Ziquejie Terraces are located in Shuiche Town, Xinhua County, Loudi City, Hunan Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a World Irrigation Engineering Heritage, and a national key scenic area. The scenic area is characterized by unique terrace farming culture, with a self-flowing irrigation system that has a history of more than 2,000 years and is still in normal operation. The total area of the terraces is about 80,000 mu, and the core scenic area covers about 28,000 mu. The altitude ranges from 500 meters to 1,200 meters, with more than 500 levels in total. It is a living fossil of the integration of southern rice-cultivating culture and hunting culture, and one of the top ten most beautiful terraces in the world.
History and Culture
Ziquejie Terraces were first built in the Pre-Qin period and flourished in the Song and Ming dynasties, with a history of more than 2,000 years. They are an agricultural miracle created by the Miao, Yao, Han and other ethnic groups. According to research, the terraces were initially reclaimed by the ancestors of the Miao and Yao people, and gradually improved due to the southward migration of the Han people from the Central Plains, forming the large-scale terrace system today.
The self-flowing irrigation system in the scenic area is known as a "miracle in the history of world water conservancy". It relies on the fissure water of granite bedrock for self-flowing water supply without manual pumping, irrigating an area of 40,500 mu. It has been listed as a "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This irrigation method cleverly uses the local geological structure and natural drop, reflecting the wisdom of ancient farming civilization.
Ziquejie Terraces are not only agricultural production sites but also carriers of national culture. Local traditional farming festivals such as the "Kailing Festival" and "Taste New Festival", as well as folk activities such as folk song duets and Nuo mask dances, are still preserved, showing the unique production and living styles of the southern mountainous areas.
Main Attractions
Bagua Chong Terraces
Bagua Chong Terraces are the core landscape of Ziquejie, named after the terraces distributed in a Bagua (Eight Diagrams) shape around the central hill. With an altitude of about 800 meters, the terraces have more than 200 levels. The landscapes vary in four seasons: the water is sparkling like a mirror in spring, the rice waves are rolling like a green sea in summer, the golden ears are hanging like silk in autumn, and the snow-covered ridges are like paintings in winter. It is a must-visit place for photography enthusiasts.
Jiulongpo Terraces
Jiulongpo Terraces are known for their steepness. The terraces are stacked along the steep hillside, with a maximum slope of 50 degrees and a vertical drop of more than 300 meters. Overlooking from the viewing platform, the terraces are like a ladder hanging straight into the clouds. Especially after rain, the sea of clouds blends with the terraces, forming a wonder of "fairyland on earth". This is also the best place to watch the sunrise. In the early morning, the sunlight shines on the terraces, sparkling and highly visually impactful.
Yajizhai Terraces
Yajizhai Terraces are named after the two peaks on both sides that resemble a girl's hair buns. With an altitude of about 1,000 meters, it is the highest terrace area in Ziquejie. The most primitive farming methods are preserved here, with stone walls for field ridges and water channels winding according to the terrain. Traditional ox-plowing technology is still used today. When the rice is mature in autumn, the golden terraces contrast with the simple dwellings, showing the original pastoral scenery.
Gongmi Ling Terraces
Gongmi Ling Terraces produced "Ziquejie tribute rice" that was presented to the imperial court in history. Due to the soil rich in minerals such as selenium, the quality of the rice is excellent. The terraces cover an area of about 500 mu, located upstream of the stream with pure water quality. Traditional farming methods are still used to grow rice today. Visitors can experience farming activities such as transplanting and harvesting here and feel the charm of traditional farming culture.
Delicacies
Xinhua Sanhe Soup
Xinhua Sanhe Soup is a signature dish of Ziquejie, made from ox blood, beef, tripe and spices such as Chinese prickly ash and cinnamon. The soup is bright red and rich, and the beef is tender and delicious. It has the effect of dispelling cold and warming the stomach, and is a must-try delicacy for local mountain people after work. Authentic Sanhe Soup needs to use local yellow cattle and slow-cook with mountain spring water, with an average consumption of about 40 yuan per person.
