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China: Qing Dynasty rice measure or 'dou' in cypress wood, c. 1890

China: Qing Dynasty rice measure or 'dou' in cypress wood, c. 1890

The Traditional Chinese unit of measure by volume called a dòu (斗) is generally translated into English as a 'Chinese peck', calculated in 1915 as 10.354688 of a metric litre.

Dry measures are units of volume used to measure bulk commodities which are not gas or liquid. They are typically used in agriculture, agronomy, and commodity markets to measure grain, dried beans, and dried and fresh fruit (e.g. a peck of apples is a retail unit); formerly also salt pork and fish. They are also used in fishing for clams, crabs, etc. and formerly for many other substances.

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