Unveiling China's Four Great Sea Delicacies: Rarity and Value

Time: 2025-07-15

“Mountain delicacies and seafood” refers to precious ingredients produced in the mountains and the sea. This idiom originates from the Tang Dynasty poet Cui Hao’s poem “Chang’an Dao Shi”. In the “king” of ingredients, seafood often occupies a place. Among the complex and diverse world of seafood, four major delicacies stand out: abalone, shark fin, fish maw, and sea cucumber. These four major delicacies, with their flavor and nutritional value, have become frequent guests on dining tables.

“Mountain delicacies and seafood” refers to precious ingredients from mountains and seas. This idiom originates from the Tang Dynasty poet Cui Hao's poem "Chang'an Dao." In the "king" of ingredients, seafood often occupies a place. In the complex and diverse world of seafood, four major delicacies stand out: abalone, shark fin, fish maw, and sea cucumber. These four delicacies, with their flavor and nutritional value, have become frequent guests on dining tables.

Classification and characteristics of the four major seafood delicacies
Abalone, shark fin, fish maw, and sea cucumber are considered the four major seafood delicacies due to their rarity and cultural heritage. These delicacies, due to their unique growth environment, long growth cycle, and profound cultural background, stand out among many seafoods.

Abalone characteristics and value

Abalone belongs to the mollusk family. Although its name contains "fish," it is not a fish but a shellfish seafood. This single-shelled mollusk, with only one shell, is known as "ocean soft gold" and "the crown of seafood on the dining table," demonstrating its precious status.

It grows around the world but demands a very high-quality growth environment and grows extremely slowly, taking 5-10 years to reach maturity. Therefore, the price is high. When purchasing abalone, the grade is crucial, usually measured by the "number of heads," such as 9-head abalone, 10-head abalone, etc. The long growth cycle and rarity make the price high. There is even a saying in the industry that "a thousand gold is hard to buy a double-headed abalone," while 1-head and double-headed abalones are even rarer treasures.

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