Hani Rice Terraces:Wonder ofFarming Civilization

Mo Tingitng

At the southern feet of the precipitous Ailao Mountain， there is a vast stretch of richly-endowed and mystical land. The dense forests grow near the mountain top， Hani villages are situated on the mountainside， and from near Hani villages to the valley the terraced fields are found everywhere. Carved out of dense forest over the past 1，300 years by Hani people who migrated here from further to the northwest， the irrigated Hani Rice Terraces is an absolute wonder of farming civilization.

Magnificent view in southwest China

In 2013， the UNESCOs World Heritage Committee officially inscribed the cultural landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces onto the prestigious World Heritage List for their distinctive and indigenous culture.

Hani Rice Terraces are magnificent and on a large-scale， extending to many towns along the south bank of the Red River. In the morning in early March， a noted period of light rains in Yunnan Province， Thick fog envelops the mountains and hills in Yuanyang County， and the terraced fields are encompassed by mist and clouds. If you are lucky， you may see the beautiful sea of clouds. When the wind blew， the Hani Rice Terraces dominated the view as they climbed one above the other， providing a picture-perfect example of traditional land layering. When looked at from afar， zigzagging lines of the terraces look smooth and elegant， and together with the changing daylight， the scene can be truly breathtaking. After night falls， you can hear the music from different insects in the quiet villages， and watch fireflies flying beside the rice fields.

The landscape changes vividly throughout the year. The colors of Hani Rice Terraces endowed by the nature are cyan in spring， green in summer， yellow in autumn， and silver in winter. The time from November to March is the most beautiful season. The curves are completely exposed along the front， sparkling in the sunshine. From late April to late September， Hani people grow red rice， the terrace's dominant crop. The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces are a patchwork of fresh green. Cattle and buffalo plow the terraces， and no chemical fertilizers are used. Fish and ducks are also bred in the paddies， which improves fertility while providing food for people and animals. Autumn is the harvest season. Mature rice fills your vision， except where fish play beneath the paddy rice in the fields.

This is an isolated paradise where man and nature have lived happily together for generations. Eighty-two relatively small villages with between 50 and 100 households are constructed above the terraces just below the mountain top forests. The traditional vernacular buildings are the distinctive “mushroom” shape. But besides being a favorite perch for photographers all over the world， the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces deserve recognition for more than just scenery for pretty pictures. There is a song sung by the local Hani people： “Where there are dense trees， there is clean water. Clean water contributes to the clearing of fertile fields. Fertile fields contribute to cultivating outstanding children and grandchildren.” They always remember to respect nature and live with it in harmony.

Honghe Hani Rice Terraces reflect an integrated four-fold system of forests， water supply， terraces and houses. The mountain top forests are the lifeblood of the terraces in capturing and sustaining the water needed for the irrigation. Red rice is farmed on the basis of a complex， integrated farming and breeding system. Ducks fertilize the young rice plants， chickens and pigs contribute fertilizer to more mature plants， water buffalo slough the fields for the next years planting and snails in the water consume various pests. The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces are an exceptional reflection of a spiritual respect for nature and respect for both the individual and the community.

A reclusive farming tribe

The terrace fields， the wonder among the Ailao mountains， are not only the natural gifts， but also the carvings done by the generations of the intelligent Hani people.

The Hani people's ancestors came to this steep mountain areas 2，500 years ago. In their struggle against the difficult terrain they successfully established the terraces， where they grew rice in order to make a living. Their staple food is rice， which is complemented with corn and a kind of locally produced red rice. They have also created an integrated and complex farming system that involves buffalos， cattle， ducks， fish and eel， and supports the production of red rice， the areas primary crop. Each household farms one or two plots of the rice terraces. In recognition， the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） emperor granted the title of “Skillful Sculptor” to Hani people and their good reputation was passed down from generation to generation.

The Hani people prefer the navy blue clothes they weave and dye themselves. The grown men often wear short jacket buttoned down on the front and long trousers. They like to wrap their head with black or white cloth turbans. Old people often wear skullcap. The costumes of women show diversity among different clans. Women in most areas wear collarless short blouses with buttons on the right side and long trousers. They always tightened their jacket with a colorful waistband. Young women like to wear earrings， silver rings and necklaces. Married and unmarried women wear different hairstyles.

Every Hani is born to sing. It is these songs that have channeled the wisdom of their ancestors down through the ages， and keep the Hani in harmony with nature and with themselves. In the lyric of Four Seasons Song， the Hani are reminded： “The wisdom of past sages is like oil squeezed out of rock， and it is the life blood of our people.”

In February， it is the overture to spring plowing. They celebrate the Angmatu Festival to offer sacrifices to the agriculture god and other deities. They butcher pigs and deliver pork to every household， symbolizing the bounty from the gods. There will also be a two-day long street banquet. When preparing this kind of banquet， all the families get their tables line up along the street. The villagers then sit along the table with the priest and the head of the village sitting in the seats of honor. Food and drink offered by each family are presented and people eat and drink and wish each other good luck and happiness. Dishes are made of the terraces products， such as loach and salted duck eggs. Red rice is ground into flour to make noodles， tofu and crackers. The transplanting of rice seedlings begins after the Angmatu Festival.

Kuzhazha Festival in June is another important festival of the Hani ethnic group. During the festival， people sacrifice to the heaven and the cattle， and enjoy the festival by swinging， wrestling， singing and dancing. The main activities of the festival are those of killing an ox for sacrificing， preparing the green grass for the horse of God， having the long street party， dancing and singing and wrestling.

In this land， you can see that the resilient land management system of the rice terraces demonstrates extraordinary harmony between people and their environment， both visually and ecologically.