Hani Terraced Fields: A Paradise Harboring Ingenious Technology
Nestled on mountain slopes with the gradient ranging from 15 to 75 degrees, the terraces cascade in stunning layers and can include as many as 3,000 steps.
Over a thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Hani people migrated from the north to a valley in southern China. Despite the challenging natural environment, they made the most of the mountains and waters. The Hani people cultivated over 1 million mu (approximately 66,666.67 hectares) of rice terraces, some situated at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters, according to Ma Chongwei, a professor of Yunnan University.
No matter how high the mountain, water finds its way. The Hani people constructed thousands of channels to divert streams. These channels wind through villages and terraced fields before merging with rivers in the valleys.
Channel maintainers oversee the water channels, keeping them clean and ensuring proper flow. For over a thousand years, the Hani people have used water allocation tools to distribute water into a network of irrigation channels and ditches, showcasing their farming wisdom.
Throughout the long agrarian era, the Hani people transformed mountains and rivers, sharing this landscape with the Yi, Dai and other Chinese ethnic groups living downhill.
Deeply integrated into the ethnic culture, the terraces have now become the eternal spiritual homeland of the Hani people.
In the terraces lies a harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, the agrarian wisdom attuned to natural rhythms and an enduring spirit of perseverance.
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CNA
17 hours ago
- CNA
Hani Terraced Fields: A Paradise Harboring Ingenious Technology
BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2025 – The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of China's accession to the World Heritage Convention, a milestone that highlights the country's commitment to preserving its cultural and natural treasures. Among these jewels, the Hani Terraced Fields in Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, stand as a breathtaking testament to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Nestled on mountain slopes with the gradient ranging from 15 to 75 degrees, the terraces cascade in stunning layers and can include as many as 3,000 steps. Over a thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Hani people migrated from the north to a valley in southern China. Despite the challenging natural environment, they made the most of the mountains and waters. The Hani people cultivated over 1 million mu (approximately 66,666.67 hectares) of rice terraces, some situated at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters, according to Ma Chongwei, a professor of Yunnan University. No matter how high the mountain, water finds its way. The Hani people constructed thousands of channels to divert streams. These channels wind through villages and terraced fields before merging with rivers in the valleys. Channel maintainers oversee the water channels, keeping them clean and ensuring proper flow. For over a thousand years, the Hani people have used water allocation tools to distribute water into a network of irrigation channels and ditches, showcasing their farming wisdom. Throughout the long agrarian era, the Hani people transformed mountains and rivers, sharing this landscape with the Yi, Dai and other Chinese ethnic groups living downhill. Deeply integrated into the ethnic culture, the terraces have now become the eternal spiritual homeland of the Hani people. In the terraces lies a harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, the agrarian wisdom attuned to natural rhythms and an enduring spirit of perseverance. Hashtag: #ChinaNewsService
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
80 years after 1945, Japan finds its memories of WWII fading
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This pacifist message was reiterated by Emperor Naruhito, who said: 'Looking back on the long period of post-war peace, reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never again be repeated.' Elsewhere in the region, Japan's surrender was marked with both Koreas commemorating National Liberation Day on Aug 15. China, meanwhile, is set to showcase its military strength at a 'Victory Parade' on Sept 3. What is evident is that 2025 is a crucial milestone anniversary, imbued with the added urgency of the advanced age of the last surviving first-hand witnesses to the war's horrors. Japan's surrender and the subsequent US Occupation from 1945 to 1952 irrevocably shaped the nation's psyche. The 1947 Constitution, drafted by the US, remains the oldest unamended supreme law in the world and set Japan on the path of pacifism. The Emperor, once a godlike figure, was reduced to a ceremonial figurehead. 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