List of Five grains in world culture facts for kids

Rice grains showing how diverse they can be

Bi'ur Chametz, burning to get rid of five special grains before the Jewish holiday of Passover

The term Five grains is an old phrase. It describes important groups of crops. Sometimes, it can even refer to other things like minerals or metals. These groups often have special meaning in history or culture around the world.

Five Grains Around the World

Asia's Important Grains

East Asian Traditions

In East Asia, the idea of "five grains" is very important.

• Chinese Five Cereals: In China, the Five Cereals are a group of the most important crops. People have believed this since ancient times. These grains are key to Chinese cooking, farming, and even their spiritual beliefs.
• Chinese Baijiu: Some types of a strong Chinese drink called Baijiu are made from five different grains. One famous kind is called Wuliangye, which means "Five Grains Liquid."
• Korean Myths and Food: In Korea, old stories say that gods brought the seeds of five grains to people. These grains are very important for their food.
  • Ogokbap: A special Korean dish called Ogokbap is a mix of different grains. It often includes rice, sticky rice, red beans, and soybeans.
• Japanese Sacred Grains: In Japan, a group of five crops is important in their spiritual culture. A spirit named Ukanomitama no kami protects these grains. They are honored at places like Kasama Inari Shrine. There's even a special Five Grains Garden in the Manyo Botanical Garden, Nara.

West Asian Grains

• Jewish Traditions: In Judaism, five specific types of grain are very important. These are usually wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt. These grains can be used to make matzah, a special flatbread. They can also become chametz, which is leavened grain that is not eaten during the holiday of Passover.

European and Atlantic Grains

Christian Ceremonies

• Incense in Churches: In Christianity, five small pieces of incense are sometimes used. This happens during special ceremonies. For example, they are used when dedicating altars or sacred places. This tradition is also linked to the Easter celebration and the Paschal candle.

Thanksgiving Story

• Pilgrim's Ration: An old story from Christian Thanksgiving lore tells of "five grains of corn." This was said to be the small daily food ration for European settlers. They were traveling by ship to find new homes in the Americas.

Ancient American Games

Mesoamerican Board Games

• Mayan Bul Game: The ancient Mayan people played a board game called Bul. They used five corn kernels, marked on one side. If all five kernels landed blank side up, it counted as a score of five.
• Aztec Patolli Game: The Mexica Aztec people played a game called Patolli. They used five special beans or stones with dimples. These were tossed like dice to play the game.

Grains in Science

Units of Measurement

• Medicine: The word "grain" can also be a unit of weight. For example, a 325mg tablet of aspirin is sometimes called "five grain aspirin." This means it weighs about five grains.
• Gold and Metals: In old European recipes, "five grains of gold" were used. This was for things like gilding (coating) buttons. The gold was mixed with mercury.
• Minerals: Scientists study minerals very closely. For example, the mineral Coyoteite was identified by looking at five tiny pieces of the mineral using a special tool called an electron microprobe.