One of the reasons that the wet rice fields of Southeast Asia are so strikingly beautiful is that they are planted with such neatness and care. I never knew that they used a string to make sure that all of the rice seedlings were in perfect straight lines. [NOTE: Rice field shown is outside of the village of Lang De in the state of Guizhou, China (see Welcome and Matriarchs). The Miao have reportedly planted rice here for 500 years.]