The Images of Clams in Song Dynasty Culture

The Song people had a more comprehensive observation and record of the physiological characteristics of “clams,” so the “clams” they created had more diverse appearances than those of previous dynasties, and they were both realistic and imaginative, and they made contributions and values in natural history, marine culture, marine literature, etc. The “clams” described by Song Dynasty literati have rich and diverse images such as being strong on the outside and soft on the inside, round and shiny and spiritual, silent, small in size and large in quantity, smelly and ugly, sweet and crisp, bloodless vegetables, precious and elegant, etc., reflecting the spiritual and cultural connotations of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in the Song Dynasty, which emphasized morality and integrity, protected marine resources, was compassionate and abstained from killing, and lived freely and long. From the side of “clams,” we can specifically see some characteristics of the spiritual world of Song Dynasty literati and the culture of the time.