Imagine mountains held in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer sees the mountains turn green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered with white frost. These are the colours of the Longji Rice Terraces.
These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people in Guangxi. Work on the terraces took them hundreds of years from Yuan Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty. Reaching as far as the eye can see, these terraces cover tall mountains, often from the bottom to the very top.
So why did these people go to so much trouble to turn the mountains into terraces? Firstly, there are few large, flat（平坦的）areas of land here. Building the terraces meant that they could increase more fields to grow rice. Secondly, the flat terraces catch the rainwater and stop the soil from being washed away.
But perhaps what is most meaningful is the way people have worked in harmony（和谐）with nature to make these terraces. The terraces are cleverly shaped, with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. During the rainy season, it is along these waterways that rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces. The sun heats the water and turns it into vapour. This forms clouds and then rain falls down onto the mountain terraces once again.
Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the local people. For them, traditions hold much value. This knowledge is passed down through families, which means that people continue to use ancient methods of farming to keep the terraces. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces receive high praise（赞扬）, and thousands of visitors come to enjoy this great wonder created by people and nature working together.
