454 CHINESE FISHING 



a few well-known ones, tjie fins of the shark, ^ the beche-de-mer, 

 the cuttlefish, the jellyfish, and the scollop form important 

 articles of domestic commerce, but are not bought or sold to 

 any extent in the West." 2 



The cuttlefish as a dining delicacy appealed to very early 

 palates. The Records of Chou recount that on the appointment 

 of Yi Yin to Viceroyalty, T'ang " bestowed — could he do 

 more ? — on him cuttle-fish condiment." ^ 



In China, as elsewhere, the priority of fishing implement 

 furnishes a problem not easy of solution. Professor Giles's 

 statement that " it is clear the net preceded the hook " demands 

 for its gainsaying a knowledge equal, if possible, to his, and, in 

 addition, more than triple brass. Mr. Yen, in his " our ancient 

 classics refer to a time when our primitive ancestors tied ropes 

 together to form fishing nets," seemingly confirms Giles. 

 Legge is uncommittal : " they fished with the Hne, but the 

 ordinary method was with the net." * 



Search in the great Chinese Encyclopaedia endorses the 

 precedence of the Net over the Rod, but not by overwhelming 

 length of time. Its first reference to the former comes from 

 the / Chmg or Book of Changes, which may date from the 

 eleventh century B.C. ; to the latter from the Shih Ching or 

 Book of Odes, which apparently ranges from the eleventh to 

 the seventh century b.c. 



This last passage runs — " What are used in Angling ? 

 Silk threads formed into lines. The son of the reverent 

 Marquis and the grand-daughter of tranquil King." The 

 startling identification of the silk threads with a son of a 

 reverent Marquis and a grand-daughter of a King of Peace 

 (according to another translation) shows that in the matter 

 and measure of his metaphors in the millennium preceding the 

 Christian era the Turanian was far from played out. 



Fortunately our deus ex machina Prof. Legge again comes 



* These, with fish-maws, and birds' nests — of the swallow species, Collo- 

 calia — are esteemed for their stimulating (or aphrodisiacal) qualities. Williams, 

 op. cit., II. 397. 



- Op. cit. 



^ Pel t'ang shu ch'ao, apitd Werner, op. cit., p. 264. 



* Op. cit., vol. IV., Pt. I. p. 148. 



