Although the concept of grains has been around for more than two thousand years since its formation, the status of these food crops in the national food supply has changed over time.
Food crops such as millet and broomcorn millet occupy a particularly important position in the original cultivation conditions of northern drylands due to their drought and barren tolerance and short growth period. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, people discovered the characteristics of Shu, which could keep people alive for a long time and make things easier for them. Shu, together with millet, became an indispensable food for people at that time. At the same time, people discovered that winter wheat could be planted during the growing seasons of late autumn and early spring, and could play a role in solving the problem of drought. In addition, the stone round mill was invented at this time, and the consumption of wheat developed from grain food to pasta. , the palatability was greatly improved, so that wheat received widespread attention from people, and thus developed into one of the main food crops, and was compared with millet. In the Confucian classic "Spring and Autumn", it is said that grain is not recorded, but grain and wheat are not recorded. It can be seen that the sage attaches great importance to wheat and grass among the five grains. Agriculturists Zhao Guo and Fan Shengzhi during the Western Han Dynasty were committed to promoting wheat cultivation in the Guanzhong area.
The increase in population in Guanzhong during the Han Dynasty was closely related to the development of wheat farming. Until the Tang and Song Dynasties, the population in the north was greater than the population in the south. But after the Tang and Song Dynasties, the situation changed. The growth of China's population is mainly concentrated in the southeastern region, which is the land of Chu and Yue that has been known as "vast and sparsely populated" since the Qin and Han Dynasties. In the Song Dynasty, the population of the south exceeded that of the north, and some people estimate it to be 6:4; since then, the population density of the south has been much higher than that of the north. The increase in population in the south is inseparable from rice production. Rice is very suitable for cultivation in southern areas with abundant rainfall, but it was initially inconspicuous and was even excluded from the five cereals. However, he came from behind.
After the Tang and Song Dynasties, rice’s status in the national food supply increased day by day. According to estimates by Song Yingxing of the Ming Dynasty, rice accounted for seven-tenths of the food supply at that time, accounting for an absolute advantage. Rice, wheat, millet, Grain crops such as millet, taken together, account for only three-tenths of the total, and have been relegated to a secondary position. Hemp has withdrawn from the category of food crops and is only used as a vegetable. However, when some crops withdrew from the ranks of food crops, some crops joined the ranks of food crops. In the late Ming Dynasty, corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes were introduced to China one after another and became an important part of the main food crops in modern China.
1. There are inconsistent opinions on which grains are “grains” in our country’s history. One way of saying it refers to broomcorn millet, millet, bean sprouts, wheat and rice, which is found in the ancient book "Zhou Li Zhi Fangshi"; the other way of saying it refers to hemp, millet, millet, wheat and beans, which is found in the ancient book "Huainanzi". At that time, people regarded hemp seeds as food, so hemp was classified as food. Later, hemp was mainly used for fiber weaving and was not classified as food.
2. The gradually formed custom of the term "five grains" refers to the five food crops of rice, wheat, millet, millet and bean sprouts. Millet refers to sorghum, also refers to yellow rice, Ji refers to millet, and bean refers to beans. 3. Today, “grains” refers to major food crops such as rice, millet, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat. The so-called "grains" generally refers to all food crops. 2》What are grains? There are usually two versions: one is rice, millet, millet, wheat, and beetroot. Another saying is broomcorn millet, millet, hemp, wheat, and beetroot. Five of them, except hemp, are food crops. Rice, millet, millet, wheat, bean sprouts, and hemp are traditional Chinese crops. I should not only know them, but also understand their habits and origins, otherwise I will not be able to distinguish between the five grains.
3. What are "five grains" in the Western Han Dynasty? Answers revealed on wooden tablets unearthed in Xi'an Xinhuanet, Xi'an, October 19 (Huyan Sizheng) What exactly were the "grains" that people ate during the Western Han Dynasty? A wooden tablet recently unearthed in the southern suburbs of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province reveals this answer. This rectangular wooden tablet with 177 characters is 23 centimeters long, 4.5 centimeters wide and 0.4 centimeters thick. The lower edge is slightly damaged. The text is mainly written in ancient official ink script, with some vulgar cursive characters mixed in. Most of them are clear and recognizable. distinguish.
