Banaue rice terraces - Denis Mukimov. Stunning rice terraces

Located 27 km south of Longsheng Township, the vast Dragon Ridge (Longji) Rice Terraces cover the hills and mountains layer by layer. These are one of the most famous terraces in all of China, famous far beyond China for their fabulous landscapes.

(Total 35 photos)

1. Longsheng old people have a saying: "Where there is land, there will be rice terrace." IN Chinese province Guangxi, a two-hour drive from the city of Guilin, the problem of sowing and growing rice on steep slopes has long been solved. As early as the Yuan Dynasty, at the end of the 13th century, the large-scale task of planting rice in the Longsheng Mountains began.

3. It took four centuries to create the rice paddies known as Longji. During this time, many generations worked hard on the terraces to provide their families with a year's supply of rice. But besides that, they created an amazingly beautiful area. It is not for nothing that the Chinese call this small miracle “delightful terrace”.

6. In different time This area looks different every year. The water accumulated during the winter spills onto the fields in the form of rain in the spring. In summer, the winds blowing the rice shoots turn the fields into green rice fields. In autumn, the ripened crop field acquires a noble golden color, and in winter the entire slope is covered with snow.

9. People who were forced to settle en masse in this hilly area during the Yuan Dynasty had a problem of crop shortage due to the peculiarities of the local region: the growing population could not get a large enough crop. Therefore, people came up with an unusual technique for better use of arable land.

11. The pinnacle of human ingenuity is natural rainwater, which is the only source of water in mountainous areas. Water is stored in reservoirs, and in spring the rice fields are flooded with water. Terraces arranged in a checkerboard pattern ensure that all the water is used without residue.

13. In Longsheng, in mountain villages Ethnic groups such as Zhuang, Dong and Yao live near the rice terraces. Local villagers go to national clothes(although some of the outfits are for tourists) and the women of Dong have very long hair.

16. Representatives of the Zhuan ethnic group call the terraces the "Dragon's Spine". From a height of 800 meters, it can be seen with the naked eye that the fields look like the scales of a dormant dragon with a winding ridge.

19. Rice fields, the highest point of which is located at an altitude of 1100 meters, occupy an area of ​​60 square kilometers. This is not a place where you can come for a couple of hours to admire the scenery. Travelers wishing to see this remote area are advised to stay at least 2 days.

21. Visitors are always welcome here, and many locals even open small inns for travelers. Visiting the rice fields, you can learn a lot about the culture and features local population. The terraces are best visited in spring or summer to discover them in at its best. Arriving in autumn, you will see tall rice, the terraces will look like undulating hills.

23. For centuries, rice terraces have been in the possession of families, from generation to generation they were passed from father to son. When the communists came to power, the rules changed: at the birth of a person, a certain land allotment is allocated to him, and after death the local committee alienates it for its own use and later transfers it to someone else.

23. Although each family is able to grow crops only for their own needs, rice is grown here not only for food. After all, in life there is always a place for small joys. And every year, part of the harvest, the so-called glutinous rice, is used to make rice wine.

27. Now, when the twenty-first century is in the yard, the role of rice fields, of course, is not as important as before. More and more young people go to work in Longsheng or further afield. And, despite the fact that the terraces are still sown with rice, they no longer serve as the main source of income for the local population.

30. A few years ago, unscrupulous tour operators used these lands, while not wanting to share the profits received from tourists with the local population. In this regard, local residents said they would stop flooding the fields and growing rice. In this case, there was no point for tourists to go to the region. Needless to say, shortly after this threat, tour operators began negotiations with local residents.

33. The rice grown here cannot be sold at a competitive price, since the area of ​​the terraces simply does not allow obtaining large volumes of grain. However, paddy fields are increasingly included in tourist maps, and villagers earn more from tourism each year than they do from rice fields. Therefore, there will be rice plantations in Longsheng until tourists get bored with them.

