Longsheng: A Land With Natural Beauty and Ethnic Culture

Chen Zhiying

Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County is located in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region， about 80 kilometers from the well-known tourist city Guilin. The county is famous for its breathtaking vistas of terraced paddy fields cascading in swirls. For centuries， the terraces has brought up generations of people， also their distinctive culture. Looming in the clouds， layers of terraces and scattered bamboo huts of the minority vividly shows the harmony between nature and human， forming a picturesque village in south China.

Ladders leading to the heaven

Other rice terraces may be lovely， but Longji Rice Terraces are indisputably the most spectacular of all. Longji Rice Terraces， literally Dragons Backbone Rice Terraces， gained its name because the rice terraces resemble the scales on the back of a dragon. The terraces cover an area of 66 square kilometers and span an altitude between 300 meters and 1，100 meters. The construction of the incredible Longji Rice Terraces started in the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368） and lasted till the early Qing Dynasty （1636-1912）. Longji Rice Terraces are the culmination of the profound wisdom and strenuous labor of Zhuang people. The scenery of Longji Rice Terraces is a beautifully natural picture， demonstrating distinctive beauties in four seasons. In spring， the water is irrigated into the field and terraces look like great chains or ribbons hung on the hillside. When it comes to summer， green waves rush continuously down the mountainside from heaven. The theme of autumn is harvest， with the mountainside decorated with the golden ripened millet. Coming into winter， the whole mountain will be covered with white snow， just like a dragon playing in the cloud.

Longji Rice Terraces enjoy a long history. During the Yuan Dynasty， many minority groups were forced to flee to mountains. Being primarily an agricultural society， they needed to find a way to continue agriculture on steep sides of the mountains. They ingeniously turned the mountains into fields by creating terraced fields. The entire mountains are covered with rice terraces， from far below to the peak. Thats the reason that Longji Rice Terraces come into being. Since ancient times， Longji Rice Terraces have been crucial to the survival of local people. The ancestors may never imagine that the rice terrace they did with blood and sweat would one day become such a charming land. The iconic Longji Rice Terraces not only provides us with picturesque scenery to enjoy， but also act as a reminder of history.

Paradise to rest body and soul

Longsheng Hot Spring Resort is established with the approval of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and becomes a provincial tourism resort. It is forming due to the absorption of heat energy from the earths crust during the long-term movement of groundwater， generally relating to volcanic and magmatic activities on the earth. Therefore， it is said that the hot spring is a gift given to human beings by volcanoes and magma. Longsheng hot springs have the reputation of “heaven of peace and happiness” and “paradise on earth”. Welling out from rock cracks halfway up the mountain， the hot spring water is pure and clear， with temperature ranging from 54 to 58 degrees centigrade. Containing many trace elements， such as lithium， strontium， iron， manganese， zinc and copper， the spring is good for both drinking and bathing. Bathing in the hot spring has curative effects on nerves， skin diseases， rheumatism and arthritis. Since Longsheng hot springs are situated in a deep and tranquil valley and surrounded by mountains of dense vegetation， the water is warm in winter and cool in summer. The spring has now become the most famous hot spring area in south China and an ideal place for vacation.Since Longsheng hot springs are situated in a deep and tranquil valley and surrounded by mountains of dense vegetation， the water is warm in winter and cool in summer.

Kaleidoscope of ethnic culture

Besides the wondrous natural scenery， Longsheng is also famous for its splendid ethnic customs and cultures. The Yao with mountain， Miao with forest， Dong with field and Zhuang with water vividly show not only the distribution， but also the variety of ethnic minorities in Longsheng. There are many ethnic groups in Longsheng， all of whom are adept in folk singing and dancing. Each group possesses its own charm and differs from others in architecture， clothing styles， food habits， festivals and customs. Visiting Longsheng is like visiting a living museum of Chinas ethnic minority groups.

Among these features， what is worth mentioning is the distinctive ethnic costumes. The colorful costumes of minority groups add a bright splash of color to the rice terraces as they go about their work of growing rice. Yao women wear bright pink embroidered clothing with heavy silver earrings. They are famous for their extremely long hair and are listed in the Guinness Book of Worlds Records. Zhuang women wear white shirts， black pants， and brightly colored cloth on their heads. Miao women wear colorful short jackets with short pleated skirts， and on special occasions wear large amounts of silver jewelry and adornments. The clothing is worn on a daily basis. It is an unforgettable scene to see the minority women working in fields in all of their finery.

Festival is another highlight. Longsheng boasts many festivals： Hongyi （wearing red clothes） Festival， Niuhun （the soul of the cattle） Festival， Longji Rice Terraces Culture Tourism Festival and so on. Hongyi Festival is a traditional festival of the Red Yao ethnic group， a branch of local Yao ethnic group. Women like wearing red clothes that they have woven themselves. Every March 15th or April 8th of the lunar calendar， it is held either in Sishui Township or at the foot of the mountains where Longji Rice Terraces are located. People sing， dance and perform some interesting physical feats like balancing bamboo poles and having a tug-of-war. On those days， the women like to coil their hair into a special style. All these activities make Hongyi Festival flourish. Niuhun Festival is on April 8th of the lunar calendar as the Zhuang people think its the birthday of the Bull King. The Zhuang ethnic group in Longsheng has the tradition of respecting the cattle. On that day， people will set free the cattle and offer sacrifices like the glutinous rice meal to them. Finally， they will touch the back of the cattle for a blessing.

Life is not just about living， but also about poetry and beauty. Escape from the bustling city and find a peaceful land to relax yourself here in Longsheng.