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July 10, 2005

The Eschatologist: The Exploding Carp of Huang Wei

First encountered over 2200 years ago along a small fishing village on the Yellow River, the Exploding Carp was believed to be a omen of impending doom. If caught properly, much like the blowfish, it can provide a tasty and exciting delicacy. Unfortunately, many Han dynasty chefs learned quickly about this delicious but dangerous fish. Over the years, it had seen use in battle by the forces of the Forbidden City against Mongol incursion, who had no fish defense. The philosopher Qi Yuan cautions against gifting the fish, as a Japanese Emperor discovered sheepishly when his imperial carp gardens were destroyed.

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