Chinese Materia Dietetica, Ming: Salted fish

Illustration of salted fish (yuzha) from Shiwu bencao (Materia dietetica), a dietetic herbal in four volumes dating from the Ming period (1368-1644). The identity of the author and artists is unknown. It contains entries on over 300 medicinal substances and is illustrated by almost 500 paintings in colour. Salted fish is fish preserved by salting. The illustration shows a man carrying out this procedure. The text states: Salted fish means any kind of fish preserved by salting. Fish preserved in this way is not good for the spleen and stomach, and eating it is liable to cause itching (jie).

Salted fish (yuzha)