34. However, this is unlikely to happen, given the amazing beauty of the landscapes.

"Have you already eaten rice today?" - not idle curiosity, but a greeting from the Chinese when they meet. The life of an ordinary resident of China cannot be imagined without this grain crop. And rice is sown not only on the plains, but also on the slopes of the mountains.

Famous are a real marvel of engineering. They began to be erected as early as the 13th century AD. The most high-quality and delicious varieties are grown in Yunnan province. Extending for tens of kilometers Chinese rice fields. Here, at an altitude of 200 - 2000 meters above sea level, on an area of ​​​​20 thousand square meters, thousands of terraces are spread.

Everything is created by hand without the use of any modern technological advances. In fact, rice fields in Yunnan is an autonomous crop growing system. Water flowing from mountain peaks, floods the holes. As a result, weed grass does not grow later, the soil is enriched with nitrogen and all favorable conditions are created for rice ripening. At the same time, rice grains are germinated in special nurseries, which are then manually planted in flooded holes.

See rice terraces in China travelers come from all over the world. A spectacle that delights in any period. From November to April you can see flooded fields. The sky and the sun, clouds and the moon are reflected on the water surface.

In the spring, a rice field in Yunnan turns into a green carpet. In autumn, the fields are painted in bright autumn colors. The bewitching appearance of the patchwork carpet is so fantastic that it is not immediately possible to believe in the reality of its existence. The landscape seems to have been painted with the brush of a skilled artist.

The locals took care of the tourists, creating convenient conditions for everyone to enjoy the amazing picture and capture it on their camera. Here you can find viewing platforms from where amazing view of the rice terraces of China. True, admission to them is not free, but a symbolic amount of 50 yuan (equivalent to 250 rubles) is, indeed, a small fee for an amazing experience.

Longji (Dragon's Range) - rice terraces of the Chinese province of Guangxi in the Longsheng Mountains

Located 27 km south of Longsheng Township, extensive rice terraces "Dragon's Ridge", layer by layer cover the hills and mountains. These are one of the most famous terraces in all of China, famous far beyond China for their fabulous landscapes.

The Longsheng old people have a saying: "Where there is land, there will be rice terrace." In the Chinese province of Guangxi, a two-hour drive from the city of Guilin, the problem of sowing and growing rice on steep slopes has long been solved. As early as the Yuan Dynasty, at the end of the 13th century, the large-scale task of planting rice in the Longsheng Mountains began.

It took four centuries to create the paddy fields known as Longji. During this time, many generations worked hard on the terraces to provide their families with a year's supply of rice. But besides that, they created an amazingly beautiful area. It is not for nothing that the Chinese call this small miracle “delightful terrace”.

At different times of the year, this area looks different. The water accumulated during the winter spills onto the fields in the form of rain in the spring. In summer, the winds blowing the rice shoots turn the fields into green rice fields. In autumn, the ripened crop field acquires a noble golden color, and in winter the entire slope is covered with snow.

The people who were forced to settle en masse in this hilly area during the Yuan Dynasty faced the problem of a lack of harvest due to the peculiarities of the region: the growing population could not get a large enough harvest. Therefore, people came up with an unusual technique for better use of arable land.

The pinnacle of human ingenuity is natural rainwater, which is the only source of water in mountainous areas. Water is stored in reservoirs and in spring rice fields filled with water. The staggered terraces ensure that all the water is used without residue.

The Zhuan ethnic group call the terraces the "Dragon's Spine". From a height of 800 meters, it can be seen with the naked eye that the fields look like the scales of a dormant dragon with a winding ridge.

Rice fields, the highest point of which is located at an altitude of 1100 meters, cover an area of ​​60 square kilometers.

Visitors are always welcome here, and many locals even open small inns for travelers. visiting rice fields of china, you can learn a lot about the culture and characteristics of the local population. The terraces are best visited in spring or summer to discover them at their best. Arriving in autumn, you will see tall rice, the terraces will look like undulating hills.

