WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Far East, Close Up: Rice

Episode Date: June 18, 2025

“Far East, Close Up” provides Westerners a front-row seat to the customs, cultures and everyday life in East Asia. Created and hosted by Emma Wiermann. EP 3 "Rice": Why rice is such an integral part of the East Asian diet.

I'm Emma Wehrman, welcoming you to Far East Close Up, where we provide Westerners a front-row seat to the customs, cultures, and everyday life in East Asia. Today, we're going to be talking about rice. Rice is a super popular food in Asia. In essence, it is the staple food, so much so that in China, the way to say to eat a meal is Cherfan, which actually translates to eat rice. But why? There are many reasons rooted in both practicality and culture. First, fertile river valleys across countries like China and Thailand provide the perfect growing conditions for rice. Second, it's an economically sound idea to grow rice.

It produces high yields per acre, thus feeding large populations efficiently. Third, ancient East Asian civilizations and rice cultivation developed side by side, such that rice has remained an inseparable part of these societies and cultures even to this day. I'm Emma Weirman, and this has been Far East Close Up. on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.