it is rumored that crabs were first eaten in China a few thousand years ago.

they were once the pests of the ocean. scaring little children and pinching unsuspecting bystanders. then one day, a brave man decided that he would rid the beach of these insect-like crustaceans once and for all. he devised a plan in which he dug a large pit and pushed in all the crabs. then he set them ablaze.

truly an unsung hero of oriental cuisine.