Ziquejie Tribute Rice
Ziquejie Tribute Rice is famous for growing in mineral-rich terraces. The grains are plump, white in color, fragrant after cooking, and soft and sweet in taste. The tribute rice was a tribute to the imperial court in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now it is a special agricultural product of the scenic area, selling for about 20-30 yuan per catty. Visitors can buy vacuum-packed tribute rice from local farmers as a souvenir.
Firewood-cured Bacon
Firewood-cured Bacon is a traditional food in Xinhua area. Local native pigs are marinated and smoked with miscellaneous wood fire for more than 40 days. The bacon is golden in color, fat but not greasy, and can be steamed or fried. Firewood-cured Bacon fried with green peppers in the farmhouses of the scenic area is a signature dish, with an average consumption of about 50 yuan per person. The vacuum-packed bacon is sold at about 60 yuan per catty.
Ciba (Glutinous Rice Cake)
Ciba is a special snack in Ziquejie, made by steaming and pounding local glutinous rice. It can be fried or roasted, and served with sugar frosting or honey, featuring a soft, glutinous and sweet taste. Visitors can experience the process of manually pounding Ciba during folk activities in the scenic area. Freshly made Ciba is sold at about 5 RMB per piece, and vacuum-packed dry Ciba is about 20 RMB per catty.
Leicha (Pounded Tea)
Leicha is a traditional beverage for entertaining guests locally, made by pounding raw materials such as tea leaves, peanuts, sesame seeds and ginger in a Leibo (pounding bowl) and brewing with boiling water. Leicha has a fresh and slightly bitter taste, and has the effects of refreshing the mind, dispelling cold and removing dampness. It can be tasted for free in the farmhouses of the scenic area, and bagged Leicha powder is sold at about 15 yuan per bag.
Admission Tickets
The admission ticket for Ziquejie Terraces is 68 RMB per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "紫鹊界梯田景区" to get the latest information or book tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open all year round from 07:00 to 18:00. The best visiting seasons are April-May (irrigation period) and September-October (harvest period). Among them, April 20 to May 10 is the "Kailing Festival", and September 20 to October 10 is the "Harvest Festival", during which farming experiences, folk performances and other activities will be held. In winter (December-February of the following year), some high-altitude areas may be closed due to ice and snow.
Tour Routes
Ziquejie Terraces are recommended to play for 1-2 days. The following are two classic routes:
One-day tour route: Tourist Center → Bagua Chong Terraces (view the Bagua-shaped terrace landscape and take panoramic photos) → Jiulongpo Terraces (watch the sunrise and enjoy the sea of clouds and terraces) → Yajizhai Terraces (experience primitive farming and visit ancient dwellings) → Gongmi Ling Terraces (learn about tribute rice culture and participate in farming activities) → return to the Tourist Center. The whole journey takes about 6-8 hours. It is recommended to take a sightseeing car for transportation, staying at each attraction for 1.5-2 hours.
Two-day tour route: Day 1: Tourist Center → Bagua Chong Terraces → Jiulongpo Terraces (shoot terrace light and shadow in the afternoon, stay in a homestay in the scenic area at night, and experience farmhouse food); Day 2: Watch the sunrise at Jiulongpo in the early morning → Yajizhai Terraces → Gongmi Ling Terraces → Changshi Terraces (new attraction, terraces and streams set off each other) → return to the Tourist Center. The two-day tour can deeply experience the terrace culture. It is recommended to participate in farming experience activities (such as transplanting and harvesting, which need to be reserved in advance) on the morning of the second day.
Transportation
- High-speed Railway: Take the high-speed railway from Changsha South Station to Xinhua South Station (about 50 minutes, fare 86 RMB). After exiting the station, take the Ziquejie tourist special line bus at the front square (8:00-17:00 daily, one class per hour, fare 25 RMB, driving about 1.5 hours) directly to the scenic area.