For centuries rice terraces were in the possession of families, from generation to generation they were passed from father to son. When the communists came to power, the rules changed: at the birth of a person, a certain land allotment is allocated to him, and after death the local committee alienates it for its own use and later transfers it to someone else.

Although each family is able to grow crops only for their own needs, rice is grown here not only for food. After all, in life there is always a place for small joys. And every year, part of the harvest, the so-called glutinous rice, is used to make rice wine.

Now, when the twenty-first century is in the yard, the role of rice fields, of course, is not as important as before. More and more young people go to work in Longsheng or further afield. And, despite the fact that the terraces are still sown with rice, they no longer serve as the main source of income for the local population.

The rice grown here cannot be sold at a competitive price, since the area of ​​the terraces simply does not allow obtaining large volumes of grain. However, these Chinese rice fields are increasingly included in tourist maps and villagers annually earn more from tourism than from rice fields. That's why rice plantations in longsheng will be as long as they do not get bored with tourists.

Rice terraces in China

Seeing once, one gets the impression that rice cultivation in this country is carried out with the help of landscape design.

The construction of rice terraces began as early as the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). They are the culmination of deep wisdom and hard work. And what are the names of the viewing platforms around the rice terraces in China: "Nine dragons and five tigers", "Seven stars around the moon" ... Here they are called "the most beautiful in the world" and "the only ones under the clouds."

To get to the famous Longji rice terraces, you need to climb through the village of Ping An, located 27 km south of the town of Longsheng in Guangxi province.

These are some of the most famous terraces in all of China, thanks to the fabulous scenery.

rice terraces occupy an area of ​​66 sq. km. They are located at an altitude of 300 to 1,100 meters above sea level and with a slope between 25 and 35 degrees, sometimes even 50.

A ticket to the observation decks costs 50 yuan (about 250 rubles).

On the terraces surrounding the village of Ping An, there are the same two observation decks with picturesque names: "Nine dragons and five tigers" and "Seven stars around the moon."

Still, it is unusual to observe man-made "field-steps" picturesquely curving on the slopes:

The rice harvested on Dragon's Backbone is considered one of the best in the country. There are many reasons for this: mountain water, and the soil and the enormous forces applied to grow rice.

A photo for estimating the scale is a step in human growth!

In the photographs, the landscapes seem rather monotonous, but in reality they are not!

View of rice terraces varies depending on the time of year. In the spring, when water irrigates the rice fields, the terraces look like large shiny ribbons wrapping around the slopes of mountains and hills:

At the beginning of summer, the rice terraces turn green:

And this is what rice fields look like when it's time to harvest:

Rice has been cultivated in China for about 7,000 years. In those distant times, peasants discovered that on fields flooded with water, cereals yield ten times more yield than on dry ones. Moisture not only destroys weeds, but also saturates the bottom with nitrogen, thus fertilizing the plants. Wetland farmers had enough to plant grains at certain times of the year, and then harvest as they ripened, but the inhabitants of the hilly area had to adapt to the existing conditions - they transformed the surrounding landscape, making it suitable for agricultural needs. So as a result of searches and experiments in China and several other Asian countries rice terraces emerged.

Ethnic minorities in China, mainly representatives of the Hani group, have been growing rice on the artificially created terraces of Honghe Hani for 1300 years. Generation after generation up the steep hillsides, the peasants manually carved multi-tiered stepped formations. This process required precision and colossal efforts, since the slightest carelessness could lead to sad consequences - the destruction of the fragile walls of the pools and the irrigation system, as well as the washing out of such a valuable top layer of fertile red soil.

The most attractive part of the rice terraces for inspection lies at an altitude of 1000 to 2000 meters above sea level. The artificial fields look as if the location of the pools was chosen by chance, but in fact this moment was carefully calculated, since the reservoirs exactly follow the contours of the hills depending on where people can reach them. At the same time, the original landscape is preserved, which makes the area even more picturesque.

