Clever Housewife

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: March 17, 2012
Primary Language: Chinese
Language: English

The informant is recounting a Chinese proverb from home. He does not remember where he heard it.

 

“The cleverest housewife cannot cook a meal without rice.”

He interprets it to mean that even a skillful person cannot achieve without the proper resources.

 

I find it interesting that the culture cannot envision a meal without rice. This speaks to just how intrinsic to the Chinese culture rice actually is.