Honghe Hani Rice Terraces – Honghe, China - Atlas Obscura
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Honghe Hani Rice Terraces

Honghe, China

A complex and beautiful system of rice terraces covers a million acres over the mountains. 

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Jialiang Gao (Creative Commons)
Jialiang Gao (Creative Commons)
Jialiang Gao (Creative Commons)
Jialiang Gao (Creative Commons)
chensiyuan/Wikimedia (Creative Commons)
George Lu (Creative Commons)
The terraces in winter are allowed to fill with water Wikimedia (Creative Commons)
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The stunning Honghe Hani Rice Terraces cover 1,000,000 acres from the slopes of the Ailao Mountains down to the Hong Kong River in Yunnan, China. 

The 1,200-year-old elaborate red rice terraces were created to bring water down from the forests to allow for farming on the slopes. The system of terraces stretches over four counties — Yuanyang, Honghe, Jinpin, and Lvchun — although the main area is in Yuanyang. 

Incorporated into the terraces are 82 villages, and a farming system involving buffaloes and cattle, as well as eels, ducks, and fish. 

The terraces were designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. 

horticulture unesco landscapes cultures and civilizations ancient plants
Community Contributors
Allison
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Allison
Published
July 9, 2013
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