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Lucydad asked this question about The Years of Rice and Salt:
I am wondering just exactly "rice and salt" refer to? Metaphor or symbols for what? Various religions and cultures use rice and salt for symbols. Rice thrown at weddings for example. Or "salt of the earth". KSR repeatedly has characters mention rice and salt. Thoughts please?
Jay Eckard This is made clear in the Widow Kang section -- it's a Chinese term (or Robinson coined it and gave the Chinese credit) for the years during a woman's…moreThis is made clear in the Widow Kang section -- it's a Chinese term (or Robinson coined it and gave the Chinese credit) for the years during a woman's life when she's chiefly busy running the household and raising children. Kang is surprised at the end of her life to find that part of it was her favourite.

I think the reason he titles the book that is that Robinson sees the time covered in writing as that same era for all of mankind, prepping the "real" life we'll have once we overcome economic scarcity.(less)
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Lucydad thank you!
KSR's book has come to mind recently as I have had two deaths in the family in three months, including my mother ...more
Jan 19, 2019 06:44PM
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The Years of Rice and Salt
by Kim Stanley Robinson
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