Rice Terraces in China Yuanyang province landscape
Yuanyang County is world famous for its Hani ethnic minority-constructed farming terraces that zigzag upwards over range upon range of slopes to a height of 144 to 2,000 meters. As the Hani people say, they can build and water terraces on any mountain, no matter how from the county tourism bureau recall proudly the many overseas researchers and visitors that have come to see the terraces. One official commented, Most tourists cannot believe that the Hani people cultivate terraces using only simple hoes. They regard them as every bit as splendid as the Great Wall and the Pyramids. The terraces have a 1,300-year history, and in that time Hani farmers have perfected a rice terrace-oriented farming and seeding ecosystem. For the past 50 years, the terraces have produced between 100 to 150 kilograms, sometimes as much as 300 kilograms, of rice per Mu (a sixth of an acre), an output that compares with that of any plains area. Incredibly enough, Yuanyang, with its high mountains and steep valleys and forests, is actually a huge granary in Yunnan Province that was relied on heavily in the 1960s and 1970s to alleviate famine in the inland areas. The Hani terraces and their irrigation system constitute ingenious agricultural innovation. Ailao Mountain's temperate climate and large scope of vegetation assures precipitation adequate to water the terraces, but equal apportionment of water to each plot on each terrace requires specialized skill. The Hani people call their method of water management, "Carving Wood to Ration Water"; villagers from each household mark different gradations on a wooden cross and place it in front of the terrace's source of water. When water flowing into the terraces reaches a specific gradation, the flow ceases. This system ensures enough water for every terraced plot.
Size: 4767px × 3204px
Location: Yuanyang Yunnan China
Photo credit: © Jean-Christophe Godet / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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