Overview

Along the Ailao Mountain on the banks of Honghe River in Yunnan Province are millions of acres of agricultural and ecological wonders -- the Honghe Hani Terrace. Making full use of the special geological and climactic conditions in the area, the Hani people have found a perfect combination between human civilization and the environment. As a human creation, the terrace along the Honghe River has not only become a place of cultural interest, but also a part of the local natural landscape.

The Hani Terrace enjoys a long history, with the earliest written record in Chinese dating back more than 1,300 years. Xu Guangqi, a great agriculturalist of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has categorized it as one of the seven forms of arable lands in ancient China. Stretching along the southern banks of the Honghe River in Yuanyang, Luchun, Honghe and Jinping counties, Hani Terrace occupies vast areas in this mountainous region. In Yuanyang County alone there are more than 170,000 mu (a Chinese unit of area equal to 1/15 of a hectare or 1/6 of an acre) of terrace -- the largest part totaling more than 10,000 mu. From the foot of the mountain to the very tip, there are as many as 3,000 terrace folds.

With its unique and profound value in science and culture, Hani people have maintained their way of living throughout the ages. Centered around the terrace, the festivals, costumes, song and dance, and literature of the Hani people all reveal their spirit of conformity and harmony with nature.

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