In East Asian culture, “fish” is a symbol of luck, prosperity, and a bright future. This is reflected in the saying “like fish in water,” which denotes harmony and favorable conditions in work and life. Fish also bring good omens to homeowners according to long-standing Feng Shui beliefs.
Dam Shan Town, located in Hubei Province, China boasts a mild climate with distinct four seasons. This area not only features picturesque landscapes but also conceals some incredibly interesting natural secrets.
Every year, many tourists flock to this place to admire the “fish spitting cave.” The locals indicate that this phenomenon is only visible during the Qingming Festival (a holiday for tomb sweeping and the spring outing). They prepare tools in advance to catch and store the fish, which are then used for cooking or selling.
The mystery surrounding this fish cave has attracted numerous reporters and experts for investigation.
Entrance of the cave where fish “spit” during Qingming. (Source: Internet).
Since the fish spitting cave phenomenon occurs every year during Qingming, the locals often prepare their gear ahead of time to catch fish from the cave.
This kind of fish is entirely different from the usual varieties found in Dam Shan; not only is it delicious, but it also has virtually no bones, possessing only a spinal cord along its back. It is undoubtedly a favorite dish among children and those who fear choking on fish bones.
The local fishing experience indicates that: When the cave begins to spit fish, they are typically white at first, gradually turning red; when the fish change to a bright red color, it signals that they are nearing the end.
Special Fish Species
This extraordinary natural gift is something the locals cannot afford to miss. They not only catch fish for consumption but also sell them at the market.
This situation continued until 2012 when experts, having learned about the cave through various sources, traveled to investigate. From this point, the truth was revealed!
It turns out that the fish caught by the villagers is a species known scientifically as Scaphesthes macrolepis, also referred to as a living fossil, and is classified as a level 2 protected species in China. The villagers were stunned upon discovering the truth.
They could hardly believe that the fish they often consumed was actually such a rare animal. Experts were equally surprised that this creature had been treated like an ordinary fish for sale in the market all this time.
Close-up of Scaphesthes macrolepis. (Source: Sohu).
Experts began investigating the topography around the fish cave to understand the environment and the fish’s movement patterns. Surprisingly, the investigation revealed several other fish caves in the surrounding villages.
The common characteristic of these caves is that they are all large limestone caves with spacious interiors, featuring many stalactites and stalagmites. Such caves are referred to as limestone terrain or karst topography.
Dam Shan has an average annual temperature of 16 degrees Celsius, with around 770mm of annual rainfall and approximately 250 frost-free days.
The Scaphesthes macrolepis fish inhabits streams in mountainous areas ranging from 270 to 1500 meters above sea level. Notably, they are often found in springs originating from lava fissures and karst caves. During winter, they hide at the bottom of the water from October and emerge around mid-April of the following year. The ideal temperature for Scaphesthes macrolepis to thrive is between 4 and 26 degrees Celsius; if it drops below 2 degrees Celsius or exceeds 28 degrees Celsius, they will perish.
Scaphesthes macrolepis is an omnivorous species, mainly consuming aquatic larvae, algae, and invertebrates. Unlike typical fish, the mouth of Scaphesthes macrolepis is structured like a shovel, allowing them to easily scrape algae off rocky surfaces.
These caves provide an incredibly comfortable living environment for the reproduction and growth of this fish species. They typically enter the cave at the end of autumn, spawn upstream, and then exit the cave in April and May of the following year. This results in thousands of fish simultaneously streaming out of the cave during the Qingming Festival.
Thus, instead of catching fish for a living, the people of Dam Shan now rely on the “fish spitting” spectacle to attract tourists from both domestic and international locations. Without the timely investigation by experts, the fate of this rare fish species could have gradually diminished and led to extinction.
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