A few years ago, there was a book called "Collection of Regional Characteristic Agricultural Products in Beijing", which introduced more than 20 kinds of regional agricultural products produced in Beijing and the stories of their origins. Now I want to slowly introduce these Beijing regional agricultural products to everyone. Today I will introduce you to the Juma River multi-scale shovel jawfish.
"Beijing Regional Characteristic Agricultural Products 17 - Juma River Multi-scale Shovel Jawfish"
First, the resource characteristics and quality characteristics of the multi-scaled shovel jawfish in the Juma River
The quamous clawed jawfish is the only surviving species of cyprinids, cyprinids and catfish subfamily in Beijing, and is a rare fish. The Juma River multi-scaled shovel jawfish has an elongated body, slightly flattened sides, a slightly raised back, and a rounded abdomen. The head is short , blunt , subordinated , and transversely lobed , with the corners of the mouth extending to the lateral margin of the ventral surface of the head. It has sharp edges, 2 pairs of whiskers, a very small upper jaw, a short mouth whisker, no hard spines on the dorsal fin, a slightly concave outer margin, and smaller thoracic scales buried under the skin. It has a dark brown back, a grayish-white abdomen, crescent-shaped black spots at the base of each scale on the side of the body, gray-black on the dorsal and caudal fins, grayish yellow on the other fins, golden yellow on the outer edges, and an orange-red stripe on the dorsal and fins. Because of its unique geographical distribution and adaptability to the ecological environment, people call the Dorin shovel jawfish a living fossil. On May 11, 2012, Beijing Daily reported on the dolin shoveling jawfish in the Juma River in western Beijing with the title of "Multi-scaled Shovel Jawfish Once Accompanied by Peking Ape People".
According to beijing daily, in the 1980s, the annual catch of multi-scaled shovel jaws in the Juma River was more than 1,000 kg. However, with the increase of tourists and the unusually delicious taste of Dolin shovel jawfish, its market value has increased sharply, and merchants have seen the high selling price and large profits of Dorin shovel jaw fish, so they use fishing equipment that has been banned such as "Earth Dragon" to increase the catch of Duolin shovel jaw fish. "Fishermen are exhausted and fishing, and diners are ruthless under their mouths", and today, the multi-scaled shovel-jawed fish has been eaten to the point of extinction. Coupled with the drought in recent years, the river water level has declined, and the Dorin shovel jawfish is facing an existential crisis.
A recent fish science expedition showed that this small fish is rare in the city and is difficult to find. Now only in the archives of the fishery administration department can see this multi-scale shovel jaw fish, it is not the size of a palm, this seemingly inconspicuous fish, but once with the ancient "Beijing ape man" as a companion, is a veritable fish "living fossil", and also with the Chunjiang anchovy, Qinghai naked carp, Dali split-bellied fish and exotic mud carp and called China's five famous fish, so it is particularly precious.
Juma River multi-scale shovel jawfish live in the Juma River, every year to migrate back and forth between the lower reaches of the Juma River and the upper reaches of the Yugu Cave, this fish generally in the autumn before and after the white dew festival "fish into the Fish Valley Cave", in the spring valley rainy season before and after the "swarm out of the Fish Valley Cave", therefore, the local people commonly known as the Juma River multi-scale shovel jaw fish as "Fish Valley Cave". This kind of "Fish Valley Cave" is not only of great scientific research value, but also its tender flesh, delicious and not fishy, as well as tonic and eye-catching effects, and contains the main ingredients of drugs for the treatment of heart disease, so it has high edible value and health care value.
Second, the characteristics of the growth area of the multi-scaled shovel jawfish in the Juma River
Dorin shoveling jawfish are only distributed in the Juma River in the Beijing area, and in the 1960s and 1970s, new specimens were found and collected in the Section of the Juma River in Shidu, Fangshan. The Dorin shoveling jawfish live in the genter, gravel, shallow bottom waters of the upper Juma River. It feeds mainly on algae and also eats benthic animals. The Juma River is 61 kilometers long and its administrative area spans Shidu Town and Zhangfang Town in Fangshan District, and its geographical coordinates are 115°29′23"~115°41′13"E and 39°34′33"~39°39′4"N.
Juma River multi-scale shovel jawfish mostly inhabit the river with gravel bottom, clear water and low temperature, and large flow rate, often with the help of the lava cracks and caves in the river to develop, and enter the spring after autumn to overwinter. The Upper Juma River Fish Valley Cave is a lava cave spring formed by rock faults, dorin shovel jawfish live in the rock crevices in winter, before and after the valley rain festival people can see the spring water constantly spewing fish (that is, dorin shovel jaw fish swim with the spring water to the lower reaches of the Juma River), the local people call it "out of the spring". The springs of the juma river multi-scale shovel jaw fish are mostly concentrated in the middle of the night, the fish head is inward, the tail is outward, and the cluster comes out, generally after 8 to 10 days of multi-scale shovel jaw fish to complete the spring.
