Mǐn Nóng (悯农) – A Chinese Poem Explained for Learners
Pity the Farmers
By Lǐ Shēn (李绅) • Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE)
Mǐn Nóng (悯农) is one of China's most famous poems about the hardship of farming. It teaches children to appreciate food and respect the labor of farmers.
This short but powerful poem has been memorized by generations of Chinese children, reminding them that every grain of rice comes from hard work under the scorching sun.
"Hoeing grain under the midday sun."
"Sweat drips onto the soil beneath the crops."
"Who knows that the food on our plates..."
"Every single grain comes from hard work."
All unique characters in the poem, sorted by appearance. Click any character to learn its stroke order.
Some sounds in this poem can be tricky for English speakers. Here are tips for the hardest characters:
The 'ch' is retroflex — curl your tongue back. The 'u' is a pure 'oo' sound with rising tone (2nd tone).
Simple 'huh' sound with rising tone. This character is a pictograph of a grain plant.
The 'l' is clear, and 'i' is a short 'ee' sound. Fourth tone falls sharply from high to low.
The 'j' is like English 'j' but softer. 'ie' sounds like 'ee-eh'. First tone stays high and flat.
Li Shen
李绅 (Lǐ Shēn) • 772–846 CE
"Poet of the People (悯农诗人)"
- A Tang Dynasty poet and government official
- Rose to become Prime Minister (宰相) later in life
- Best known for his two "Pity the Farmers" poems
- His poems reflect deep sympathy for common people
- Part of the New Yuefu Movement advocating socially conscious poetry
Early 9th century CE, during the mid-Tang Dynasty
Written while observing farmers in the Chinese countryside
Li Shen wrote this poem to express sympathy for the hard life of farmers and to remind people to appreciate their food
This poem became a cornerstone of Chinese moral education, teaching children gratitude and respect for labor. It's recited in schools across China to this day.
Food and Labor in Chinese Culture
This poem reflects important Chinese values:
- Respect for farmers
Agriculture has been the foundation of Chinese civilization for thousands of years. Farmers are honored as essential to society.
- No wasting food
Chinese culture strongly emphasizes finishing all food on your plate. Wasting food is considered disrespectful to those who produced it.
- Hard work ethic
The poem celebrates the virtue of hard work (辛苦, xīnkǔ), a core value in Chinese culture.
Every grain of rice represents the sweat of a farmer. This simple truth has shaped Chinese attitudes toward food for over a thousand years, making this poem one of the most influential in Chinese education.
Practice Writing These Characters
Generate a free printable worksheet with all 18 unique characters from this poem. Practice stroke order with our guided worksheets.
Generate Worksheet (18 Characters)Or explore each character individually:
What is the meaning of Mǐn Nóng (悯农)?
Who wrote the poem 悯农?
Why is Mǐn Nóng taught to Chinese children?
What does 粒粒皆辛苦 mean?
How do you pronounce Mǐn Nóng?
Is there another version of this poem?
What is the moral lesson of Mǐn Nóng?
Final Thoughts
This poem shows how powerful simplicity can be. With just twenty characters, Li Shen creates a complete sensory world.
If you are learning Chinese characters, exploring poems like this can help you see how characters live beyond dictionaries — inside real emotions and real moments.