LOCAL FOOD GUIDE

Weixin Sour Fish 威信酸鱼

Weixin Suanyu

Weixin Sour Fish is featured among the local specialties of Yunnan.

AI illustration: A white platter of golden crisp cooked fish portions.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非实拍）AI-generated visual reference; not a restaurant photograph. AI 示意图，仅供参考，非实拍。

Weixin Sour Fish (威信酸鱼) is a cured-fish speciality from Weixin County (威信县), Zhaotong (昭通), Yunnan (云南). Its flavour combines sourness, sweetness, numbing spice, chilli heat and saltiness, with a crisp, tender texture.

Salting and air-drying

The process begins with fresh fish that has been cleaned. Salt is sprinkled over it and rubbed in. The fish is then laid flat in a cool, ventilated place to dry before the next stage of preparation.

Spices and curing

Powdered seasonings, including Sichuan pepper, pepper, caoguo (草果), sand ginger and star anise, are packed into the fish’s belly. A 2023 Chuan Guan News account describes a curing period of two to three years before the fish is cooked.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-09-30

Sources & reading

Written from the linked sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer on 2026-09-30. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.