Rice is one of the few staple crops originated in China. In the past hundred years, rice production, rice market and rice status in daily economic life have changed in varying degrees. A long-time comparative analysis and discussion from these aspects were conducted. Despite population has grew 1 billion over a hundred years, the per capita share of grain increased from 265 kg in 1921 up to 440 kg in 2020, which is the base for the booming national economy. The rice market has expanded dozens of times, and the warehouse logistics has been at the top of the world. The rice consumption has continued to grow. If the proportion of rice in per capita income was used to measure the improvement of residents’ living standards, it accounted for about 50% of the monthly income of an average worker in Shanghai in 1921 and 1949, but it fell to 29% in 1980 and furtherly down to 13% in 2020. Moreover, the existing problems and future prospects of rice market were predicted. It should also be a red line that we should still adhere to seeking truth from facts in dealing with the issue of rice in the future, and should not exaggerate or deceive at all. It alos points out that agriculture and food are the foundation of China’s economy and the natural yardstick for measuring social progress. Since 1923, when the Communist Party of China first proposed reducing rural rent and interest rates for peasants, it has always attached great importance to the issues of agriculture and food. What we have achieved in the past century has not come easily and should be cherished.