- Bus: There are tourist buses from Changsha West Bus Station and Loudi Bus Station directly to Ziquejie Terraces. The journey from Changsha is about 3.5 hours, and the fare is 80 RMB; the journey from Loudi is about 2 hours, and the fare is 50 RMB. From 6:30 to 16:30 every day, the Xinhua County Bus West Station has a medium-sized bus to the scenic area, with a fare of 20 RMB and a journey of 1 hour.
- Self-driving: Changsha → Changsha-Shaoyang-Loudi Expressway → Xinhua Exit → Ziquejie Terraces (the whole journey is about 2.5 hours, toll fee about 120 RMB); Loudi → Loudi-Huaihua Expressway → Xinhua Exit → Ziquejie Terraces (the whole journey is about 1.5 hours, toll fee about 50 RMB). There are 4 large parking lots in the scenic area, charging 10 RMB per car per day.
- Transportation in the Scenic Area: The sightseeing car in the scenic area runs in a loop, stopping at main attractions such as Bagua Chong, Jiulongpo and Yajizhai. The first and last bus times are 07:30-17:30, and 20 RMB per person can be taken all day.
Must-visit Attractions
- Bagua Chong Terraces: The landmark landscape of Ziquejie, with terraces distributed in a Bagua shape and different scenery in four seasons. The best shooting point is the Bagua Chong viewing platform. It is recommended to go in the early morning or evening when the light is soft.
- Jiulongpo Terraces: Known for its steepness, it is the best place to watch the sunrise and the sea of clouds. It is recommended to arrive at the viewing platform before 5:30 in summer and before 6:30 in winter. The sea of clouds is easy to appear after rain.
- Yajizhai Terraces: Preserving the original farming methods, you can visit the century-old ancient dwelling "Yaoren Chong Ancient Village" and experience activities such as ox plowing and rice transplanting, suitable for visitors who like original ecological scenery.
- Gongmi Ling Terraces: The historical origin of tribute rice, where you can learn about the terrace irrigation system and participate in farming experiences such as "catching fish in the paddy field" and "manual threshing" (activities cost about 30-50 RMB per person).
Tour Tips
- The best visiting time is from April to May (irrigation period) and from September to October (harvest period), when the terraces are sparkling or golden, and the landscape is the most shocking.
- Carry a camera and tripod. Bagua Chong and Jiulongpo are excellent places for photography, with the best light in the morning and evening.
- Most of the homestays in the scenic area are farmhouse inns. It is recommended to stay near Jiulongpo for convenient sunrise viewing the next day. The room rate is about 150-250 RMB per night (including breakfast).
- To experience farming activities, you need to make an appointment with the scenic area or homestay in advance, such as transplanting (May), harvesting (October), catching rice flower fish (August), etc.
- The temperature difference between day and night in mountainous areas is large. Prepare a thin coat in summer and a down jacket in winter. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes, and some terrace ridges are steep.
Notes
- Climbing the terraces at will is prohibited in the scenic area to avoid damaging the ridges and crops. Violators may face a fine of 50-200 RMB.
- The last sightseeing bus leaves at 17:30. It is recommended to arrange time reasonably to avoid hiking down the mountain (some roads have no streetlights).
- Respect local customs, such as keeping quiet when entering the Yaoren Chong Ancient Village and not taking random photos of villagers' daily lives.
- The weather in mountainous areas is changeable. It is recommended to carry an umbrella or raincoat. It is foggy from April to May, so pay attention to traffic safety.
- When purchasing agricultural products, it is recommended to go to the designated stores in the scenic area to avoid buying randomly from roadside stalls. Price negotiation is possible (such as tribute rice, bacon, etc.).
- There are many mosquitoes in summer, so take mosquito prevention measures; some high-altitude roads may freeze in winter, and self-driving cars need to install anti-skid chains.