The Hani people living in these areas have developed a complex system of canals that, from early winter to late spring, ensures the flow of spring water to artificial pools from densely forested mountain peaks. So bathed in the golden rays of the sun, the Chinese rice fields of Honghe Hani are considered a completely autonomous, self-irrigated system, arranged in such a way that the top layer of soil, which is so important for rice, is not washed away by water.

Rice planting takes place once a year, in April, when the soil is already fully saturated with spring water. Harvest time lasts from September to November, depending on the height at which the rice terrace lies. Then the pools rest and after a while are filled with water again, gaining strength until the next season.

In accordance with the cycle of agricultural work, cardinal changes occur in the landscape of Honghe Hani rice terraces during the year. In summer, the slopes of the mountains are covered with bright green shoots, in autumn the landscape is filled with the golden glow of rice stalks. However, the best time to visit the terraces is from November to April, when they appear before the viewer in all their glory. The multi-tiered fields flooded with spring waters reflect hundreds of reflections of the sun's rays in their mirror-like surface. In them you can see the soft dawn, the blueness of the clear daytime sky and the fiery haze of the sunset.

In late February and early March, the local territories are decorated with flowering trees - pink peach blossoms and white pear blossoms. All the richness of colors at different times of the year creates a truly bewitching picture.

The hand-carved rice terraces of the steep hillsides of Honghe Hani are a true man-made miracle human civilization. The system of rational land use, which the Chinese use on their lands, can be called an effective example of a unique ecological and aesthetic harmony between the environment and people.

Despite unique beauty local landscapes and the colorfulness of local ethnic groups, mass tourism has not yet reached this region, mainly due to its remote mountain location, lack of an airport nearby and poor road conditions. But it is precisely because of this that the local landscape has retained its authenticity to this day.

In some places of the ascent to the terraces there are booths where you need to purchase a ticket to get to the attraction (100-180 yuan). Of course, there is an opportunity to go without paying a fee, but then you won’t be able to climb some observation platforms. You can view the Honghe Hani rice terraces alone or with local guide, Gloria, who will guide you through the most beautiful places, skillfully bypassing booths of ushers.

The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in 2013 became the 45th site of the World Natural and cultural heritage originally from China.

The best way to get to the main attraction of Yunnan Province is from Kunming County, from where a bus runs four times a day to the villages nearby the rice terraces. The journey will take approximately 6-8 hours.

The elders in Longshen village have a proverb: where there is land, there is a terrace. The problem of growing rice on steep slopes was solved long ago, a two-hour drive from Guilin City in Guangxi Province. The daunting task of terracing the Longsheng Mountains for rice production began in the late thirteenth century with the Yuan Dynasty.

2. It took four hundred years to build the terraces known as Longzhi. During this time, countless generations worked hard on the terraces to ensure the rice harvest was needed for more than just a family. Working hard to provide for their families, they have created a place of stunning beauty. It is surprising that the Chinese call it "amazing terrace".

3. The place changes from season to season. In spring, the water accumulated during the winter irrigates the ground, the terraces look like huge suspended strips on mountain slopes. In summer, the terraces are blown by the wind and green waves of rice are obtained. In autumn, after the crops ripen, the fields become golden in color, and in winter the entire mountainside is often completely covered with snow.

4. During the Yuan Dynasty, people gravitated towards the hilly area, arriving here, they had a problem - the increasing population in the hilly area could not get a large crop of grain due to the terrain. They borrowed an ingenious building technique to make the best use of the arable land.

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8. This is human ingenuity at its best - natural rainwater - water resource bottom of this mountainous area. It is stored in reservoirs and in spring the terraces are flooded, the placement of the terraces ensures that not a single drop is wasted.

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11. Hundreds of different ethnic groups live in China, in Longsheng there are such ethnic groups as Zhuang, Dong and Yao, who inhabit the villages around the terraces. People still wear traditional clothes (although some of the pompous outfits are for tourists).

