About Rice Project
I love rice, for its commitment of feeding us; for its beautiful shape and form; for its crystalline quality; and for its witness of my growing up.
Statistically, over half of the world regards rice as the major food. The Chinese are one of them. Since the ancient time, people has been aware of the hard work of farmers. Hence they wrote some poems to appreciate their contribution. In the Tang Dynasty, there is a poem “ A Hard-Working Farmer” written by Li Shen (772-846)
”Farmers weeding at noon, Sweat down the field soon.
Who knows the food on a tray Due to their toiling day?”
(translation captured from the internet)
Since ancient, everyone has known this poem and pass it on. We see rice everyday. It provides energy to our body. The rice has been enlarged. Holding the big rice into your hand, you will have a handful and solid feeling towards a piece of rice. In this way, It reveals its importance. On the contrary, when it is too tiny to hold as usual, people will simply ignore its significance.
It is forgotten in our daily life though it exists, like breathing. This Rice Project reminds people to remember its existence and importance by holding it. Please pay some attention to it and treasure it.
Through a casual interview by all means, many people can be aware of the existence (or absence) of rice in their home. Some rarely but tried to ask their mom what brand of rice they are enjoying. This project has reminded them something or giving them a chance for them to feel it. See what they said:
“Feeling at home”
“The substance we cannot lack of”
“Ricemakes me full that it cannot be absent in each meal.”
“It is delicious to go with any dishes”
” 「 Memory is…the rice has once become my artwork material. It sprouts when buried in wet cotton; Memory is … discovering a dropped rice on the floor. It has turned transparent and had some faults and cracked; Memory is … the sweet smell of rice cooking from the rice cooker during meal time… 」
“The rice at home is most delicious. I can taste and feel how my father grows up.”
關於米
自古便知米得來不易。唐代李紳便有五言絕詩「憫農」：
「鋤禾日當午 汗粒禾下土。
誰知盤中餐 粒粒皆辛苦。」
此詩千古傳頌，尤以末句，人人皆知。
米，每天都見。它提供人體所需的能量。
米，放大了，相比小米粒，它可以握在手上，讓人清楚感覺到一粒米的存在，彰顯了它的重要性。
它在每人每日的習慣中漸被遺忘，就像是日常呼吸的空氣般。這次關於米的作品，提醒大家它的存在，並且很重要。很想大家去留意它，珍惜它。
透過這次訪問，很多人都意識到米在他們家的存在 ( 或不存在 ) 、罕有地問母親家裡吃的是什麼米，什麼牌子，以及令他們想起一些事或產生一陣子的感覺。
他們這樣說：
「 家的感覺」
「生活中不能缺少的東西」
「米，餵飽我，好似每餐不可少」
「加任何東西也很好吃」
「回憶是 … …用來做手工；放在濕棉花上種至發芽；白飯掉在地上，變成透明、有裂紋的顆粒 … …還有從飯煲飄出的飯香 … …」
「家的珍珠米最好吃 ,吃出父親成長情懷」 … …
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