Discovering Magnificent China: Embracing Poetry and the Distant Horizon – Journey Across the Motherland Series II: Yunnan Chapter (1) Hani Rice Terraces

📍 Kunming · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 55 likes

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces in Yunnan – A Splendid Landscape Scroll, a Stirring Colored Woodcut

Throughout the long river of history, for thousands of years, the hardworking people of our country, especially those in minority regions, have used their diligence and wisdom to carve out numerous rice terraces in the high mountains, adapting to local conditions. Among them, the Hani Rice Terraces in Yuanyang County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, with their magnificent field curves, form a classic pastoral landscape painting and an ancient, pristine beauty. They are a miracle in the history of world farming civilization and a model of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. They are also a highly renowned and visually stunning group of terraced fields in China.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

The Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces are located in the southern part of the Ailao Mountains in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan. Vast in scale and majestic in momentum, they have a history of over 1,300 years, a masterpiece left by generations of the Hani people. Yuanyang County is entirely mountainous, and all the terraces are built on slopes, stacked layer upon layer according to the terrain, with the highest tier reaching 3,000 steps. The largest can cover several mu, while the smallest is only the size of a winnowing basket. The contiguous tens of thousands of mu of terraced fields, set against the backdrop of dense forests and covered by endless clouds, form a poetic, picturesque, magnificent, and splendid spectacle. It is more than a painting, with the reputation that "Yuanyang Rice Terraces are the finest under heaven."

In June 2013, at the 37th World Heritage Conference, the Hani Rice Terraces were inscribed on the World Heritage List, becoming China's 45th World Heritage site. "Hani Villages: Thousands of Mirrors Reflecting Cooking Smoke" was also selected in the "Most Beautiful Places in China" list by "Chinese National Geography" magazine's "Beauty of China" feature, ranking second among the "Top Six Most Beautiful Rural Ancient Towns in China."

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

The Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces mainly consist of the Bada Scenic Area, Duoyishu Scenic Area, Laohuzui Scenic Area, and others.

Bada Scenic Area is located more than 40 kilometers south of Yuanyang County seat, encompassing contiguous terraces covering 14,000 mu in Qingkou, Quanfuzhuang, Malizhai, Zhulu, etc. It resembles a sea of slopes, sparkling with shimmering light that surges into your eyes, creating a spectacular scene. After 4 p.m. every day, as the sun sets in the west, the vast white slope sea gradually turns pink, then red, and shifts back to pink and white, making it an ideal spot to view and photograph the terraces changing with time. The sunset landscape at Bada is particularly stunning, often cited as the best location for sunset photography. At dusk, when the sun sinks below the horizon and the sky is ablaze with red clouds, photographers call it "sunset evening glow." The main features here are Hani ethnic customs, culture, and natural scenery. It is a place to admire the Hani Rice Terraces, sea of clouds, Hani architecture, and other landscapes, as well as a central area to understand, study, and experience Hani culture.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

Duoyishu Scenic Area is located in the core area of the Yuanyang Hani Rice Terrace National Wetland Park and World Cultural Heritage Site, 23 kilometers from the old county town (Xinjie Town), at an altitude of 1,900 meters. Over 10,000 mu of terraces are distributed on slopes with gradients of 25 to 50 degrees in Duoyishu, Aichun, Dawazhe, etc., which are shaped like bays. The terraces here resemble woodcut prints, with ever-changing colors, spectacular and beautiful. Especially at sunrise, the constantly shifting colors on the water's surface are dazzling. Against the misty rain and fog, the Duoyishu village—a settlement composed of quaint mushroom-shaped houses—appears and disappears, giving the feeling of stepping into a fairyland. It is the best scenic spot for viewing and photographing the sea of clouds, terraces, sunrise, and the village.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area

Laohuzui Scenic Area includes Mengpin, Dongpu, Amengkong, Baoshanzhai, etc., with 12,000 mu of terraces. It is the most precipitous, grandiose, spectacularly laid out, largest, and most representative part of the Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces. Words like "endless, intricately connected, boundless" aptly describe it. Its characteristics are strong three-dimensionality, intense layered colors, and a profusion of hues, like a huge oil painting, presenting an awe-inspiring scene. The Laohuzui terraces viewpoint is an excellent spot for watching sunset.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

Generally speaking, the terraces here are beautiful throughout the four seasons. The Hani people traditionally transplant rice seedlings in June, so in summer Yuanyang is a sea of lush green rice waves. By October, as the rice ripens and crops are harvested, the hills turn golden yellow. However, the best season to admire the terraces is always winter, because after being flooded, the terraces shimmer with silvery-white light, highlighting their graceful, winding lines and contours.

Before sunrise begins, the graceful contours of the terraces are already faintly visible in the dawn's early light. Looking down from a viewing platform or high point, it resembles an extremely elegant ink wash painting. After the sun rises in the east, the red morning light casts onto the western villages, and the colors around constantly change as the sun climbs higher, a colorful and romantic display that effortlessly intoxicates. At sunset, the sight is even more stunning. As the twilight gradually fades, the terraces transform into gorgeous colors. When these colors intertwine with the lines of the ridges, they together form a highly moving colored woodcut print, and also a magnificent pastoral landscape scroll.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

1. When visiting the Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces, first, see the magnificent sunrise and sunset over the terraces; second, experience the unique charm of Hani villages. The terraces show different colors and landscapes in different seasons, but the best time to visit is from November to the following March, because after autumn harvest the terraces are filled with water for maintenance, giving them strong layering, especially sparkling under sunlight, breathtakingly beautiful.

2. Although November to March is the season when the terraces are filled with water and look most spectacular, if you're here for photography, January and February are even better choices. At that time, there is no rice in the fields, the horizontal terraces are crystal clear layer by layer, with excellent light and shadow effects. Around the Spring Festival, you can often view and photograph the endlessly changing sea of clouds and mist-wreathed terraces.

3. Viewing the terraces mainly involves watching the spectacular sunrise and sunset landscapes, which requires early starts and late returns. You need to set out before dawn to see the sunrise, and after sunset it will be dark, so it's essential to stay inside the scenic area for convenience. Moreover, the Yuanyang county town is dozens of kilometers of mountain roads away from the scenic area, and round trips take a lot of time. The winding mountain roads make driving at night unfamiliar territory both inconvenient and unsafe.

4. January and February are the best months to view the terraces, but this coincides with the Spring Festival holiday, when tourists from all over the country, especially photography enthusiasts, flock here. There will be large crowds, and accommodation will be very tight, so be sure to book your accommodation in advance. To thoroughly explore the several scenic spots here generally requires three or so days.

5. Watching and photographing the sunrise at Duoyishu Rice Terrace Scenic Area and the sunset at Laohuzui Scenic Area are the highlights of the Hani Rice Terraces tour. During peak season, the scenic areas are packed with people; to secure a slightly better spot, you must arrive at the viewing platform well in advance.

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Bada Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Laohuzui Scenic Area

Yunnan - Yuanyang - Hani Rice Terraces - Duoyishu Scenic Area