Juma River multi-scaled shovel jawfish male sexual maturity is generally above 3 years old, females need to be 4 to 5 years old, generally carry 0.6 to 12,000 eggs, and their reproductive season is from late May to late July. The multi-scaled shovel-jawed fish feeds on aquatic invertebrates and algae that live on the surface of the gravel, and when feeding, it uses its jaw to shovel, then flips the body over and breaks the food into the mouth. Therefore, people can often see a little white spots on the stones in the place where the multi-scaled shovel jawfish is infested, that is, the multi-scaled shovel jaw fish uses its jaw to shovel the algae on the surface of the gravel.
Third, the production history of juma river multi-scale shovel jaw fish products
According to the "Beijing Fish Chronicle" published by Beijing Publishing House in 1984, since 1962, the Beijing Museum of Natural History has successively collected and examined more than 600 specimens in various waters and mountain streams in the Beijing area, and found two precious fish that are of great value in zoogeographic research, namely the fine scaled fish of the salmon family and the multi-scaled shovel jawfish of the subfamily catfish. In Beijing, the quamous multi-scaled shovel jawfish is only produced in the Juma River, and the fish swims to the Yugu Cave in the upper reaches of the Juma River in winter to overwinter, and every year during the valley rainy season, after dark, flocks of Juma River multi-scaled shovel jawfish will gush out of the cave with the spring water, forming a major spectacle.
Before the 1980s, from late October to early November, when the water temperature of the river was lower than that of the spring water (Umagaya Cave Spring Water), it swam into the riverside spring cave for wintering and stopped eating during the winter. In mid-April and late April of the following year, in the Yugu Cave Mountain Spring Cave, the Dorin shovel jaw fish came out of the spring cave in groups, first the big fish and then the small fish, with the most fish after midnight, the fish out of the spring cave were 10 to 20 cm long, and the time out of the spring hole lasted 8 to 10 days. Quan Cave (Yugu Cave) is located under the cliffs on the left bank of the Juma River between Wudu Village and Liudu Village in Shidu Town, known as "Yugu Cave", which is connected to the Juma River.
In order to prevent the extinction of this precious wild species in the Juma River Basin, so that the natural population of this species can return to the level before the 1980s, the Beijing Fishery Science Research Institute has begun the artificial reproduction of multi-scaled shovel jawfish in 2009 and has initially succeeded. This not only lays a solid foundation for the protection of endangered aquatic species in Beijing, but also through the gradual development of adult fish farming of this species, it is hoped that this ancient and excellent fish species that was once accompanied by Beijing ape man will be promoted to the Beijing market in stages and batches in the future.
Perhaps in the near future, the Mahe multi-scaled shoveling jawfish will roam freely in the Juma River as it did before the 1980s, occasionally shoveling algae on the surface of the gravel with its hard jaws and leaving a little white spot on the gravel, which will be the most desirable natural beauty, because it can prove that the Dorin shoveling jawfish has passed the endangered period of its population and begun to move towards the normal breeding period of the population in natural waters.
At that point, people will remember the lessons of history and stop fishing for dolce salmon that grows in the natural waters of the Juma River. The fish ponds on the banks of the Juma River will no longer only breed those imported fish species, but specialize in the cultivation of artificially bred Juma River specialty fish, the Dorin shovel jawfish. Dorin shoveled jawfish will also enter the people's table through artificial breeding, thereby realizing its higher economic value. At that time, the protection of rare fish species in natural waters and the artificial cultivation of fish delicacies for consumption will go hand in hand, develop harmoniously and benefit mankind.
Fourth, the cultural characteristics of the place of origin and stories and legends
1. About the Juma River
The Juma River was called Laishui in ancient times. From Laishui County, Hebei Province, through The Port of Shidu Town into Fangshan District, flowing through Shidu Town and Zhangfang Town, leaving the mountain in the west of Zhangfang Village, to tiesuo cliffs divided into two branches, the south branch is called the South Juma River, from the southeast of the Tiesuo Cliff into Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, the north branch is called the North Juma River, the river flows southeast, leaving Nanhe Village in Dashiwo Town, into Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province.
The main course of the Juma River in Fangshan District is 61 kilometers long, with a basin area of 433.8 square kilometers, of which the mountainous river is 41.5 kilometers long and the basin area is 395.4 square kilometers. The tributaries of the Juma River in Fangshan District are Baoshui, Nanquanshui river and North Quanshui River.
