Ireland and China

Glassie makes an interesting point in Chapter 4 about the connectivity of men to the land, a spatial connection not temporal. I was reminded of my trip to China two summers ago in which I traveled around mountain side rice patties that have been farmed and irrigated in the same manner for many centuries using the same types of implements and labor practices. Although, I was not able to speak to any of the Chinese farmers, I wonder if they hold a special esteem for their connection with their ancestors who farmed the land before them in the same style. In many ways, wandering around those farms was like looking back in time as many of the farming techniques that have been perfected over centuries needed no more improvement and perfectly suited the needs of the farmers.

Enjoy some photos: