Chinese fisherman’s 72kg marine treasure sells for 15 million baht
A Chinese fisherman named Ha, living in a small fishing village in Fujian, China, experienced a dramatic turn in fortunes. Once a social pariah due to his impoverished state, Ha became an overnight millionaire after catching a giant 72kg marine treasure fish, which was auctioned off for 15 million baht.
Ha, who lived alone after his wife left him for being incapable, was often the subject of ridicule in his village. He led a simple life, spending his days fishing for small catches and spending his earnings on alcohol. One day, when he had nothing left to eat, Ha took his small old boat, left by his deceased parents, out to sea to fish.
As the sun was setting, Ha realised his catch would not be enough to afford a good bottle of liquor. He noticed what looked like a “white corpse” floating on the water. Fishermen consider encountering a dead body at sea a bad omen. At first, Ha thought of returning to shore, but the “corpse” was unnoticed and he feared it would decompose in a few days. So, he decided to haul it onto his boat.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered it was not a corpse but a giant, dead fish. He decided to take it back to shore, thinking he could sell it for some money.
The fish was too heavy for his net, so he tied it to the back of his boat and dragged it to shore. His struggle caught the attention of other fishermen, who quickly came to his aid.
To everyone’s surprise, the fish was alive. A fellow fisherman recognised the fish as a yellow-lipped fish, a highly valued fish, equivalent to gold in the fish market. It has a high medicinal value, particularly as a premium tonic favoured by the wealthy, earning it the nickname marine treasure.
News of the giant yellow-lipped fish for sale attracted traders from all directions. They were not hesitant to bid for the huge fish, weighing 72.5 kilogrammes. Eventually, the fish was sold for a total of 3 million yuan, approximately 15 million baht according to the current exchange rate.
Ha, once a subject of mockery, became an overnight sensation. Strangely, after the incident, Ha disappeared from the village. Many speculated he left in the middle of the night with his newfound wealth, possibly to avoid provoking the greed of others.
As Ha had no children, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t face unforeseen dangers. His quiet departure was probably the wisest move, reported Sanook.
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