Oysters, Bridge and People

For over a millennium, the Luoyang Bridge and oysters coexisted. While protecting the bridge from seawater erosion, the oysters have made their home beneath it. Today, many wild oysters still thrive in the waters under Luoyang Bridge.  

“Most of the oysters by the bridge are wild and relatively small in size. As long as you place a stone here, it will be covered with oysters in a few days,” a local guide explained. There are also some farmed oysters, though on a small scale.  

Oysters not only reinforce the bridge but also sustain the fishing village and nearby seafood restaurants specializing in local flavors.

“Some restaurants near Luoyang Bridge pre-order oysters from fishermen. The rest will be sold in retail form. Sometimes I also come here to buy some oysters,” said Ye Yunshen, a local from Quanzhou.  

Along the banks of the Luoyang River, several fishing boats lie stranded on the tidal flats. Fisherwomen, headscarves tied around their heads, are busy in the mud. One carries oysters she pried off the rocks to the shore, removing her mud-caked shoes. In the distance, a few others are harvesting oysters on the boat.

Harvesting oysters is one of the ways to improve people’s lives. “Oysters picked here usually sell for 60 yuan per kilogram. If raised longer, they become fatter and tastier, with each priced at least 20 yuan,” an elderly auntie by the sea shared.