The Longji Rice Terraces, also known as the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces, are located in Ping’an Village, Longji Town, Longsheng Autonomous County, about 22 kilometers from the county seat in Guilin, Guangxi. Broadly speaking, they are called the Longsheng Rice Terraces, but in a more specific sense, they are known as the Longji Rice Terraces. These terraces are spread across elevations ranging from 300 meters to 1,100 meters above sea level, with slopes as steep as 50 degrees. Visitors typically travel along winding mountain roads to reach the terraces.
The Longji Rice Terraces were first built during the Yuan Dynasty and were completed in the early Qing Dynasty, making them over 650 years old. Over the centuries, these terraces have come to symbolize the strength and perseverance of the people who shaped them, reflecting the wisdom and resilience needed to survive in the natural environment while creating a beautiful and functional landscape.
The Longji Rice Terraces are divided into two main scenic areas: the Ping’an Zhuang Rice Terraces and the Jinkeng Red Yao Rice Terraces. These two areas showcase both bold, sweeping cuts into the mountains and intricate, detailed craftsmanship. While the terraces appear vast and imposing, they also carry an artistic elegance. The unique landscapes created by the varying mountain forms result in two distinct scenic realms, one in the north and one in the south, each representing the cultural spaces of the Zhuang and Red Yao ethnic groups. Together, these two areas complement each other, offering a harmonious yet contrasting visual experience.
While rice terraces can be found in many places, the scale and concentration of the Longji Rice Terraces are truly rare. From the fast-flowing river valleys to the cloud-covered mountain peaks, and from the edges of lush forests to steep stone cliffs, wherever there is soil, there are terraces. The vertical height of the terraces is about 3,000 meters, and they extend horizontally for two to three kilometers. The terraces rise and fall along the mountainsides, like a stairway ascending to the sky, creating a striking, abstract landscape between heaven and earth.
The Longji Rice Terraces are not just a remarkable feat of agricultural engineering but also a work of art shaped by centuries of human interaction with nature. Today, they stand as one of China’s most awe-inspiring and picturesque landscapes, drawing visitors from all over the world to witness their grandeur and beauty.