Drunken Shrimp
Live shrimp knocked out by rice wine
Think of it as: Like sweet shrimp sashimi marinated in sherry, but it was moving a minute ago
Get them tipsy, then eat them. Cheers?
What does it taste like?
Boozy, fragrant rice wine with sweet shrimp and a salty soy dip.
SweetSpicySourSaltyFunkSmellTextureSpringy, then silky
What is it?
Live river shrimp doused in Shaoxing wine until they stop wriggling, then eaten raw. A banquet starter in Zhejiang and the lower Yangtze. They do jump when the wine hits.Source: Wikipedia
How locals eat it
Served as a cold starter at banquets. You crack the shell with your teeth and suck out the meat.
Watch it
More videos on YouTubeWhere is it from?
🇨🇳China
CapitalBeijing
Populationabout 1.413 billionUN estimate for 2026
IndustriesManufacturing (home appliances, electronics), Electric vehicles, Farming
Common surnamesWang, Li, ZhangFrom national statistics and surname surveys; rankings vary by source
Famous peopleConfuciusPhilosopher known for the Analects
HelloNǐ hǎo
CurrencyRenminbi (yuan)
And JapanJapan's kanji characters originally came from China
Fun factHome of the panda, and one of the most populous countries in the world
The flag🇨🇳 Red is the revolution, the big star is the Communist Party, and the four small stars are the people.
From Tokyoabout 2,090 kmstraight line, Tokyo to Beijing
Getting thereabout 3-4 hours from Tokyo (direct)rough guide
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeApril to May and September to October, when it's neither too hot nor too cold, are best. Also tryPeking duckMapo tofuXiaolongbao More from here🖤 Century egg🥚 Tongzi Dan (Virgin Boy Eggs)🍜 Luosifen🐟 Chou Guiyu (Stinky Mandarin Fish)🐰 Ma La Tu Tou (Spicy Rabbit Head)
✈ Check cheap flights Best timeApril to May and September to October, when it's neither too hot nor too cold, are best. Also tryPeking duckMapo tofuXiaolongbao More from here🖤 Century egg🥚 Tongzi Dan (Virgin Boy Eggs)🍜 Luosifen🐟 Chou Guiyu (Stinky Mandarin Fish)🐰 Ma La Tu Tou (Spicy Rabbit Head)
🇨🇳 Sounds & life in China
你好Hello（Nǐ hǎo）
Chinese characters (simplified)
Chinese characters (simplified)
Right now…
Anthem"March of the Volunteers" (义勇军进行曲)
MusicPeking opera Traditional theater of song, dialogue and acrobatic fighting
Listen on YouTube SportTable tennis (basketball is hugely popular too)
Ma Long (table tennis; six Olympic gold medals) World HeritageThe Great Wall and more National animalGiant panda (unofficial) FestivalSpring Festival (January-February, Lunar New Year)
MusicPeking opera Traditional theater of song, dialogue and acrobatic fighting
Listen on YouTube SportTable tennis (basketball is hugely popular too)
Ma Long (table tennis; six Olympic gold medals) World HeritageThe Great Wall and more National animalGiant panda (unofficial) FestivalSpring Festival (January-February, Lunar New Year)
Ingredients
- 300 g live river shrimp
- 200 ml Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Minced ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
- Scallions
Can't find it? Sashimi-grade sweet shrimp give you the flavor without the live part.
How to make it (one way)
- Rinse the shrimp well.
- Put them in a bowl with a lid.
- Pour in the wine and clamp the lid on fast. They will jump.
- Within minutes the shrimp go still.
- Dip in soy, ginger and sugar and eat.
⚠️ Raw freshwater shrimp can carry parasites. Best not tried at home.
Get the ingredients (ad)
Shaoxing wineAmazon