 Late autumn and early winter is always the best time for a trip to the countryside in South China. However, if you are tired of traditional mountain scenes or village life, a trip to some of China’s magnificent terraced fields may be just the thing for you. Here are some recommended destinations that are not far away from Guangdong Province.Yuanyang Terrace, Yunnan Province —————————————— Yuanyang Terrace may not be as famous as Longji, but it has been called “god’s oil painting for the Hani nationality.” Located in the south of Ailao Mountain, Yunnan Province, Yuanyang is the home of the Hani people. Unlike many terraced fields that were built to grow crops, Yuanyang Terrace is full of colorful wild flowers. Spring is the best time to appreciate “god’s painting” since that is when all the flowers are in full bloom, but autumn is the best time to enjoy a magnificent golden scene in the wild mountain area. November to February is always the best time to capture the fields’ beautiful scenes, and recommended spots include Jingkou, Quanfuzhuang and Malizhai. The villages lying between the terraces are also worth visiting, in particular because many local people still live a traditional lifestyle. Transport: Fly to Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, from Shenzhen airport and take a train to Yuanyang. Longji Terrace, Guangxi ————————————— Located in Longsheng County, Longji Terrace is about 100 kilometers from Guilin, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The terraced fields are located along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop, the highest part being 880 meters above sea level while the lowest part is at 380 meters. The coiling line that runs from the foot of the mountain to the top divides the mountain into layers of water that glitter in the spring sunlight, layers of green rice that grow in summer, golden rice that grows in fall, and a layer of silvery frost in winter. Most of the fields were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Longji received its name because the rice terraces resemble a dragon’s scales while the summit of the mountain range looks like the backbone of a dragon — “long” in Chinese. The sunrise on the summit is magnificent. Transport: Fly to Guilin from Shenzhen airport and get to Longji by coach. Ziquejie Rice Terrace, Hunan Province —————————————— Situated in Xinhua County, Ziquejie Rice Terrace is about 285 kilometers away from Changsha, capital of Hunan Province. Compared to the first two terraces, it is an almost undiscovered heritage of ancient rice farming and has won the title “Terrace Kingdom” because of its large area. The largest terrace covers an area of about 2 square kilometers. It is said that Ziquejie Rice Terrace has the grace of Longji Terrace, the magnificence of Yuanyang Terrace and the steepness of Banaue Rice Terrace in the Philippines. Similar to Longji Terrace, it also shows different landscapes in different seasons, and autumn is one of the most popular seasons for photographers to visit Ziquejie. There are two other highlights in the area, which are the world-renowned Wulingyuan Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang Ancient Town. Transport: Fly to Changsha from Shenzhen airport and take a train to Xinhua County. (Wang Yuanyuan) | 