But except for the large abalone of the region of Dalian, China produced little abalone, and eating abalone did not in fact become a status symbol in China until it was imported from abroad, especially in the 19th century when many Chinese migrated to California to build the railways and mine for gold.
但中國除大連附近產盤鮑，鮑魚產量其實有限。鮑魚在中國成為社會地位的象徵，與國際貨源進入有關。特別清末華人大舉移民到美國加州築鐵路、開金礦；加州海岸的鮑魚既大又多，有生意眼光的唐人，就伺機轉行，到海邊採鮑魚，運回唐山出售，加州鮑魚業也在十九世紀中葉萌芽。