The Longji Rice Terraces

The Longji Rice Terraces are located in Longsheng County, about 100 km outside of Guilin, and are sometimes referred to as the Longsheng Rice Terraces. These amazing terraced rice fields were first constructed in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) by the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups, who still occupy the region today. Among the minority villages dotted among the rice fields, Ping'an Zhuang Village and Jinkeng Dazhai Red Yao Village are two popular gateways for visitors to explore. Generally speaking, the hike from Ping’an to the summit takes about 2 hours but the hikes from the Jinkeng cluster of villages can take slightly longer, the nearby Longji Old Zhuang village, another popular scenic area, is accessible by a half-hour hike from Ping'an Village. Although rice terraces wind their way around mountains throughout China, the Longji Rice Terraces are considered to be the most magnificent of them all. The rice fields are usually irrigated from mid-April to May, so spring is when you can see the famously beautiful scenery of the water in the terraces mirroring the sky.