Eating raw fish has been a tradition in Heng County since ancient times.

According to the "Hengzhou Chronicles" recorded during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the first people to eat raw fish were the ancestors of Hengxian County who lived on both sides of the Yujiang River thousands of years ago - the Ming people.

There is a fascinating folk legend. It is said that during the reign of Emperor Jin and Yuan Dynasty, Dong Jing, a hermit, went to Hengzhou and lived in seclusion in the mountains.

One day, Dong Jing and his brother and sister were boating to admire the moon, when they suddenly saw an immortal coming in a boat.

Dong Jing invited guests, but the immortal said he would not drink cooked food and left without saying goodbye.

The brothers and sisters went into the mountains to search, and met an immortal in a cave. The immortal entertained them with jade liquor and sashimi.

Later, the brother and sister followed the instructions of the immortal.

From then on, Hengxian Yusheng became famous and has been passed down to this day.

"There are many delicacies in the world, but the one that is unparalleled in the world for its excellent taste and color is Yusheng in Hengxian County. Ordinary people's homes are filled with bells and whistles and diners think of them as delicacies..." Yusheng should be regarded as the number one delicacy in Hengxian County, worthy of its reputation.

It is called "county cuisine".

Hengxian Yusheng is a true portrayal of the life of fishermen who lived in Yujiang in ancient times, and is also a product of the river economy.

Yujiang River is an important water system in Hengxian County. The water flow is clear and fast. The fresh fish in the river have well-developed tail muscles and good taste.

The green bamboo fish from Yujiang is the top-grade fish.

Mei Yaochen, a famous poet in the Northern Song Dynasty, was fond of eating raw fish. For this reason, he also supported a female expert in cooking fish at home.

His poem "Setting up a table to show the guests sitting there" goes: "My young woman sharpens her sword, her scales are broken, her fins are as if they are about to fly, the rustling clouds and leaves fall on the plate, and the millet and frost are woven into her clothes."

The description of the craftsmanship and the exquisiteness of the fish’s color, flavor and appearance is truly amazing.

It is said that at least 500 years ago, Yusheng was the "most popular feast" in Hengxian County.

Originally a necessity for grassroots fishermen, it became a "feast" and a delicacy enjoyed by high-ranking officials in the imperial court.

Zhou Mengzhong, a Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty, served as deputy historian of Guangxi Tixue in the first year of Hongzhi (1488).

His seven-rhyme poem "Deng Chun Ye Pavilion" vividly describes the cultural origins and historical background of Hengxian's deep source of fish and fish: "I have been observing the wind and the five pipes for many years. Every time I come to Nanning, I suddenly see thousands of green trees in the suburbs, and mulberry and hemp trees for ten miles.

In Pingchuan, you can turn jade grains into waist-long rice, and cut catfish into silver-threaded breams. The scenery is also beautiful here, so there is no need to worry about Shao Dengxian." It is said that from then on, the fish was called "Hengqie".

A great invention of Zhou Daguan.

Hengxian Yusheng was originally a helpless way for fishermen to make a living by fishing on the Yujiang River in Hengxian County in ancient times.

Without oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, you can only eat it alive.

Unexpectedly, this "grassroots" way of eating, which is full of the bitterness of fishermen, has gradually evolved into a famous traditional dish that is now famous far and wide through the vicissitudes of life.

Last year, the Nanning Municipal Government listed "Hengxian Yusheng" in the second batch of Nanning's intangible cultural heritage protection list.