A Chinese mackerel festival was held in Qingdao, a coastal1 city in eastern China's Shandong province.
山东滨海城市青岛正在举办2017年度鲅鱼节。
Several cities worldwide have a festival celebrating local features, but it's rare to name a festival after a fish.
To date, the mackerel festival has a fifteen-year long history, with the added wrinkle of promoting the Chinese tradition of filial
piety2. Shen Ting has more.
Reporter: Mackerel has a special and deep significance for local residents in Qingdao. This all stems from a 100-year old legend.
"There was an
orphan4 boy named Little Wu, who was later adopted by a kindhearted old couple. Little Wu grew up to be an honest and
benevolent5 man, and the old couple allowed him to marry their young daughter. One day his father-in-law was suddenly ill, and wanted to eat fish. However,
persistent6, strong wind had stopped all fishing boats. Despite this, Little Wu risked his life and went fishing. When Little Wu finally came back home with a big, fresh mackerel, the father-in-law had passed away. In sadness, Little Wu and his wife cooked the fish and sacrificed it at the father's
shrine7. Later, the young couple paid respects at their father's tomb with fresh mackerel every spring."
This story was told from generation to generation,
helping8 to boost the
virtue9 of filial piety among local citizens.
Every spring, locals go to the market and purchase fresh mackerel for the senior members of the family.
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