Terraced rice fields of Yuanyang, China (3)

Photographer’s comment: “Terraces are the only way rice can be grown on mountain slopes. Such techniques have been implemented, quite independently of each other, by a multitude of different populations. One can observe this feat of engineering in China, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Vietnam – wherever rice is the main staple food. As modern technology is taking over, the old ways are becoming obsolete. Terraces require maintenance to retain their shape and the ability to hold water; gradually increasing disuse makes them fall slowly into ruins. The site at Yuanyang, China, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list which may save it from destruction, but will eventually transform it into a tourist show. For now, however, the fields are alive and well – some people of Yuanyang still cultivate the bulk of their food there.“