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13. Women of the Dong ethnic group are known for their extremely long hair.

14. Representatives of the Zhuang ethnic group call the terraces "Dragon's Spine". From a height of 800 meters, it is easy to see that the terraces resemble the multi-layered scales of a massive sleeping dragon, its spine writhing in the distance.

15. Travelers are always welcome here and many local families open small hotels to serve tourists. While visiting the terraces, you can also get to know and master the culture local residents. The terraces are best visited in spring or summer to discover them at their best. Arriving in autumn, you will see tall rice, the terraces will look like undulating hills.

16. Terraces occupy about sixty square kilometers, highest point located at an altitude of 1100 meters. Usually visitors don't come here for one or two hours just to gawk and walk away. Because this is a remote area, it is recommended to stop here for at least 2 days.

17. For centuries, the terraces were owned by families, they were passed down from generation to generation.

18. The rise of communism showed what would happen when the terraces were liberated. You were born, and the local communist committee allocates fields for you. When you die, the fields become the property of the committee again, and then transferred to someone else.

19. Every family grows enough rice to feed themselves. But in life there is always a place for small pleasures. Each year, part of the crop is glutinous rice, which is used to make rice wine. If you think this is a livelihood, think again.

20. Of course, the twenty-first century has come, today rice terraces are not as necessary as before. Many young people travel to the local city of Longsheng (or further afield) to work and send money to their families. Although the terraces are still in operation, they are no longer the main source of income for the locals.

21. A few years ago, unscrupulous tour operators used these lands. They didn't want to share the profits made from tourists with the communities, so the villagers simply said that the operators could no longer flood the terraces and grow rice, and it became possible for tourists to visit their communities. Needless to say, negotiations began shortly thereafter.

22. The rice grown here cannot be sold at competitive prices, simply because the terraces are too small to grow a large crop of rice.

23. Be that as it may, now the terraces are increasingly appearing on tourist maps, and villagers realized that they could earn significantly more money every year by hosting and feeding tourists. Therefore, the rice terraces of Longsheng will exist until the last tourist gets bored and leaves.

24. This is incredible, given the awe inspiring and inspiring beauty.

Rice does not live in water by itself, it's just that in Asia it was somehow discovered that a plant in a flooded field yields 20 times more than a dry one. The water in the flooded field seems to destroy all the weeds. The need for artificial fertilizers also disappears, since the bottom of the flooded field collects and stores nitrogen, which feeds the plant all the time. Hence the value...

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Rice does not live in water by itself, it's just that in Asia it was somehow discovered that a plant in a flooded field yields 20 times more than a dry one. The water in the flooded field seems to destroy all the weeds. The need for artificial fertilizers also disappears, since the bottom of the flooded field collects and stores nitrogen, which feeds the plant all the time. Hence the valuable property of rice - it can be grown year after year in the same place for thousands of years. The growing technique does not have any complex features. When the field is flooded, the earth mixes with water and turns into homogeneous mud. After that, bundles of pre-sprouted rice grains are thrown here, they themselves easily take root and ripen in a period of 140 to 210 days. For clarity: each kilogram of rice purchased is watered with an average of 4,000 liters of water.

The main difficulty in the cultivation of this plant is hilly area. A flooded field needs a perfectly level surface, so farmers have to create planes by hand, carving stepped terraces into the hillsides. The sight of even a single terrace makes you believe in the greatness of mankind, and what can we say about hundreds of multi-tiered rice fields!

Nepal

All agricultural areas of the country are almost completely covered with rice terraces. Even mountainous areas below the snow level are used. Photographs of views of such an extreme approach to crop production are an excuse to update the image on the desktop of the office PC upon return.

