Atop a sea of clouds in Yuanyang County, in the southwest of the Chinese mainland's Yunnan Province, the Hani people's thousand-year-old earth sculptures once painted a picture of breathtaking beauty intertwined with poverty. Today, those same terraces are at the heart of a movement transforming steep slopes into engines of community growth.
For generations, families carved paddies into mountainsides, adapting ancient irrigation methods to sustain their crops. But isolation and limited market access left many communities on the brink. Inspired by a blend of tradition and modern ideas, local farmers have teamed up with cooperative schemes, training programs, and digital platforms to revive these iconic fields.
Through sustainable farming techniques, farmers are increasing yields while protecting fragile soils. Eco-tourism initiatives invite visitors to stay in homestays perched on terraced hillsides, offering immersive experiences in rice planting and local culture. Meanwhile, online marketplaces are connecting specialty rice and handicrafts with buyers across the Chinese mainland and around the world.
The results are clear: young people are finding new reasons to stay, incomes are rising, and a once-struggling heritage landscape is thriving. The story of the Hani terraces shows how ancient wisdom, when paired with innovation and shared purpose, can carve out a path from poverty to lasting prosperity.
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Millennial terraces reborn: Hani people's path to poverty alleviation
cgtn.com
