Fish stoves of Yeh, Traditional kitchen stove in Zhongshe Village, Taiwan.
The Fish Stoves of Yeh are clay cooking structures located in Zhongshe Village, in Taiwan. They are made up of multiple separate compartments, each designed to handle a different stage or type of fish preparation, with internal channels that direct heat around the food.
These stoves were built by fishing families who needed a reliable way to process their daily catch from the nearby sea. Over time, the construction methods were adjusted and refined to better suit the specific fish species found in local waters.
The name "Fish Stoves of Yeh" refers to the Yeh family, who were among the main fishing households in the village and built these structures for their own daily use. Their design reflects how a single family's cooking practice became a lasting part of the village's identity.
Visiting during daylight makes it easier to see the construction details and understand how the different compartments are arranged. The site has little signage, so reading about how these stoves work before arriving will help you make sense of what you see.
Although these stoves look simple from the outside, the internal smoke channels follow a deliberate path that was worked out through trial over a long time, not written down anywhere. This knowledge was passed on by showing, not teaching, which makes these stoves a rare physical record of that process.
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