Longji Rice Terraces

The Longsheng Rice Terraces (Dragon's Backbone) are located in Longsheng County, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Guilin, Guangxi, China. The terraced fields are built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountain top, between 600 to 800 metres (2,000 to 2,600 ft) above sea level. A coiling terrace line that starts from the mountain foot up to the mountain top divides the mountain into layers of water in spring, layers of green rice shoots in summer, layers of rice in fall, and layers of frost in winter. The terraced fields were mostly built about 650 years ago. Longji (Dragon's Backbone) Terraced Rice Fields received their name because the rice terraces resemble a dragon's scales, while the summit of the mountain range looks like the backbone of the dragon. In early June, water is pumped over the rice paddies and young plants are transferred to the main terraces.