How did goldfish, which originated in China, go global?

3,000 years ago, Chinese people began to raise fish, of course, for food. Fish farming can produce edible fish in a planned way. In the process of breeding, natural fish species were transformed into domestic fish such as silver carp, grass carp, bighead carp, carp, crucian carp, and bream. In addition to food needs, humans also have higher spiritual needs , so pets such as cats and dogs appeared, as well as ornamental plants and fish that allow people to feel the beauty of living things. Goldfish is one of them.

Chinese people have always loved goldfish with red heads, which symbolizes good fortune and wealth.

According to statistics, there are currently more than 300 varieties of goldfish. Behind these varieties is the long-term transformation of this species by humans and the integration of cultures of various countries.

Originated from China

Goldfish are a variant of crucian carp (koi are a variant of carp), and first appeared in China about 1,000 years ago. Even before the Song Dynasty, people had already taken fish with special colors home to raise out of curiosity. In the Song Dynasty, social culture flourished, and red and yellow crucian carp became an indispensable breeding object in courtyard ponds. In order to meet the growing demand, people began to breed and cultivate them.

In the "History of Zhu" written by Yue Ke of the Southern Song Dynasty, it is recorded: "Nowadays, there are fish farmers in Zhongdu who can turn the fish into golden color, with crucian carp being the best and carp being the second. Many rich people carve stones into ponds and place them between the eaves and windows for fun. When asked about their techniques, they are secretive and refuse to tell... "The "Zhongdu" here refers to Lin'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, which is today's Hangzhou; and the "secret technique" that fish farmers are unwilling to tell is actually known to modern people - artificial breeding .

Goldfish originated from the different colored crucian carp in nature. These crucian carp of different colors have been continuously selected and bred by people, and their colors have been transformed and enhanced . For example, the orange-red color in the wild will be bred into an extremely bright red, which is called "Cinnabar fish."

To this day, the grass goldfish, which looks similar to a natural crucian carp and has a special color, is still a popular goldfish variety.

As more and more small fish are artificially bred, people have discovered that not only the color but also other characteristics of crucian carp will change : some eyes become bulging; some tails become three-lobed, four-lobed or even more; some dorsal fins disappear.

In fact, these mutations also occur in the natural environment, but the number of these mutant individuals is rare and they are often eliminated in the harsh natural selection. Under human selection, these individuals with mutations are specially cared for and survive. People select male and female fish with similar characteristics for multi-generation reproduction. The mutated characteristics are inherited more and more stably, and the proportion of offspring with this characteristic is getting higher and higher, gradually forming different goldfish varieties.

Wenyu is one of the representative varieties of early goldfish

By the early Ming Dynasty, it had become a trend for Hangzhou residents to raise goldfish, and professional goldfish breeders emerged, greatly accelerating the cultivation of goldfish varieties . In order to meet people's pursuit of novelty, professional fish breeders continued to create new varieties. From 1548 to 1552, the trend of raising goldfish reached its peak. "Qixiu Leigao" records: "Hangzhou has invited a kind of golden crucian carp since Wushen, named Fire Fish, because of its red color. Everyone likes it, and every family keeps it. They compete for beauty and profit, and compete with each other. Some people have more than ten tanks, and it reached its peak in Renzi."

Going global

In the early 16th century, Chinese goldfish were brought to Japan , beginning the process of going global and being repeatedly shaped by multiple cultures.

The first goldfish species to arrive in Japan was called "Wakin" by the Japanese. Wakin has a crucian carp-shaped body and a tail with four lobes that are nearly horizontal, which is completely different from the tail of the crucian carp, the ancestor of goldfish.

Although it is called "Wakin" (meaning Japanese goldfish), it is actually produced in China and crossed the sea to Japan. Now, the Wakin has been brought back to China and is being raised again in China.

