Yunhe Rice Terraces Scenic Area is located in Chongtou Town, Yunhe County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and the largest rice terrace group in East China, known as "China's Most Beautiful Rice Terraces". The scenic area centers on rice terrace landscapes, integrating elements such as high mountains, streams, and villages, forming a unique rural scenery. The rice terraces were first developed in the early Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, with a history of over 1,000 years. Covering a total area of about 51 square kilometers, the altitude ranges from 200 meters to over 1,400 meters, with the maximum number of levels reaching more than 700. Its grand scale and beautiful form are rare in China. The scenic area has an excellent ecological environment, with distinct scenery in four seasons: sparkling water in spring, lush green in summer, rolling rice waves in autumn, and snow-covered in winter. It is an ideal place for photographers and tourists to get close to nature and experience farming culture.
History and Culture
The reclamation history of Yunhe Rice Terraces can be traced back to the early Tang Dynasty. To survive in the mountainous areas, the local ancestors, with diligence and wisdom, reclaimed layers of rice terraces along the mountain slopes. After continuous development in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, they formed the current scale. In the long historical process, rice terraces are not only carriers of agricultural production but also nurture unique farming cultures, including farming techniques, water conservancy irrigation systems, and folk customs.
Most villages in the scenic area are inhabited by She and Han ethnic groups. The She culture and Han culture blend with each other, forming a rich folk culture. For example, during the spring plowing and autumn harvest seasons every year, the local people still retain some traditional sacrificial rituals and farming activities to pray for good weather and bumper harvests. These historical and cultural elements complement the rice terrace landscapes, endowing Yunhe Rice Terraces with more humanistic connotations.
Main Attractions
Jiuqu Yunhuan (Nine-bend Cloud Ring)
Jiuqu Yunhuan is one of the core attractions of Yunhe Rice Terraces, located in the upper area of the terraces. It gets its name because the rice terraces wind like silver chains around the mountains. The terraces here are densely layered with beautiful lines, stretching from the foot of the mountain to the top. When surrounded by clouds and mist, it is like a fairyland. The viewing platform is set at the best viewing point, where tourists can overlook the whole view of the rice terraces. Especially at sunrise, the sunlight shines on the terraces, making them glisten, which is extremely beautiful and an excellent location for photography.
Baiyin Valley
Baiyin Valley is a canyon running through the rice terraces scenic area. There are gurgling streams, towering ancient trees in the valley, and many ancient villages and dwellings scattered around. Here, there are not only beautiful natural scenery but also many ancient farming facilities, such as watermills and water hammers, showing the wisdom of ancient rice terrace irrigation systems. Tourists walking along the trails in the canyon can enjoy the perfect combination of rice terraces and canyon scenery, and feel the quiet rural atmosphere.
Qixingdun (Seven Star Mounds)
Qixingdun is the highest point of Yunhe Rice Terraces, with an altitude of about 1,000 meters. It gets its name because there are seven mounds shaped like stars. The view here is wide, allowing a 360-degree view of the rice terraces and the surrounding mountains. It is one of the best places to watch the sunset and sea of clouds over the terraces. On clear days, you can look out at the scenery dozens of kilometers away, taking in the layers of rice terraces, which is very spectacular.
Kenggen Stone Village
Kenggen Stone Village is an ancient village located in Baiyin Valley, with a history of hundreds of years. Most of the buildings in the village are made of stone, which is very distinctive. The stone village retains many ancient dwellings, ancestral halls, workshops, etc., showing the local traditional architectural style and way of life. Tourists can walk here, feel the tranquility and simplicity of the ancient village, and also taste the local characteristic farm dishes.
Food
Terraced Field River Snails
Terraced Field River Snails are a characteristic delicacy of Yunhe Rice Terraces. They grow in the paddy fields of the terraces with pure water quality, so the snail meat is tender and delicious. The cooking method is mostly stir-frying with chili, ginger, garlic and other seasonings, which is spicy and delicious, and is a delicacy in local farm dishes. This dish can be tasted in the farm stays in the scenic area.
Alpine Cloud Mist Tea
Yunhe is located in mountainous areas with a humid climate and lingering clouds and mist, which is very suitable for tea growth. Alpine Cloud Mist Tea is abundant around the scenic area. This kind of tea has tight and knotty appearance, emerald color, and after brewing, it has a quiet fragrance and a mellow and sweet taste. While visiting, tourists can go to local tea farmers' homes to taste new tea, and also buy some as gifts for relatives and friends.
Wumifan (black rice)
The Wumifan (black rice) of the She ethnic group is a traditional delicacy of the She people, and it is quite common in She villages around the Yunhe Rice Terraces. It is made by soaking glutinous rice in the juice of the unique blackish leaves (Vaccinium bracteatum leaves) of the She people and then steaming it. The rice turns purple-black, has a strong aroma, a soft and glutinous texture, and also has certain nutritional value. Every year on the third day of the third lunar month, the She people make Wumifan to celebrate the festival, and tourists can taste this characteristic food when visiting at this time.