Baoshui, formerly known as Leopard Water, originates from the southeast of Xiaohanling, and merges with the East Village Water, Chiming Mountain Water, Heilongshan Port Water, Wu tiao Keng Water, and Girl Harbor Water to the southeast of Shidu Village into the Juma River.
Nanquan Shuihe ancient called Dushu Water, originated from the northwest hilly area of Shuitou Village, Dashiwo Town, the water source mainly comes from Shuitou Spring and Gaozhuang Spring, the river base flow for many years, the river flows through Dashiwo Town Shuitou, Xiazhuang, Shimen, Gaozhuang, Nanbanbidian and other villages and Changgou Town Nanzheng, Shuangmo and other villages, in the north of the Village of Beiliang Gezhuang Village east exit, after leaving the country and the North Spring Water River confluence called Huliang River, to Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, Zhangcun Village south into the North Juma River.
Beiquanshui River was originally called Changgou River, originating from the west hilly area of the three villages of Changgou Town, the water source is mainly from the Ganchi Spring Group, the river base flow for many years, the river flows through Xiganchi, Beiganchi, Nanganchi, Dongganchi Village and Changgou Small Town, exiting in the south of Changgou Town, leaving Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, and merging with the Nanquanshui River into the North Juma River.
2. Ancient legends about the Juma River
A long time ago, there was a family surnamed Zhang in Shanxi, whose ancestors had lived in the mountains for generations, the men in the family died early, the mother and son were dependent on each other, and the life was very hard. After years of hard work and many ups and downs, the mother finally pulled the child up, but because the family was poor, the son was over thirty years old and had not yet married, and the old mother was very anxious, but there was nothing she could do.
One year there was a great drought, the crops in the field were not harvested, many people were starving around, and there was an endless stream of people who came to beg for food, including a widow named Cuihua, who was in her early thirties, childless, and helpless. When the old lady saw that it was good, she entrusted someone to tell her son to match, and the young widow Cuihua agreed to this family affair. After the two got married, there was one more person in the family but no new source of livelihood, and as a result, life was more miserable.
Forced to make a living, Cuihua went with her husband to the home of a rich man surnamed Li in Dongshan Village to work for a short time, and the employer only managed the meal every day and did not pay the worker. The Li family made a living by logging, the old man was in his sixties, and the old lady was in her fifties. The old man in the family is an honest man, and the family depends on this old lady. The old lady was particularly calculating, and the short-term workers she hired were exhausted and often beaten and scolded. Jade and her husband came here, and the old lady assigned the men to cut the wood and the women to feed the horses. The fodder for feeding the horses is sufficient, that is, the horses' drinking water is a problem. There is no well in the area, and the villagers rely on the spring water in the ravine to drink water, but the spring water is more than ten miles away, and it is necessary to cross the mountains and mountains to carry water. Therefore, the task of carrying water to the horses every day is very heavy. In the past, women were wrapped in small feet, walking the mountain road every day, climbing up and down very hard.
But in order to make a living, Cuihua carries water every day at dawn, and has to work until the sun sets, so as to ensure the horse's drinking water. The fat and strong horse, tired from work, ate and drank more, and sometimes drank a bucket of water in one gulp. Where the cattle are drunk, there is a large water tank that can hold seven or eight cartons of water. The old lady stipulated that the water to be drunk was not satisfied with the cattle tank, and it was necessary to carry water to fill the water tank immediately. The mountain road is long and rugged, and the toil of a small-footed woman carrying water every day can be imagined. Although Jade has done her best, sometimes the old lady still feels dissatisfied, and sometimes even scolds Jade.
Cuihua was able to endure it at first, but after a long time, she couldn't bear it, and often went to no one to secretly shed tears. Later, on the way to carrying water, whenever Cuihua thought of her miserable life, she couldn't help but sit down and cry. She cried that her husband had died and remarried, that she was now trapped in the clutches of an old lady. "My fate is so bitter wow! God, do you really not see the suffering of people? When will I end up? ...... Oh, my God! Save me the man who is suffering! The more Cuihua cried, the more sad she became, and she fell asleep crying and crying.
