Over the centuries, rice has sculpted the culture of Asia. It is the grain that links Heaven and Earth, mortals and gods. Wherever the crop has been planted, festivals, traditions, rituals, and languages celebrate its importance. Even for those for whom rice is an everyday sight, something magical—spiritual—still radiates from the depths of the green fields.

Across Asia, the rice spirit is nearly always female—and is often thought of as a mother figure. The notable exception, however, is in the Philippines, where the gods are almost all males.

Explore the rich, fascinating Cultural Heritage of rice—and take a peak at the Rice Gallery. You’ll learn something about yourself and your ancestors.


Cultural Heritage

Ceremonies, Rituals, and Festivals

Rice in Greetings, Meanings, and Symbolism

Medicinal Uses of Rice

Rice Gallery On Exhibit!

---

Rice Landscape
Wherever rice is grown, it dominates the landscape by sculpting mountains, leveling the uneven, and greening the world.

Rice in the Weave
Women in rice societies even express the importance of this grain in their fabric.

RiceWorld
The world’s only museum dedicated exclusively to rice.

Mountains of Rice: Beauty and Toil
The Ifugao of northern Luzon, Philippines, as captured in the stunning black-and-white photography of anthropologist Harold Conklin.