Marked by spectacular terraces that cascade down the slopes of mountains to the banks of rivers, the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in south-west China’s Yunnan province is a masterpiece of man-made work that combines with nature, demonstrating the extraordinary harmony between people and their environment.
Over the past 1,300 years, people of various ethnic groups, including Hani, Yi, Dai, Zhuang, Miao and Han have developed a complex system of channels to bring water from forested mountaintops to the eye-catching terraces located in Yuanyang county of the province’s Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture.
Covering an area of 46,100 hectares, the terraced fields reflect an integrated four-fold system of forests, villages, terraces and water supply. The mountain top forests are the lifeblood of the terraces, capturing and sustaining the water needed for their irrigation. The terraces are vital to soil and water conservation in the headwater region of several rivers, as well as regulating the regional climate and local ecosystems.
The natural wonder that the terraced fields represent made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.