Rice (grain)

At its most basic, rice is a symbol of abundance and fertility- traits it shares with other crops such as wheat and maize. As a staple food for so many people, it has also been assigned numerous positive values that could be considered fertility “derivatives”; these include good luck/prosperity, rebirth, health, wealth, and happiness. Rice is often associated with the divine, and so can symbolize immortality, as well as both physical and spiritual nourishment. These associations can be found throughout the regions where rice has long been a staple, but individual cultures also have their own stories about this most essential of edibles:

DISCLAIMER: THIS LIST OF SPECIFIC CULTURAL EXAMPLES IS LIMITED AND SELECTIVE.

CHINA:

● Although variations in landscape and climate means that rice cannot be grown everywhere in China, its importance from the earliest days of civilization is clear: Traditional Chinese mythology credits Shen Nong – a god/culture hero – with inventing agriculture and teaching the people how to cultivate rice.

INDIA:

● The custom of throwing rice at weddings originates from India, symbolizing wishes for good luck and children.

● Colored rice flour is used to create elaborate patterns, known as rangoli, on the ground in front of homes, often during religious festivals. Associated with Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and abundance, rangoli are also a reminder of material impermanence, and are meant to be gradually worn away over time.

JAPAN:

● In Shinto tradition, Inari is the patron god of agriculture and often associated with rice. At shrines dedicated to him, offerings of rice or other food are used in prayers and ceremonies.