Rice Study ; China
Introduction
- China is the world's largest nation in terms of population.
- China produces a staggering 36% of the world's total rice output.
- Recent findings suggest that China was perhaps the first civilisation to tame and cultivate rice; with it's first amount of rice planting.
- 97% of China's rice production is concentrated in the South.

Yunnan's Upland
- Yunnan's Upland Farming
Rugged mountains and highland makes up 94% of Yunnan's land area with an average elevation of 2000m . Upland shifting cultivation method is practised in Yunnan. Forest are first cleared and burnt ; rice is then directly seeded, and harvested after a short period. After 2~3 years, the land is left to fallow.

- Environmental Problems
Soil erosions and landslides cause destruction of precious crops and human lives. Deforestation is another major problem that poses serious ecological and cultural implications. Loss of Yunnan's precious plants resources - of the 30,000 plants indigenous to China, many of which have medicinal properties still untapped, 18,000 of them are found in Yunnan.

- Solutions & Preventions
Intercropping of rice with another shrub is introduced to curb soil erosion. Such plants also help to keep the soil fertile - as their fallen leaves fertilise the soil.

Rice-Fish Farming
- Rice-Fish Integrated Farming
Fish and rice combined farming began in China as early as AD25-220, during the mid-eastern Han Dynasty. It was traditionally practised to provide poor peasants with extra source of protein. Today, 1.7 million ha(measurement) of rice fields in China is integrated with fish farming.

- Methods
1. Fish and rice farming are rotated - once rice is harvested, fish farming begins in fallowed fields.
2. Fish and rice are cultivated at the same time in the same fields. Pits and ditches to hold the fish are dug in or along the sides of the fields. They are all connected to form a water network, which helps control irrigation and drainage in the fields.
Some farmers even use the azolla-and-fish method.

- Advantages
Rice and fish are mutually beneficial to each other in this environment. This is also due to the carefully planned polyculture in the water. It ensures abundant oxygen in the waters, hasten the decompostion of manure and release of nutrients. Rice diseases and pests are also kept at bay. As a result, higher yield is obtained from such combine farming.

Festivals
- Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice)
Dong Zhi is celebrated to mark the arrival of winter, when harvest is stowed and farming stops for the season. Families would prepare 'Tang Yuan' balls made from glutinous rice eaten in hot soup. It is also an occasion for family re-union.

Rice Dish
- Nian Gao
'Nian Gao' is a sweet steamed cake made from brown sugar and glutinous rice flour. It is eaten during the Chinese Lunar New Year to signify good luck, as the cake's homonym in Chinese means "to move up the ladder, year after year", which is often everyone's wish for the New Year. Its sweet taste signifies sweet and good life.

Recipe :
2kg of Glutinous Rice Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2.5 Cups Milk
0.3 Cup Vegetable Oil

Directions :
1. Beat eggs with sugar and slowly add Glutinous Rice Flour and Milk.
2. Stir the mixture until the ingredients are fully blended with each other before adding Baking Soda.
3. Add oil gradually while stirring continuously.
4. Stop when oil no longer appears and completely blended in with the rest of the ingredients.
5. Add Vanilla Extract last.
6. Stir and make sure there is no air bubble.
7. Apply some oil at the bottom and sides of baking pan before pouring dough into it.
8. Steam for 50 minutes.

Folktale; The Story of Qu Yuan: The origin of Rice Dumpling
This is a romantic legend of Qu Yuan which originated in the ancient Chu Kingdom before the unification of China.

Long, long ago, there lived a scholar named Qu Yuan. He loved his country and the people, and was loyal to the king. He tried to give good advice to the weak king but was betrayed by the corrupted officials who told lies about him to the king. One day, the angry king chased him out of the court. Year by year went by, and the kingdom grew weaker and was finally invaded by the Qin Kingdom.

Heartbroken, Qu Yuan ended his life by throwing himself into the Mi Luo river. When the fishermen heard about the sad news, they sat sail and rowed their boats to find his body.

But alas! The fishermen could not find his body. So they went back to make rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, and threw them into the river, so that the hungry fish would eat the dumplings instead of Qu Yuan's body.

Today, the Chinese remember this patriot by having dragon boat competitions and making rice dumplings.

Country File Fact
- Method of Cultivation : Integrated Rice and Fish Farming Upland Cultivation
- Process of harvesting : by hand or machine
- Folktales : Dragon Boat Festival
- Types of Grains : Long Grain, Indica
- New Farming technology : Moth-resistant GM Rice
- Pests Found : Planthoppers, Leafhoppers, Stem borers
- Diseases : Blast, Sheath Blight
- Culture and festivals : Dong Zhi, Chinese New Year
- Special Dish made with rice : Nian Gao, Dong Zhi, Tang Yuan

SAYONARA .
QIANRU .

Qianru & Ashley
We're both girls and we like music. One of us is in Canada, while the other in Singapore. It's a mixture of girls from different countries, hope you'll enjoy reading some weird posts from us. If you dislike us, you may leave for all we care :D .

