Pre-Christian Origins of Aquatic Husbandry

Primitive Fish Farming in China

Aquatic farming, like many other modern technologies, is credited to early Chinese societies well before 1000 B.C. In its rudest form, some systematic sowing and harvesting of fish in China have been inferred from marks on ancient “oracle bones” that have survived. Simple shapes of fish were perceived to predict favorable times in which to gather fish “seeds, ” particularly those of the common carp that abound in China’s great rivers when the rainy seasons begin, and to sow them in convenient water bodies in floodplains nearer home.

More detailed records of fish husbandry are not found until early classic writings of the Chou Dynasty (1112–221 B.C.). It is not known, however, whether such husbandry was (1) in response to the symbolic cultural and social significance of fish in China, or (2) because of their importance in ornamental ponds built to beautify gardens of the rich, or (3) due to the simple expedient of having fresh food ready at hand each day. In probability, all three reasons are too closely linked to know with any conviction which came first. The common carp has long been a symbol of fortune in China and, therefore, a highly acceptable gift. Indeed, the offering of a live carp (or an image of the fish in jade or ivory rising out of the water to reach the gates of the dragon) recognized the importance of the recipient and bestowed great honor. It is not hard to imagine that both givers and receivers needed a place in which to keep fish alive, and ancient hand-painted scrolls often illustrate scenes from domestic life with tranquil exotic gardens and ornamental fishponds.

The earliest reference in Chinese literature to “aqua-husbandry” as a primitive technology is found in the writings of Fan Li in about 500 B.C. He wrote that culturing carp was one of five ways to make a good living in China, and he described techniques for constructing ponds and for breeding, feeding, and maintaining a healthy fish population. Based on Fan Li’s guidelines, simple carp culture for food production flourished for the next thousand years until, quite fortuitously, an event occurred that revolutionized fish culture in China.