Japan has a deep tradition of fish culture. When goldfish arrived in Japan, they were immediately sought after. They were once the exclusive preserve of the privileged samurai class and difficult for ordinary people to obtain. Based on Japanese aesthetics, goldfish were shaped into different appearances in Japan . The most famous of these are Ryukin and Ranbu. These two varieties of goldfish are widely accepted around the world. After being introduced to various countries, they were transformed into goldfish varieties with their own characteristics. Ryukin , which originated from Chinese mullet, was transformed into short-tailed Ryukin again after being introduced back to China from Japan.

Originated from Chinese mullet, it was cultivated in the Ryukyu Kingdom and then arrived in Japan, where it was shaped into the appearance of Ryukyu by the Japanese.

After the Ryukin was brought back to China, it was transformed into the Short-tailed Ryukin

The orchid , known as the "king of goldfish" in Japan, also originated from China. In the Ming Dynasty, "duck egg fish" without dorsal fins appeared in China, which was called "egg worm" in the Mindong dialect. After being brought to Japan, the egg worms were transformed into different shapes, and the orchid was one of them.

Lanluo is known as the "King of Goldfish" in Japan.

Later, my country transformed the Japanese orchid into the more colorful "Chinese Ranchu".

Based on the Japanese orchid, the Chinese have transformed the "Chinese Ranchu" into a more colorful one.

Although goldfish arrived in the United States as early as the mid-19th century, it was not until 1895 that they really caused a sensation and became known to Americans . From 1884 to 1894, in order to encourage more people to raise goldfish, the U.S. Fish and Fisheries Commission established a donation program. Residents of Baltimore or Washington, D.C., could receive goldfish as a gift by writing to the U.S. Fish and Fisheries Commission. In 1893, Japan participated in the World Columbian Exposition held in Chicago, USA, and displayed 350 goldfish in the Fisheries Pavilion.

Comet was created in the United States based on the Japanese Zhu Wenjin. Its characteristic is that the upper and lower ends of the tail fin are pointed and extended, resembling the tail of a comet.

In the 17th century, goldfish arrived in Europe via shipping between Macau, China and Lisbon, Portugal . In the 20th century, the British adapted the London and Bristol Zhu Wen Jin based on the Japanese Zhu Wen Jin and the American Comet.

The Bristol Juvenile is a representative goldfish from the UK. It is characterized by its heart-shaped tail and blue body.

With the convenience of air transportation, people in more parts of the world have joined the ranks of goldfish modification. Thanks to the climate suitable for goldfish breeding, Southeast Asian countries represented by Thailand have made rapid progress in goldfish breeding , and have bred Thai lionheads with an overall shape that is more suitable for modern glass tank breeding, which has quickly become widely welcomed by countries around the world.

The Thai lion head returned to China and was transformed again into more diverse colors and shapes

As a natural species, the Harajuku carp has been continuously transformed and new varieties have emerged through the joint efforts and exchanges of people from China, Japan, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. While goldfish add color to people's lives, they have also become a medium of communication between countries around the world.

In China, the hometown of goldfish, people have never stopped modifying goldfish for more than 1,000 years, no matter whether it is a prosperous era or a turbulent war. They have cultivated many varieties of goldfish. These goldfish, each with its own characteristics and extreme beauty, are life, culture, and living works of art.

The Dragon Eye Butterfly Tail, also known as the "Chinese Goldfish", has eyes like a dragon and a tail like a butterfly, which is full of auspicious meanings. The Dragon Eye Butterfly Tail is the goldfish variety that best represents Chinese breeding techniques. It is difficult to breed and has extremely rich colors.

The red and white dragon eye butterfly tail is festive and flowing like a fairy

The dragon eyes and butterfly tail in kirin colors combine the characteristics of various traditional auspicious animals such as dragon, butterfly, and kirin.

The black and white dragon eye butterfly tail, called the "panda goldfish" because its color scheme resembles that of a giant panda, caused a sensation when it first appeared in the last century and is still popular today.

Author: He Wei

Editor: Mai Mai

All pictures were taken by the author

This article comes from the Species Calendar, welcome to forward

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