Longji Rice Terraces

Photo by Maria Hochleitner

The Longji Rice Terraces are located in Guangxi about 100 km from Guilin. They are reaching an altitude of up to 300–1,110 meters, and the gradients of some rice terraces reach 50°. In june water is pumped up the paddy fields to water the young rice plants and increase fertility.
Longji means 'Dragon Backed Mountain'and it has got it's name because the summit of the mountain range looks like the backbone of a dragon.The Terraces were started to build in the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) and then completed in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) by the people of the Zhuang and Yao minority that still live in the area today. Living in their typical old chinese houses mostly built from timber the people from the Yao minority are trying to keep their own culture including food, handcrafts, singing, dancing and traditional clothes. houses.Yao women are famous for having the longest hair in the world. They cut their hair only once in their life: when they turn 16 and start to cover their hair with a black scarf what symbolizes that they are not married. They are not allowed to show their hair to anyone until they are married. Only the husband is allowed to uncover their hair for the first time. Once they are married they start to wrap their hair in a bun on top of their head that resembles a rolled up snake. The "dragon hairstyle" is worn by married women that have children. These rules make it very easy to tell the family status of a woman at first sight and also the "dating culture" of the Yao seems to be a lot easier than what we are used to: If a girl feels attracted by a man she pinches his butt and if the man feels attracted by the girl he will try to touch her shoe with his. 

Photo by Maria Hochleitner

Photo by Maria Hochleitner

 

 

 

Photo by Maria Hochleitner