Longji Rice Terraces

Spectacular terraced hillsides carved by Zhuang and Yao minority farmers over 700 years

The Longji Rice Terraces (Dragon's Backbone Terraces) lie about 80 km north of Guilin near the town of Longsheng, spread across steep mountainsides at altitudes of up to 1,100 metres. The terraces are worked by Zhuang and Yao minority villages and have been in continuous cultivation since the Yuan dynasty — the water channels that feed each tier from the one above are still functioning after 700 years.

The views from the ridge viewpoints (reached on foot or by a combination of cable car and walking) are extraordinary, especially in the planting season (April to May) when the flooded terraces reflect the sky, and at harvest (September to October) when the hillsides turn gold. Staying overnight in one of the village guesthouses gives you the best light. Allow a full day from Guilin; buses run from Guilin bus station.

things to do sight
A story
The Longji terraces were first cut into the hillsides in the Yuan dynasty, around 1300 CE, and construction continued through the Ming. The name means "dragon's backbone" — from above, the curved terraces spiralling up the steep mountains do look like the scales of a vast serpent climbing the hill. The terraces in the highest fields reach an altitude of 1,100 metres.