village in Shanghai. It's situated on the border between Shanghai municipality and Zhejiang province. For thousands of years, it has served as an important fishing port. Generations of fishermen have passed down traditional fishing techniques and ways of life, giving rise to a distinctive fishing village culture.
Xiang was once a fisherman himself. He began fishing at about 18 but quit roughly 30 years ago as fishery resources declined. Years later, he took over the restaurant from his parents-in-law, embarking on a new chapter in his life.
Although Xiang and his fellow fishermen have long since stopped making a living from fishing, the customs and daily habits of fishing village life remain deeply ingrained and continue to draw large crowds of visitors.
One such tradition is making dried fish, a process that usually begins in late November in the village. The dried fish has a distinctive flavor and can be stored for a long time. Xiang shares a particular tip: air-dried fish tastes better, while sun-dried fish often turns reddish.
"The dried fish are cooked and served on the tables of both our home and restaurant as a specialty. We still keep many traditional signature dishes on our menu, carrying the local fishing culture and embodying our special emotional connections with the sea," says Xiang.
The iconic dishes that best represent the local coastal fishing culture are the "Eight Classic Fishermen's Dishes", a set of eight specialties that includes boiled tapertail anchovy, salted small shrimp, silverfish stir-fried with eggs, braised yellow croaker, and seaweed and dried shrimp soup.
Xiang says Hangzhou Bay is home to a wide variety of high-quality fish. His years of experience as a fisherman naturally help him select the best fish to serve his diners.
"We were fishermen, so we definitely know how to spot good fish," says Xiang proudly with a big smile. "Sometimes we miss the old fishing days."
The restaurant has been operating for about four decades and has gradually become a village landmark, attracting diners from across the city, the country and even the world. They include visitors seeking authentic Jinshan delicacies and fishing culture, as well as former fishermen who once lived in the village, moved away and return from time to time to reunite with old friends and revisit their shared hometown memories.
"Many of our regular customers are old friends, almost like family. Although we no longer fish, we still share the same tastes in food and memories of life in this fishing village," says Xiang.
In recent years, Jinshan district has stepped up efforts to integrate ecological conservation and cultural tourism, aiming to build a premier leisure and eco-tourism destination featuring coastal, ecological and rural experiences, as well as theme parks.
