Li Xiang started recording as he scattered sprouted rice seeds in the paddy field.
This seedbed was a small patch he had specially chosen and prepared. It was set higher than the other paddy fields, and the slurry was even and had the right consistency. If the slurry were too thin, he would have let it dry in the sun for another day.
After sowing the seeds, he covered the bed with an arched plastic film. This served two purposes: to retain heat at night and to prevent birds from pecking at the seeds.
However, if the temperature got too high during the day, he'd have to open both ends of the film to ventilate and cool it down.
Farming was a craft that required a great deal of effort. Unfortunately, the return on investment for farming alone was too low.
Once the seedlings grew to have 4-4.5 leaves, they would be ready for manual transplanting. If using a machine, the seedlings should be slightly smaller, ideally with 3-3.5 leaves.