While Jade was asleep, she suddenly heard someone calling her name: "Jade Flower... Cuihua..." She suddenly woke up and looked at an old man with kind eyebrows standing in front of her, and said to Cuihua, "Child, don't be afraid, I am the land god of this mountain." For you are so bitter that you have touched the gods and immortals in heaven, and I have sent me to tell you that from now on you will not be made to suffer and suffer. Cuihua fixed her mind and asked, "Duke of the Land, can you really save me?" The old man smiled and said, "I won't lie to you, I must have a way to save you from the sea of suffering." Jade Flower asked, "Is there any way you can get me out of this hell on earth?" ”
The old man took out a horse whip from the sleeve of his robe and said to Cuihua, "You see, this whip was given by the gods, and using it will save you from carrying water." Cuihua asked, "Then how is this whip used?" The old man smiled slightly and said, "This is a fairy whip, when it is used, only slightly stir the whip in the cylinder, and suddenly the water tank can come out of the water, but if you think that the cylinder is full, don't stir it again." After hearing this, Cuihua hurriedly knelt down, prostrated her head three times, and said, "Thank you old immortal for giving me the treasure, and when you go back, you will definitely do as you say." Jade took the whip with both hands. The old man said to Cuihua again, "This whip is extraordinary, don't hide it in a place where others can't see it, and then take it out when it is used, no one can tell this secret." Jade Flower thanked her, then hid the whip in her jacket and hurried back. The old man was immediately gone.
As soon as Cuihua returned to the door of the rich man's house, she heard the scolding of the old lady inside. Seeing that Cuihua had returned, and there was no water in the bucket, she couldn't help but get angry, picked up the stick and hit Cuihua. Cuihua was furious and snatched the wooden stick and slashed it into two pieces. When the old lady saw it, she shouted loudly: "The opposite, the reverse!" While shouting, he retreated into the house, and after entering the house, he still cursed incessantly. This time, Cuihua was really furious, striding to the front of the water tank, quickly took out the horse whip in her arms, hurriedly inserted it into the cylinder and stirred it vigorously, the water splashed, and the water tank was full in a flash.
However, due to the anger that had accumulated in her heart, Cuihua forgot the old man's instructions, and the water tank was full and she was still stirring. The anger in her heart was like a volcanic eruption and a thunderbolt on a sunny day, and although the old lady's scolding was high, it had long been drowned out by her anger, and the jade flower stirred more and more fiercely, as if it was going to pierce the bottom of the tank. Suddenly, I saw the horse whip flying and rotating, the water tank was like a flash flood, the water flowed out of the water tank, from the inside of the house to the outside of the house, the water was getting more and more urgent, and the water flow was getting bigger and bigger...
The rich man's big horse, seeing that the yard was full of water, was terrified, broke free of the reins, jumped up, jumped out of the stable, hoofed away, and galloped to the northeast. Here the flood is like an arrow, roaring like lightning and thunder. The horse was terrified, and the sound of the water became more and more panicked, and he ran forward desperately, and the water followed the horse along the way, and the horse led the water. In this way, the flood roared out of Shanxi, along the ravine straight to Laiyuan County, Hebei Province, rushed out of Zijing Pass, straight to Yizhou, from Yizhou to Laishui, from Laishui straight into the Zhuozhou Plain... Since then, people have called this river "Juma River".
3. Legends about the place name of "Shidu"
Every year, around the spring of the valley rains, the Dorin shoveling jawfish of the Juma River swarms out of the "Fish Valley Cave" and enters the Fangshan section of the Juma River. This "Fish Valley Cave" is located in Shidu Town, Fangshan District.
According to legend, the ancient Juma River was very large and the water flowed so fast that no bridge could be built on the river, so every time the Juma River turned a big bend into a village, there would be a ferry port. The Juma River in Fangshan is within twenty kilometers between 1du and 10du, with a total of 10 large bends, and there are 10 villages along the river, and there are also 10 ferries, from which "Shidu" is named.
There is another theory of the origin of the place name "Shidu", which is related to Buddhism. "Shidu" is the Buddhist abbreviation for "Ten Worlds, Purdue Sentient Beings". "Ten Square Worlds" means East, South, West, North, Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, Northwest, Above and Below. Why is it that the "one ferry" to "five crossings" in the "Ten Crossings" place name are not called "ferry", but only "ferry" from the "six crossings"? Because Buddhist believers must achieve the "five precepts" (also known as the five passes), that is, not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to speak falsely, and not to drink alcohol. Only after these five levels can we "be tempered", so the "five crossings" are called "Xiguanshang". The "six paramitas" in the Buddhist scriptures, also known as the "six paramitas", refer to the actions of bodhisattvas, which in ancient Hindi means "to the other shore", that is, "six to the other shore", specifically referring to the six paths proposed by Buddhism from the other shore of birth and death to the other shore of Nirvana. These six paths are: generosity, taking vows, forbearance, perseverance, meditation, and wisdom. In Buddhism, all sentient beings who have a condition and deserve to attain attainment are all normalized, that is, "sentient beings are exhausted, bodhisattvas are enlightened, and self-altruism is altruistic." Therefore, "Ten Degrees" is not only a symbol of the fullness of merit and fruit, but also the origin of the place name of "Ten Crossings".