Dazhai and Jinkeng Terrace Area

The Jinkeng terrace area around Dazhai village is generally considered the more dramatic of the two main Longji viewing zones — the terraces here are steeper, more densely layered, and more remote, and the walk from the car park to the upper viewpoints takes 45 minutes to an hour on stone paths that climb seriously. The higher hamlet of Tiantouzhai offers the best vantage point, and the views looking back down over the curved terraces toward the valley far below justify every step.

Dazhai is a Yao village rather than a Zhuang one, and the cultural difference is visible: the traditional dress is distinct, the architecture is slightly different, and the long-hair tradition gives the place a specific character that Ping'An lacks. The guesthouses in Dazhai are fewer and simpler than in Ping'An, and the village crowds less. Most visitors who stay a night in the Jinkeng area report it as the more memorable experience. The minibus from the car park runs until early evening; later arrivals climb on foot in the dark with a torch, which some people enjoy.

things to do sight
A story
The Yao women of Dazhai and Tiantouzhai traditionally cut their hair only once in their lives — at 16, before marriage — and give the cut hair to their future husband as a gift. After marriage, the hair is never cut again. Yao women with floor-length hair piled in elaborate coils on their heads are a common sight in the villages. The practice is vanishingly rare elsewhere; here it remains a genuine cultural tradition, though the women have learned to charge photographers for the privilege of documenting it.