Shennong (literally: "Divine Farmer"), also known as the Emperor of the Five Grains, was a ruler of China and cultural hero who lived some 5,000 years ago and who taught the ancient Chinese the practices of agriculture.

Appropriately, his name means "the Divine Farmer".

Considered to be the father of Chinese agriculture, Shennong taught his people how to cultivate grain as food, so as to avoid killing animals.

Shennong can also refer to what is referred to as his people, above.

The term shì refers to what may be translated as clan, tribe, family, or house.

It can also mean maiden name (perhaps hinting at a pre-patriarchal tradition).

In any case, Shennong as a protohistorical ethnic group should not be confused with Shennong the eponymous, traditional "ancestor" of this social group.

However, since shì can also mean an honorific term for a male, such as mister, the ambiguity is perpetuated: Shén nóng shì, or plain Shennong, is also used to refer to the individual, and/or referred to the title of an individual.