As a coastal city, Qingdao enjoys a thriving seafood culture. In recent years, seafood pickling techniques have been further developed with the support of the local government, which has helped the seafood industry become bigger and stronger.

Yiluxian is a time-honored brand in Qingdao's Shinan district, and boasts a unique seafood pickling technique that was invented and passed down by fishermen living in eastern Shandong.

Pickled fish in Yiluxian. [Photo/WeChat account: Shinanly]

The technique, which has been a household name since the 1920s, was listed as intangible cultural heritage in Qingdao in 2018.

As an inheritor of the technique, Zhang Shuyu has been striving to preserve the original flavor of the pickled fish and mass produce it, which is why it has become the registered trademark "Yiluxian".

Zhang Shuyu, a seafood pickling technique inheritor, cooks fish for customers. [Video Screenshot of WeChat account: Shinanly]

Zhang also keeps looking for the best salt for pickling, and applies the technique in a greater variety of seafood. Currently, his pickled perch has become a signature dish in many restaurants and has been recognized as a famous indigenous dish by the Department of Commerce of Shandong.