The Longsheng Rice Terraces (龙脊梯田) (‘Dragon’s Victory’) are located in the town of Longji in Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, about 100 kilometres from Guilin, China. The terraced fields are built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountain top, between 600 and 800 metres 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. In early June, water is pumped over the rice paddies, and young plants are transferred to the main terraces. The terraced fields were mostly built about 650 years ago. The terraced rice fields received their name because the rice terraces resemble a loong dragon’s scales, while the summit of the mountain range looks like the backbone of the dragon.

Below is a selection of photos taken during a visit to the Longsheng Rice Terraces on June 12, 2010. Click on a small photo for a larger view, then select the next one with the cursor keys or the arrows on either side of the photo.