Rice Study ; China
Introduction
- China is the world's largest nation in terms of population.
- China produces a staggering 36% of the world's total rice output.
- Recent findings suggest that China was perhaps the first civilisation to tame and cultivate rice; with it's first amount of rice planting.
- 97% of China's rice production is concentrated in the South.

Yunnan's Upland
- Yunnan's Upland Farming
Rugged mountains and highland makes up 94% of Yunnan's land area with an average elevation of 2000m . Upland shifting cultivation method is practised in Yunnan. Forest are first cleared and burnt ; rice is then directly seeded, and harvested after a short period. After 2~3 years, the land is left to fallow.

- Environmental Problems
Soil erosions and landslides cause destruction of precious crops and human lives. Deforestation is another major problem that poses serious ecological and cultural implications. Loss of Yunnan's precious plants resources - of the 30,000 plants indigenous to China, many of which have medicinal properties still untapped, 18,000 of them are found in Yunnan.

- Solutions & Preventions
Intercropping of rice with another shrub is introduced to curb soil erosion. Such plants also help to keep the soil fertile - as their fallen leaves fertilise the soil.

Rice-Fish Farming
- Rice-Fish Integrated Farming
Fish and rice combined farming began in China as early as AD25-220, during the mid-eastern Han Dynasty. It was traditionally practised to provide poor peasants with extra source of protein. Today, 1.7 million ha(measurement) of rice fields in China is integrated with fish farming.

- Methods
1. Fish and rice farming are rotated - once rice is harvested, fish farming begins in fallowed fields.
2. Fish and rice are cultivated at the same time in the same fields. Pits and ditches to hold the fish are dug in or along the sides of the fields. They are all connected to form a water network, which helps control irrigation and drainage in the fields.
Some farmers even use the azolla-and-fish method.

- Advantages
Rice and fish are mutually beneficial to each other in this environment. This is also due to the carefully planned polyculture in the water. It ensures abundant oxygen in the waters, hasten the decompostion of manure and release of nutrients. Rice diseases and pests are also kept at bay. As a result, higher yield is obtained from such combine farming.

Festivals
- Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice)
Dong Zhi is celebrated to mark the arrival of winter, when harvest is stowed and farming stops for the season. Families would prepare 'Tang Yuan' balls made from glutinous rice eaten in hot soup. It is also an occasion for family re-union.

Rice Dish
- Nian Gao
'Nian Gao' is a sweet steamed cake made from brown sugar and glutinous rice flour. It is eaten during the Chinese Lunar New Year to signify good luck, as the cake's homonym in Chinese means "to move up the ladder, year after year", which is often everyone's wish for the New Year. Its sweet taste signifies sweet and good life.

Recipe :
2kg of Glutinous Rice Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2.5 Cups Milk
0.3 Cup Vegetable Oil

Directions :
1. Beat eggs with sugar and slowly add Glutinous Rice Flour and Milk.
2. Stir the mixture until the ingredients are fully blended with each other before adding Baking Soda.
3. Add oil gradually while stirring continuously.
4. Stop when oil no longer appears and completely blended in with the rest of the ingredients.
5. Add Vanilla Extract last.
6. Stir and make sure there is no air bubble.
7. Apply some oil at the bottom and sides of baking pan before pouring dough into it.
8. Steam for 50 minutes.

Folktale; The Story of Qu Yuan: The origin of Rice Dumpling
This is a romantic legend of Qu Yuan which originated in the ancient Chu Kingdom before the unification of China.

Long, long ago, there lived a scholar named Qu Yuan. He loved his country and the people, and was loyal to the king. He tried to give good advice to the weak king but was betrayed by the corrupted officials who told lies about him to the king. One day, the angry king chased him out of the court. Year by year went by, and the kingdom grew weaker and was finally invaded by the Qin Kingdom.

Heartbroken, Qu Yuan ended his life by throwing himself into the Mi Luo river. When the fishermen heard about the sad news, they sat sail and rowed their boats to find his body.

But alas! The fishermen could not find his body. So they went back to make rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, and threw them into the river, so that the hungry fish would eat the dumplings instead of Qu Yuan's body.

Today, the Chinese remember this patriot by having dragon boat competitions and making rice dumplings.

Country File Fact
- Method of Cultivation : Integrated Rice and Fish Farming Upland Cultivation
- Process of harvesting : by hand or machine
- Folktales : Dragon Boat Festival
- Types of Grains : Long Grain, Indica
- New Farming technology : Moth-resistant GM Rice
- Pests Found : Planthoppers, Leafhoppers, Stem borers
- Diseases : Blast, Sheath Blight
- Culture and festivals : Dong Zhi, Chinese New Year
- Special Dish made with rice : Nian Gao, Dong Zhi, Tang Yuan

SAYONARA .
QIANRU .

Benesya Estella Jiajia Siti Wanping Xinsen