The writing on this wooden tablet is divided into 8 lines from right to left. A small black dot is marked above each line to indicate the beginning of a chapter. The number of words in each line ranges from 15 to 25. It contains information about grains in the Han Dynasty. The content of planting is basically complete, and it is clearly recorded that the five grains at that time included millet, beans, hemp, wheat, and rice, and their order was not randomly arranged. This is basically consistent with the content recorded in the "Rishu" which was specially used to choose the time and day during the Qin and Han Dynasties. According to archaeological staff, the tomb where this wooden tablet was unearthed is located in the mausoleum area of ??Du Ling, Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty. It should be the tomb of Du Ling, so the owner of the tomb should be a high-ranking official close to Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty. Based on the analysis of the contents of the wooden tablets, the identity of the tomb owner during his lifetime should be related to royal ceremonial activities and agricultural production activities, so it is judged that his position should be Da Honglu or Da Sinong. It is understood that ancient records have always been vague about which grains the "five grains" in the Han Dynasty refer to. The unearthing of this wooden tablet clarified for the first time the types and names of "grains" in the Guanzhong area of ??Shaanxi during the Western Han Dynasty.
Rice
Rice, also known as japonica rice, is sweet in taste and neutral in nature. It has the effects of replenishing qi, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and eliminating polydipsia. In winter, the indoor heating is hot and the air is dry. Drinking some rice porridge in the morning and evening can avoid the trouble of dry mouth. Diabetic patients in particular need to be reminded that different cooking methods of rice have different effects on blood sugar. Studies have shown that dry rice cooked with the same amount of rice has less impact on blood sugar than porridge. Therefore, diabetic patients eating dry rice for breakfast can help control blood sugar.
Millet
Millet, also known as corn, has a sweet taste and a mild nature. It has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach. It is suitable for people with spleen and stomach deficiency and heat, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and those who are physically weak after childbirth or illness. . When millet is cooked into porridge, a layer of fine sticky substance floats on top, commonly known as "rice oil". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that rice oil is extremely nutritious and has the strongest nourishing power. There is a saying that "rice oil can replace ginseng soup".
Wheat
Wheat is sweet in taste, mild in nature and slightly cold in nature. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and kidneys, nourishing the heart and calming the mind. Those who are upset and insomniac can cook porridge with wheat, rice, and jujubes. In addition, wheat bran contains high dietary fiber, which has a preventive and therapeutic effect on hyperlipoproteinemia, diabetes, atherosclerosis, hemorrhoids, senile constipation, and colon cancer.
Yimi
Yimi, also called barley, contains far higher protein than rice and noodles. It is easy to digest and absorb, and is beneficial to reducing gastrointestinal burden and enhancing physical fitness. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that barley is sweet and light in taste, slightly cold in nature, and has the functions of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the lungs, clearing away heat, and diuresis. Modern research has proven that barley has anti-tumor, immune-enhancing, and hypoglycemic effects. Cooking porridge with barley and rice or adding an appropriate amount of rock sugar can increase the appetite of cancer patients and reduce the toxic side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition, the coixin contained in barley has an inhibitory effect on striated muscles and can reduce wrinkles. People who love beauty may wish to eat more.
Sorghum
Sorghum is sweet in taste and warm in nature, and has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach. For children with indigestion, stir-fry sorghum in a pot until fragrant, remove the shells and grind into powder, and take 2 to 3 grams each time. However, sorghum is warm in nature and contains tannic acid, which has astringent and antidiarrheal effects. People with constipation should not eat it.
Soybeans
Soybeans are mild in nature and sweet in taste. They have the effect of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi. People with weak spleen and stomach should eat them regularly. Various soy products made from soybeans, such as tofu, soy milk, etc., also have medicinal properties: tofu can relax the body, replenish qi, clear away heat and disperse blood, and is especially suitable for people with phlegm-heat, cough, exogenous cold, and sore throat.
Cereals mainly refer to the seeds of grass plants. It includes rice, wheat, corn, etc. and other miscellaneous grains, such as millet, black rice, buckwheat, oats, barley, sorghum, etc. Grains are processed into staple foods. It mainly provides humans with 50-80% of heat energy, 40-70% of protein, and more than 60% of vitamin B1. The nutrient content of cereals varies greatly depending on their type, variety, origin, growing conditions and processing methods.