Freshwater Fish, Shrimp and Shellfish · FFET10381

Taihu white fish

One of the Taihu Three Whites, fresh and tender, often steamed, braised, or salted and dried.

Taihu white fish is a fish ingredient from Lake Taihu and one of the Taihu Three Whites. It has fresh, tender flesh and is common on restaurant and family tables (2018 introduction). In Wuxi, it is best cooked soon after capture and steamed to bring out its flavor (2025 introduction).

What

Taihu white fish is white fish from Lake Taihu, counted among the Taihu Three Whites. Li Shizhen's Bencao Gangmu describes white fish as living in rivers and lakes, with a white body and an upturned head, but that entry is not specifically about Taihu white fish.^4,5

When

The peak for white fish called shili bai is about 15 days after the Grain in Ear solar term; this seasonal account comes from a 2019 trade article. White fish served as tribute during the Sui and Tang dynasties (2025 Wuxi introduction). The available material does not establish the earliest attestation of Taihu white fish: Bencao Gangmu describes white fish generally, while the relevant Wu jun zhi passage is available only through a secondhand quotation.^1,2,4

Where

Taihu white fish comes from Lake Taihu around Wuxi and Suzhou in Jiangsu.^1,2,3

How

Common preparations include steaming, braising, or salting and drying. In Wuxi, the fish is best cooked soon after capture and steamed to bring out its flavor.^2,3

Why

Taihu white fish has fresh, tender flesh (2018 introduction) and is praised in a saying as the finest under heaven.^3,5

Impact and influence

Taihu white fish is common on restaurant and family tables (2018 introduction) and featured in a 2025 Wuxi introduction to the Taihu Three Whites.^2,5

Sources (5)