If a trip to Nepal is limited to the Kathmandu region, you can go to the highland town of Nagarkot. It is surrounded by stripes of fields-terraces, which have all shades from yellow-green to dark green. Against the backdrop of snow-capped Himalayan peaks, the steps of the terraces are interspersed with brown spots of rocks. From Tamel, tourist area Kathmandu, the nearest way to the terraces is 20 minutes by scooter north on the road to Beklot. Just keep in mind: to see the true grandeur of the Nepalese rice terraces, you will need to get off the bike and take a walk. Moving around the Annapurna area is figuratively the height in the area of ​​rice-terraced trips.

Best time for the trip: from the second half of August to early October and from mid-February to April.

Guangxi Zhuang District (China)

Modernization encroaches on the chic terraces of the Celestial Empire, so it's better to hurry to see them. rice fields dotted with space South China: from Shanghai to Tibet. And there are two ways.

The first is the terraces of Longji village in the northeast of Guangxi province. Getting here is quite difficult: 12 hours by train from Shenzhen to the city of Longsheng and then another two hours by bus. But don't think it's worth it. Ancient China is located here. Farmers still give back to their terraces just as their ancestors did when they were built 800 years ago.

The second direction leads to Yuanyang County to the ancestral terraces of the people of Hami. The views of the terraces are filled with all 360 degrees of visibility if you climb to the top of the hill. You can get here from the tourist Xinjiezhen, which is three hours south of Kumming.

Best time to travel: Longji is good at any time, except for the snowy and cold period from December to March. It is better to plan a trip to Yuanyang from November to mid-April.

Banaue (Philippines)

The fact that there are images of rice terraces on Philippine banknotes speaks for itself. No other nation is so proud of its agricultural masterpieces. Terraces in the vicinity of the city of Banaue are recognized by residents of the country as the eighth wonder of the world.

The terraces at Banaue were designed by Aboriginal people from Batad over two thousand years ago. Later, this region was cut off from the rest of the world, the grown products were no longer in sufficient demand, and the cultivation culture fell into decline. Most of the last century, local terraces were overgrown with weeds.

But in 1995, UNESCO took this phenomenon under its wing, issued money and instructed to do everything as it was. The terraces were reconstructed with superhuman efforts, and now the Philippine government is helping enthusiasts who want to work on the restored fields in every possible way. The revival of this industry, coupled with the increased interest of tourists, breathed new life to these places. Gold was recently discovered in the mountains around Banaue, but the local communities did not allow the development of the gold layers, remaining true to traditional rice farming.

If you are going to see these terraces, do not limit yourself to visiting Banaue, as many do. Half an hour by bus or taxi outside the city, then a couple of hours of walking - and you are in small village Bangaan. The village is located at the base of a thousand-meter-high mountain, the slopes of which are almost completely cut by terraces. With accommodation in Bangaan there will be no problems, well, the views are incredible.

Best time to travel: from December to May, that is, not during the monsoon season.

Bali (Indonesia)

While everyone is eager to hit the sides on the Bali beaches, it is the tropical core of the island that contains a more significant reason for the trip. The foliage is not very abundant in these parts, and the hills are not too steep and extensive, so, of course, the local terraces meekly lose to rivals in the Philippines and Zhuang. But there is one feature here that the terraces of the aforementioned countries do not have - they somehow smell very magical. It is not entirely clear why this aroma spreads here: perhaps this is not the merit of rice at all, but the matter is cinnamon, cloves or other spices grown somewhere nearby. Be that as it may, the feast of smell is guaranteed!

Best time to travel: from late November to early April.

Machu Pecchu (Peru)

The Incas were among the first to use the terrace structure. Only they grew potatoes on them, not rice. In Asia, farmers reinforced terraces with walls of dried silt, and the Incas used stones for this. As a consequence, rice terraces in Peru have sharply chiselled edges and are much better able to withstand temporary erosion. Such terraces are scattered throughout Peru, but it will be most meaningful to go along the Inca Trail and get historical reserve Machu Picchu.

Best time to travel: at any time, especially from September to February.

In preparing the material, information from this resource was used.