Hunan fishing village brews Spring Festival flavors

With the Spring Festival still weeks away, a lakeside village in Central China's Hunan province is already bustling with seasonal activities centered around one traditional delicacy: dried fish.

In the Liumenzha fishing village of Yueyang's Junshan district, rows of freshly caught fish glistened in the winter sun, meticulously prepared by local residents skilled in age-old drying techniques. These flavorful products have become a must-have item for many households during the Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 17 this year.

The village's narrow roads have transformed into a vibrant temporary market, crowded with visitors and lined with vehicles. Shoppers weave between numerous stalls, selecting their preferred varieties of dried fish. While local villagers sought authentic regional flavors for their holiday meals, travelers arrived from afar, drawn by the village's growing reputation for high-quality dried fish.

This seasonal surge has brought significant economic vitality to the rural community. In recent years, the village has developed its dried fish production into a well-recognized local industry, enhancing traditional methods while building a trusted brand.

More than just a holiday treat, the dried fish symbolize successful rural entrepreneurship—preserving culinary heritage, creating sustainable livelihoods, and sharing distinctive festive flavors with a broader audience.