Brief introduction of grain and agriculture in ancient Japan

The diet in ancient Japan was deeply influenced by its archipelagic geography, food and eating habits imported from the Asian continent, religious beliefs and appreciation of the aesthetic appearance of dishes, not just the taste. Since BC, millet has replaced rice as the staple food. In 300 BC, seafood was more popular than meat, because it was rich, and because Buddhism, which was introduced in the 6th century A.D., largely prohibited the killing of animals and birds. There are all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Tea and sake are popular drinks, at least for the nobles.

Geography and weather

Japan's geographical environment is different, so the agricultural capacity of each region is different. The inland basin between Honshu and Shikoku benefits from the heavy rain in the growing season and the sunny and dry days in the subtropical region before harvest, while the late autumn rainfall, Pacific wind and mild winter contribute to winter crops. Delayed rainfall or early typhoon will destroy crops. In contrast, the northwest of Honshu is swept by cold wind and heavy snow from Asia.

myth

Considering the whimsy of nature and the realistic possibility that destructive weather phenomena may destroy crops, it is not surprising that ancient Japanese called gods to protect their own interests.

In ancient Japan, agriculture (NOGAKU), like today, mainly focused on food and vegetable production.

Shokumotsu can have his own god. There is a common and ancient god of food in Yi Shi. The local rice god protects farmers and promises a bumper harvest when they receive suitable offerings, so Milian is established as the national rice god. Even rice fields have their own spirit of protecting God. An important part of agriculture is religious ceremonies and ceremonies, especially when sowing and harvesting, aiming at ensuring a bumper harvest and protecting it from disasters. Ceremonies involving rice are particularly important, involving the emperor. Famine is also depicted in mythology as an old woman who set a fishing trap to deprive people of salmon, but was finally killed by the hero Okumi. There are also food-related figures in Buddhism, especially Iori Yagami, the incarnation of Guanyin, the patron saint of fishermen, and Ida-X, the rice god of Zen. The latter prays before meals and pays attention to whether there is overeating.

agriculture

In ancient Japan, agriculture (nogaku), like today, mainly focused on the production of grains and vegetables, and only produced relatively limited meat. The early food sources in Wensheng period (about 14500 BC-about 300 BC or earlier) were millet and edible grass. The earliest record of crop cultivation was in 5700 BC, and slash-and-burn agriculture was adopted. Around 4000 BC, there was repeated cultivation of specific land.

By far the most important staple food is rice. There is evidence of rice C. It was introduced to Japan by immigrants from the Asian continent from 65438 BC to 0250 BC, but its cultivation may not begin until 65438 BC to 0250 BC. In 800 BC. The first evidence of growing rice in wetlands can be traced back to 600 BC. During the transition from rope age to yayoi age, this technology was introduced again by immigrants from Asia. The earliest paddy fields appeared in the southwest and then spread to the north. Yayoi immigrants also brought red beans, soybeans, wheat and sushi from China, which became an excellent Japanese cuisine.

Agriculture developed slowly until iron and technology were introduced from Korea. The progress in the ancient tomb era (about 250-538 CE) was made in efficiency. Even in Nara era (AD 7 10-794), agriculture still relied on primitive tools, there was not enough land to grow crops, and irrigation technology was not enough to prevent frequent crop failures and famines (especially around AD 730 and AD 1 180). In the 9th century, the state provided some support in the form of rice planting loans, but the interest rate was between 30% and 50%. Only during the Kamakura period (1 183 to 1333) and the Middle Ages did technologies such as double cropping, better seed varieties and wider use of chemical fertilizers appear.

In view of this unreliability, most small farmers prefer to work for the landlords and nobles, which is more secure. Only when these estates are properly irrigated, independent small farmers have to make use of rainfall or natural underground resources, so they settle in dryland crops such as millet (and hemp), barley, wheat and buckwheat. Rice grown under this condition is reserved for tax purposes. Other crops include barley and mulberry, which is used to produce silk.

prescribe a diet

As Japan is an island of different sizes, seafood is easy to get and more popular than meat. Animal husbandry is a more expensive and time-consuming food source. Edible seafood includes shellfish, seaweed, sea cucumber, bonito, snapper, perch, eel, carp, snapper, sardine, salmon, trout, shark, prawn, squid, jellyfish and crab. Fish, if not eaten fresh on site, will be transported inland to dry.

When Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century A.D., and then formally adopted and sponsored by the state, the religion avoided killing animals and birds, which provided another reason for seafood and vegetables to dominate the Japanese diet. Buddhism does not prohibit eating all kinds of meat, except wild boar and venison. Pheasant is another meat that keeps its popularity. Indeed, some Buddhist sects are more strict and require believers to be vegetarian.

They sent cormorants.

On the beach,

They cast the big dipper net.

Through the lower shoal.

Mountains and rivers

Qi Xin Qi Xin worked together to serve her-

God's rules!

Manyoshu's poem, written by Kakinomoto Hitomaro, is about the natural favor given to Queen Jito (Ebrey, 150).

The most famous period of Japanese cuisine is Heian period (794- 1 185), during which literature flourished, and references to eating habits can be found in court intrigues and romantic episodes. Our knowledge is largely confined to the nobles, because they are the authors of literary works, and they are concerned about the luxurious dinner held in the amusement palace in the capital, Pingan Jing (Kyoto). As we can imagine, the average person's diet is much less, although it may be healthier, because many noble court writers have mentioned that boils and other diseases related to malnutrition plague the court.

Nobles eat two meals a day-once around 10 and the second at 4 am, but we can imagine that workers and farmers may eat in the morning and evening in order not to interfere with their work. For example, people also eat snacks such as fruits, nuts or rice cakes.

Food is seasoned with salt, ginger, mint, garlic, vinegar and fish soup.

Rice is the staple food, which is boiled, steamed or cooked and dried. It is mixed with vegetables to make rice cakes or thick porridge, and seasoned with vegetables or other grains. Popular vegetables include multipurpose soybeans, which can be made into sauce (miso), tofu (tofu) or soy sauce. There are red beans, Japanese sweet potatoes, bamboo shoots, eggplant, cucumber, burdock, onion, shallot, yam and radish. They can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed or pickled. Food is seasoned with salt, ginger, mint, garlic, vinegar and fish soup. Sweeter taste can be obtained by adding honey, rice jelly or liquid called amazura, which is made by squeezing wild grapes. Another way to increase flavor is to cook with walnut oil or sesame oil.

The available fruits are peaches, Japanese oranges, oranges, persimmons, loquats, plums, pomegranates, apples, raspberries and strawberries. There are nuts such as chestnuts, walnuts and pine nuts. Fat is provided by eggs, milk and butter products (which may be insufficient).

Typical Japanese dishes such as tempura and sukiyaki were introduced to these islands after a long time-tempura was introduced by the Portuguese in the16th century, while sukiyaki was introduced in the early 20th century, because western Europeans were rich in beef there.

Xueyuanji seen from the balcony

Xueyuanji seen from the balcony

Bonichi Toyohara (public domain)

Tea is another popular introduction from China (6th-7th century AD). According to tradition, it first grew out of the bushes, which grew out of the eyelids discarded by the founder of Zen Buddhism, Dharma (also known as bodhidharma). Better tea trees and well-prepared ceremonies also came from China. Drinking tea was first adopted by Zen monks because it is considered to be helpful for meditation and sleep prevention. This drink is also considered to have medicinal value. Tea leaves are made by mashing leaves, then making balls with geranium or ginger, and then brewing with hot water. Finally, from the year of 1200, a special tea science was set up. People are in a special teahouse, and people's best porcelain is specially used for making tea.

Finally, Japanese wine or rice wine is still a typical symbol of Japan and an important beverage. In myth, this drink comes from Tokyo and is a gift from Sukunabikona, the god of magic and healing. Sake was, and is, a common sacrifice to the gods of the temple. Finally, in order to illustrate the antiquity of sake and its importance in Japanese culture, Tabuteau Ohono (665-73 1) wrote 13 poems praising sake, which is one of them:

Not fidgety

On things that don't help,

It will look better.

take a drop

Because of turbidity.

(Keane, 137)