Food in Surrounding Farm Stays
The farm stays around the scenic area provide a variety of local characteristic foods, such as native chicken soup, braised pork with dried bamboo shoots, steamed stream fish, etc. The native chicken soup is made of locally raised native chickens stewed in traditional ways, with delicious soup; braised pork with dried bamboo shoots is made by stir-frying dried bamboo shoots from local mountains with pork, the dried bamboo shoots are crispy, and the pork is flavorful; steamed stream fish is taken from the streams in the scenic area, with tender meat and a sweet taste, which is loved by tourists.
Tickets
The ticket price is 80 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "云和梯田" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are 8:00-17:00 every day. However, due to the different sunrise and sunset times in different seasons, the scenic area may appropriately adjust the opening hours during holidays or peak tourist seasons to facilitate tourists to watch the sunrise, sunset and other landscapes. It is recommended that tourists check and confirm the latest opening hours through the official website or phone of the scenic area before traveling.
Tour Route
Tourists can enter from the scenic area entrance, first go to Jiuqu Yunhuan to enjoy the core landscape of the rice terraces, appreciate the sunrise or the whole view of the terraces at the viewing platform, and take photos. Then walk along the trail to Baiyin Valley, stroll in the canyon, enjoy the scenery of streams, ancient trees and ancient villages, and visit ancient farming facilities. At noon, you can have a meal in the farm stay in Kenggen Stone Village to taste local characteristic foods. In the afternoon, go to Qixingdun to climb high and look far, and watch the sunset and sea of clouds over the rice terraces (if weather conditions permit). The whole tour route is about 10 kilometers, and the walking time is about 5-6 hours. Tourists can arrange rest time reasonably according to their physical strength.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Lishui City, drive along Changshu Expressway and Lilong Expressway, get off at Yunhe Exit, then drive along S222 Provincial Road towards Chongtou Town. The whole journey is about 50 kilometers, and the driving time is about 1 hour. There is a parking lot in the scenic area, and the charging standard for small cars is 10 yuan per day.
- Bus: There are many buses from Yunhe County Bus Station to Chongtou Town, with a driving time of about 30 minutes and a fare of about 10 yuan. After arriving in Chongtou Town, you can take a local tricycle or taxi to the scenic area entrance, which is about 3 kilometers away, and the cost is about 10 yuan.
- Tourist special line: Lishui Tourist Distribution Center has a tourist special line to Yunhe Rice Terraces Scenic Area, which departs at 8:00 am every day and returns from the scenic area at 16:00 pm. The whole journey is about 1.5 hours, and the round-trip fare is 60 yuan per person. Tourists can make reservations in advance to buy tickets.
Must-visit Attractions
- Jiuqu Yunhuan: As a core attraction, it has beautiful rice terrace lines and dense levels, and is the best place to watch the sunrise and the whole view of the terraces, covering an area of about 5 square kilometers, with the viewing platform at an altitude of about 800 meters.
- Qixingdun: The highest point of the scenic area, with an altitude of about 1,000 meters, it can offer a 360-degree view of the rice terraces and surrounding mountains, and is an excellent place to watch the sunset and sea of clouds, with a wide view and spectacular landscapes.
Travel Suggestions
- Best travel season: Spring (April-May, the rice terraces are filled with water) and autumn (September-October, the rice is ripe) are the best seasons to visit Yunhe Rice Terraces. The scenery is the most beautiful at this time, suitable for photography and sightseeing.
- Accommodation arrangement: It is recommended to stay in farm stays or homestays around the scenic area, which can not only experience the local customs but also facilitate getting up early the next day to watch the sunrise. The accommodation price is generally 200-500 yuan per night.
- Items to carry: There are many mountain roads in the scenic area, so it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes; the climate in mountainous areas is changeable, so it is necessary to carry rain gear and warm clothes; in addition, cameras, binoculars and other equipment can be carried to better enjoy and take photos of the beautiful scenery.
- Reserved time: It is recommended to visit for 1-2 days. On the first day, visit the main attractions; on the second day, you can experience the village culture in depth or go to the best viewing platform again to take photos of the scenery at different times.
Matters Needing Attention
- Most of the trails in the scenic area are stone steps, and some sections are steep. Be careful when walking, especially when the road is slippery on rainy days.
- Take good care of the scenic environment, do not litter at will, do not damage vegetation and crops, and abide by the relevant regulations of the scenic area.
- Respect the local folk culture and living habits, and do not disturb the normal life of villagers when entering the village.
- The signal in mountainous areas may be unstable. It is recommended to download offline maps in advance to avoid getting lost; at the same time, you can travel in groups to ensure safety.
- The catering price in the scenic area is relatively high. Tourists can bring some dry food and drinking water according to their needs, but they must pay attention to keeping the environment clean.
- When watching the sunrise and sunset, you need to check the time in advance and arrange the itinerary reasonably to avoid missing the best viewing time; at the same time, pay attention to keeping warm, especially in the early morning and evening when the temperature is low.