A Rice Journey

Rice is an Asian essential. The tiny grain holds colossal history and significance, and is one that is worth journeying through.

- Shreya Acharya

The Farmer

Digging the field under the scorching sun, Sweat dripping into the soil. Who knows the meal in your plate, Every single rice comes from the hard work of those farmers.

Written by Li Shen, an official in the Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wuzong. He was also an acclaimed poet.

Half of the world’s population is wholly dependent on rice as a staple food – and this includes almost all of East and Southeast Asia.

Rice is the seed from either of two grass species: Oryza sativa of Asia, and Oryza glaberrima of Africa, both of which were independently domesticated. The African species is speculated to have been cultivated between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago, and the Asian species from 9,000 to 10,000 years ago. As such, the earliest archaeological evidence of rice cultivation comes from central and eastern China and dates to 8000–5000 BC.

Asian farmers account for 87 percent of the world’s total rice production today, and the majority of all rice produced comes from China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Japan.

DID YOU KNOW

Rice is an integral part of many Asian cultures, and as such, stories on rice and its cultivation have seeped into local folklore and tales. In Bali, Lord Vishnu caused the Earth to give birth to rice and another deity, Indra, taught people how to harvest it. In Myanmar, the Kachins were believed to have been sent forth from the centre of the Earth with rice seeds and directed to a country where life would be perfect and rice would grow well. In China, legend has it that after a disastrous flood, all the crops were destroyed and no food was available, but one day a dog ran through the fields with rice seeds hanging from his tail. The people planted the seeds, rice grew, and bellies were appeased.