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While I was in the university, I had ever seen a video about the four seasons scenery of Longji Terraces filmed by a friend who had liven there for one year. He was crazy about the scenery and custom there. The scenery in Longji Terrace changes according to seasons: light green spring, dark green summer, golden autumn and white winter. His video exactly inspired me with interest in the Longji Terraces. I can’t help myself traveling to the Longji Terrace at one day in early spring.

Terraced filed is an ingenious construction making best use of the scarce arable land and water resources in the mountainous area, also of great value for appreciation. Longji Terrace is the main attraction in Longsheng, a small town 100 meters away from the famous tourist city Guilin in southwest China’s Guangxi province. Longsheng is renowned for its marvelous mountains and beautiful rives. Besides Longji Terraces, the Ailing hot spring is also really popular.

We took a bus leaving Guilin at 8 p.m. and more than two hours later reached Longji Terrace. It is the most majestic man-made natural scenic wonder I have ever seen.

The Longji Terraces were first built in Yuan Dynasty, 800 years ago. They are the achievement of the Zhuang and Yao people who built them with their wisdom and sweat. The Longji Terraces cover an area of twenty square kilometers. The highest terrace is at 1100 meters and the lowest is at 300 meters above the sea level. The drop of 800 meters, clouds-wrapping mountain tops and cheerfully flowing streams, make the Longji Terraces majestic and charming. Interestingly, the largest plots of the terrace is less than one Mu (1/15 hectare), and most of them just enough for two rows of seedlings.

At that moment, the sky was just clear up after a rain over the night. The fields were filled with rainwater, which look like glittering glasses overlapped each other lying tier upon tier. I was deeply touched by such a fascinating scene.

We walked on an ancient flagging, which was the only route connecting the Zhuang people living in Ping’ an village (the main village on Longji) and the outside world. The fresh air, mild mountain wind and birds’ singing accompanied us all the way with the delicate breath of the mixture of leaves, grasses and earth blowing on our face. Half an hour later, we reached the Ping’ an village. This is a small village with several tens of families living spreading around. It is surrounded by tiers of terraces with a stream flowing through. Their wooden houses are tiered along the hillside with block wall. The village is so picturesque with primitive simplicity as if it is the Arcadia. It is called Ancient Zhuang Village for its hundreds-year long history, making me curious about the stories in every old wooden house.

It was so quiet here that we could even hear our breath and footfall. Going ahead, we saw three old cattle leisurely lying down on the plot of the terraces. Here, without telegraph pole, cistern or anything made of reinforced concrete, is an enchanted idyllic place.

Half an hour later, we reached the No.2 observation platform of Longji Terraces. At that moment, myriad rays of sunshine penetrated the dense clouds shining far and wide till the bottom of the valley. The whole hill was lightened by the rosy sunshine, with the terraces like green chains or belts stretching from the foot to the top. My heart was cultivated to be peaceful by enjoying such tranquility and beauty.

We could see the panorama of the Longji Terraces from the No.2 observation platform. We enjoyed the boundless view here, seeing seven terraces surrounding one paddy field, called seven stars accompanying the moon, which is the popular attraction on the Longji Terraces.

After 40 minutes climbing, we came to the No.1 observation platform. Seen from where, the Longji Terraces seemed like green Chinese dragons meandering along the hill. We saw the wonders such as “Night Chinese Dragons and Five Tigers”, “Soul Mirror”. The Zhuang Village were hidden in the foggy clouds and surrounded by the terraces, as if it was the fairyland. The Longji Terraces seemed half dream and half reality, with the harmonious combination of man-made and natural. We were intoxicated, no doubt, at the Longji Terraces panorama.

Longji Terraces, I will return someday.

Tips:

Longji Terraces is the heaven for travelers and photographers. Its scenery is changing with the seasons. The best times for going are:

1, the half month after May the fifteenth in lunar calendar from when the irrigation begins. At that moment, the plots are filled with irrigation water, as if they are sheets of glasses which can reflect people’s face.

2, the half month after Mid-Autumn Day. The terraces are golden at that time, with red peppers basked in the sun everywhere in the Zhuang village.

3, the snow scene of the Longji Terrace is also very beautiful. But people only can see it by a bit of luck.