4 Day Magical Scenery - Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Jianshui, Stone Forest

Day 1 Kunming-Jianshui

Your guide and driver pick will you up from your Kunming hotel at 9 o’clock sharp. First, we will drive to Jianshui, (about 210 km, 3.5 hours, mostly highway) a historic town, previously an important political centre, and still a very interesting city, with more than 100 ancient temples, 50 ancient bridges, and 56 state-protected residences. On the way into town, we will stop off at Shuanglong Bridge. Hailed as a masterpiece of Chinese engineering, the Double Dragon Bridge, with its seventeen stone arches, crosses the confluence of the Lu and the Tachong rivers. Ancient scholars suggested that these two waterways resembled two battling dragons, hence the imaginative name of this splendid construction.

Later in the afternoon, we will explore the restored residences of the powerful Zhu family. Originally a grand sprawling complex, built in the late Qing Dynasty, this labyrinth of rooms and gardens was created to display the vast wealth of the local merchant family. Their riches poured in from resources all over the province, from tin mines in Gejiu to opium distilleries in Kunming. Eventually, they fell from grace in the 1911 revolution, when they were caught red-handed trading illegal arms and instituting rebellion.

In the evening, sample the local qiguo stew and strangely named ‘elephant’s tooth grass roots’ in the lively town centre, while exploring the old buildings that fill the main thoroughfares. Look out for Jianshui earthenware, which is one of the four most famous potteries in China and makes for great souvenirs.

Day 2: Jianshui – Yuanyang

In the morning, we will learn how fresh soya bean milk is transformed into tofu, using water from one of the city’s oldest wells, in a traditional bean curd workshop. We will then move onto the magnificent Confucius Temple, with its glistening glazed tiled roof. This is the largest temple in the entire province, and its scale is second only to that of the Qufu Confucius temple in Shandong Province. Built in 1285, it covers more than 7 hectares and has been sending scholars to the imperial capital for more than 750 years.

On the way to Yuanyang, we will head out to the amazingly preserved Tuanshan Village.  This unique walled complex was built in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and consists mainly of two-story courtyard compounds, featuring black tile roofs, pointed eaves and richly decorated, ornate carvings. Best of all, it is almost devoid of other tourists, and you will likely have the entire village all to yourself so that you can explore its narrow alleys and hidden passageways. After lunch, we will continue 130 km (3 hours) on to Yuanyang, arriving in good time to marvel at the spectacular Bada sunset over the famous rice terraces.

To see this wonder of the world at its most impressive, there are two times of year when it is especially rewarding to visit. The first stretches from November to March and the weather is always a crucial factor in capturing these views on camera. Once the rice has been harvested, farmers flood the terraces with water, to keep them from drying out and collapsing. Much of this water then evaporates, forming clouds of mist, which drifts up from the valleys before returning again as rain. At this time of year, the mountainside acts like thousands of mirrors reflecting the blue sky, clouds, green hills, and mountains. Sunrises and sunsets are particularly spectacular when the terraces take on a dreamlike quality. If the conditions are just right, the sun’s rays reflect off both the clouds and the water-filled terraces, producing a whole spectrum of vivid colors.  Temperatures are quite cold at this time of year, but you will still see fields of banana trees, sugar cane on the approach roads.

For a completely different view of this area, planting coincides with the start of the rainy season which begins around early spring. By July the bottom tiers of the Ailao Mountains are already a dozen shades of yellow and gold, the different ripening times creating a whole selection of subtle hues.

Day 3: Yuanyang

The area between Honghe and Yuanyang is a masterpiece of ancient geoengineering, with the longest terrace cascades having more than 3000 levels! Unlike other smaller terraced areas in other parts of Asia, it is possible to drive here for an hour or more and still be deep among the steeped fields, which range in color from emerald greens to golden browns. The specially built viewing platforms that dot the region, many connected by long wooden boardwalks, are a perennial attraction for hikers and photographers alike. In addition to growing rice, many of the plots which are perched on 45-degree slopes, are used for growing other essential crops including sweet corn, soya beans, cabbages, and tobacco. The whole area is alive with grazing farm animals from flocks of geese, ducks, and chickens to cute family groups of piglets, all rooting around in the earth for anything remotely edible.  

The sacred mountain-top forests are the lifeblood of the terraces, capturing and sustaining the water needed for the irrigation. Clefts in the rocks channel the rain, and sandstone beneath the granite mountains traps the water, releasing it later as springs. A complex system of channels has been developed to spread this water around the terraces, and in between the different valleys. The terraces have a very high resilience against climate change – as was demonstrated during the major drought of 2005. Each household farms one or two ‘plots’ of the rice terraces, where nowadays red rice is produced based on an integrated permaculture-type farming system, involving buffalos, cattle, ducks, fish, and even eels. Over the course of their history, the fields have produced an estimated one thousand different strains of rice.

But it is not only the terraces that are the attraction here. The tribeswomen of the area especially, still like to wear their traditional dress, and so the terraces are often dotted with colorfully clad locals, tending to the crops and feeding their water buffalo. In addition, there are many local markets where the townsfolk still wear a rainbow assortment of exotic outfits. Many are available for sale, and the most brightly colored make novel gifts for family members back home. Embroidered jackets are especially popular, as are the hand-woven headscarves that the ladies wear on their heads.

This morning we will visit one of the many local markets such as Shengcun, situated just 20 km, or 40 minutes from Xinjie town. This normally sleepy little town comes to life a few times a week when it hosts a lively and colorful market. Although most of the participants are Hani and Yi, other ethnic groups are also likely to attend this busy market.   These markets are scheduled based on the Chinese animal zodiac calendar. For example; Xinjie market is held on rat, dragon and monkey days whereas Shengcun market is held on rabbit, sheep and pig days. In addition, hiking between the various villages scattered among the rice terraces and lush farmers' fields is very convenient, as most of the villages and towns are interconnected by a system of well-paved roads and paths. The roads are relatively easy to walk on, even uphill, as the grade is fairly low.

In the afternoon, we will experience first-hand the Hani mushroom house village nearby. The traditional vernacular buildings have walls built of rammed earth, adobe bricks or earth and stone under a tall, thatched roof, that gives each dwelling its distinctive ‘mushroom’ shape

Day 4: Yuanyang – Stone Forest – Kunming

Heading back up towards the provincial capital, The fantasy rock formations of the Stone Forest will transport you deep inside a Tolkien novel. Not only is it a must-see for geologists and geographers, but this magical place is a dream-come-true for anybody who has ever lost themselves in a fantasy film or a sword and sorcery novel. This labyrinth of rock pillars and stone spires, some of which soar up to 50 meters in height, is straight out of Lord of the Rings. Whether you are a Game of Thrones fan or a Harry Potter diehard, this is one of the very few places on the planet where it is easy to imagine yourself in a real-life realm of magic and mystery.

One of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China, this petrified forest has been eroded into the ethereal shapes of huge swords and towering pagodas. Millions of years of tectonic shifts and erosion from wind and rain have resulted in a maze of sharp-edged fissures and sky-piercing pinnacles, punctuated by pavilion lookouts and subterranean rivers.

From here it is about 90 km, (1.5 hours) back to Kunming, where you will arrive in time to have dinner and then enjoy the Dynamic Yunnan show. This colorful dance spectacular, showcases minority culture in a sensitive and moving fashion, often bringing some tourists to tears. If you arrive a little early, then our guide can introduce you to a few of the star performers for some truly memorable selfies.