‘欲食好鱼金针鲳，欲娶雅牡苏六娘’

‘欲食好鱼金针鲳，欲娶雅牡苏六娘’ is a Teochew proverb.This sentence means that a loyal woman like Su Liuniang is the best choice for a man to choose a wife, just like golden needle pomfret is the most delicious fish.

‘欲’ means if you want.’食’ means eat.’好鱼’ means delicious fish.’金针鲳’ means golden needle pomfret.’娶’ means marry a women. ‘雅牡’ means the best wife candidate.’苏六娘’ is a name of character.

To practice speaking this sentence in Teochew dialect,follow the audio below:

A Story at the Foot of Sangpu Mountain

Sangpu Mountain, the most famous mountain in Teochew, stands at the junction of Shantou, Chaozhou, and Jieyang(3 city of Teochew). The Tropic of Cancer passes through here. It is 484 meters above sea level and stretches for 27 kilometers.

On the west side of the famous Sangpu Mountain in Teochew, lies the thousand-year-old village of Leipu Village. Here, a story has been passed down for centuries: the “Legend of Su Liuniang.”

The Name of Su Liuniang

Su Liuniang was a native of Leipu, Jieyang (a county in Teochew) during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty. Her father was a scholar of the fourth branch of the Leipu Su family, known as Su Yuanwai.

Su Liuniang’s mother had five pregnancies, all of which resulted in miscarriages, leaving her as the only daughter. The name “Liuniang” derives from her sixth child.

Secret Engagement

Su Liuniang was born with natural beauty, intelligence, and a charitable spirit.

From a young age, she lived with her uncle in Xilu, Chaoyang (a county within Teochew). She and her cousin Guo Jichun, childhood sweethearts, fell in love and secretly pledged their lives together, making a century-long vow.

Suicide for love

Piercing her eyes to show her determination

Later, the clan leader arranged for her to marry Yang Ziliang, the son of the Teochew mansion’s legal advisor. Liu Niang pierced her eyes to show her determination to refuse the marriage. With the help of her maid, Taohua, she escaped.

The marriage failed

The Yang family’s wedding procession arrived in Leipu. Mr. Su had no choice but to have his maid pretend to be Liu Niang and ride in the bridal sedan.

Yang Ziliang, realizing the person in the sedan was not Liu Niang, angrily beat the maid to death and then reportedly jumped off a cliff to have died.

A Vicious Plot to Harm Liu Niang

Su Liuniang accompanied Guo Jichun to the provincial capital for the entrance examination. Guo Jichun failed, so he and Su Liuniang returned to Xilu, where they were discovered by the Yang family’s spies.

Lawyer Yang colluded with the clan leader of Leipu Village and tricked Liu Niang into returning home to visit her mother. He then placed her in a pig cage and drowned her in the Rongjiang River, branding her a whore who had disgraced her ancestors and family.

Guo Jichun Throws Himself into the River to Sue

When the tragic news reached Xilu, Chaoyang, her cousin Guo Jichun wept all night and all day. Inconsolable, he committed suicide by jumping into the Rongjiang river.

The Rongjiang River

The Rongjiang River, formerly known as the Jieyang River, is a river in the South China Sea system, originating from Fenghuang Mountain in Luhe County, Shanwei City, Guangdong Province.

It is the second largest river in the Teochew region, second only to the Han River. It is a renowned deep-water river in Guangdong Province, second only to the Pearl River. It can accommodate cargo vessels of 3,000 to 5,000 tons, with direct routes to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Zhanjiang, and other cities.