Shark Finning History

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Approximately one hundred million sharks are slaughtered annually ("Michael Richardson: Demand for shark fin soup leaves bitter taste."). The majority of this population strictly for their fins. This process, known as “shark finning”, is where a shark is caught and hauled on board, and subsequently has their fins hacked off. They are then thrown overboard, while bleeding and sometimes with weights attached, so they will sink to the bottom and die a long, painful, and excruciating death (Kettles 1). This gruesome practice is nothing new, and dates all the way back to the Ming Dynasty in Ancient China, and unfortunately is still practiced heavily today. The Ming Dynasty began in 1368 when Zhu Yuanzhang gained control over the Yingtian area and …show more content…
Due to this, most of the emphasis regarding the soup goes into the preparation and symbolism of the soup rather than the actual taste of it being that it is not only flavorless but nutritionless. The preparation of this soup is essentially an art that was perfected by chefs over thousands of years. “Shark fin soup” is a thick soup that consists of a broth, typically chicken but occasionally ham, and likely a great deal of added salt. The fin can either be served whole, which is far more expensive, or drawn out and shredded almost like torn up strands of spaghetti. A bowl of this couture soup can cost “up to upwards of $2,000 a bowl depending on the type and style of shark fin served. But no matter how it is served, none of the soup’s flavour actually comes from shark fin. It is essentially symbolic”("Shark …show more content…
Surely not by teenagers or peasants in the Ming Dynasty. Instead, it originally began as a meal just for emperors, “who wanted to show how powerful, wealthy and generous [they were] to [their] banquet guests”. As time progressed, shark fin became a staple of traditional Asian weddings, and was expected to be covered financially by the groom’s family. It was believed that “a bride marrying into a family without shark fin soup on the table, is marrying into a poor family.” After all, shark fin was included in “The Big Four” which is “a set of dishes representing different things in Chinese culture such as prosperity and health at a traditional dinner banquet. Often reserved for special occasions like weddings, the Big 4 consists of Abalone [bào], Sea cucumber [shēn], Shark fin [chì], and Fish maw [dǔ].”("Shark Truth.").
Additionally, the sharing of shark at gatherings such as weddings symbolizes more than just wealth. The allocation of this dish to family and friends signifies generosity ("Shark Truth."). Specifically, in traditional Asian cultures, it meant a great deal that someone had worked hard enough to be able to afford such a luxury, and was now willing to share that. Also, people during the Ming dynasty believed consumption of shark fin would “assist with boosting sexual energy” (Techera
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