Page 10 - 文化旅游2024-8

09 WORLD HERITAGE TOUR | 世界遗产游

Fulfilling higher

aspirations in the Hani

rice terraces

寻找哈尼梯田的诗和远方

“So, what do you consider the happiest thing?”
“I feel happy when the weather is nice, and I’m
also joyful when the crops are thriving.”
As travel blogger Youchuan listened to the 64-year-
old Hani man’s answer in Azheke Village, Yuanyang
County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture,
Yunnan Province, he turned to admire the mush-
room-shaped cabins behind him and the terraced fields
in the distance. In that moment, he recognized that this
was the greatest reward of his journey. “Higher aspira-
tions must be grounded in real life,” he reflected.
Honghe Prefecture, through which the beautiful
Honghe River flows, is home to the Hani Terraced
Rice Fields, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
These rice fields stretch across Yuanyang, Honghe,
Lüchun, Jinping, and other counties along the south
bank of the river. They ascend from the foothills to
over 2,000 meters in altitude, with more than 3,700
layers in total. For over 1,300 years, the hardworking
and resourceful Hani people have transformed the
towering mountains into a stunning pastoral landscape
using simple tools such as hoes, baskets, plows, and
harrows. Here, time seems to slow down, creating a
scene of tranquility, harmony, and picturesque rural
life that captivates all who visit.
As you stroll along the winding flagstone path into
Azheke Village, you’ll be greeted by the sight of lush
green rice terraces below and mushroom-shaped cabins
arranged in an appealing pattern. Villagers can be seen
leisurely sitting in front of their homes, engaged in the
ancient craft of weaving, or smiling warmly at passing
tourists. Visitors flock in, frequently pausing to capture
the simplicity and beauty of the scene with their cameras.
Azheke, a village with a history of over 160
years, has preserved more than 60 traditional mush-
room-shaped cabins, which form the best-preserved
Hani architectural complex in Yuanyang County. The
village has been included in the third list of traditional
Chinese villages and has also been recognized for its
charm and tranquility.
In Azheke, tourists can catch fish in the terraced
fields, enjoy a picnic beside them, engage in a playful
mud battle, and sip coffee by the fireplace. At sunrise
and sunset, they can listen to the enchanting songs of
Hani elders amidst the rising cooking smoke, immers-
ing themselves in a poetic atmosphere that seems to
exist only in their dreams.
“The songs and the people here are beautiful, and
what matters most is that I always feel uplifted. I’ve
decided to stay here for a month, hoping this idyllic
life will allow me to truly experience the local ethnic
culture,” marveled Xu Li, a tourist from Hunan.
The traditional villages in Honghe Prefecture,
exemplified by Azheke, represent more than just geo-
graphical locations; they offer a harmonious blend of
nature, culture, dreams, and tranquility. These idyllic
scenes serve as a therapeutic balm, gently healing
those caught up in the busy urban landscape who
yearn for solace. Here, time appears to slow down,
allowing people to escape the hustle and bustle and
immerse themselves in this rare peace and beauty.