'Heaven on Earth': Yangshuo
Updated: 2007-05-31 10:11
A Land Dominated by Rice
The entire route seems dominated by rice - ploughing, transplanting and harvesting. Hard work has produced this landscape. There seems endless human activity in the fields; indeed it is a 'people-centred' landscape. Most equipment employed is what I would call 'intermediate technology', with little in the way of mechanisation.
Earthen banks protect the fields from flooding by the brown water of adjacent streams. However, water is introduced to the soil to soften it up before planting.
A cow is walking home from the fields while the peasant-in-charge casually strolled behind. They had just crossed a double-arched stone bridge over a river. Beside the track, straw was bundled up from recent harvesting. Meanwhile peasants continued with the planting in distant fields.
On the main road an elderly woman was leading her buffalo back to their village. They had just passed a farmer walking with a large flock of quacking ducks towards a roadside pond.
Planting the rice, although a fascinating site for visitors is hard, hot work in the strong sun. Thinking of the term 'back-breaking', I watched two peasants bent over in the mud as they transplanted young, green shoots.
Rice, when harvested was put into large foot-operated wooden threshing boxes, where the grain was removed from the stalks. This was also taking place next to fields being planted. This area can produce rice crops almost all year round.
Although the rice farmers often welcome clouds, photographers wanting bright light do not. However, at one point as I watched two peasants working in a field the clouds parted and a beam of light shone straight onto them. Their images were reflected in the calm waters - an unforgettable memory.
Yangshuo area is the place makes people feel like in Heaven - simply at home with Nature and the incredible human landscape which Man has forced from it. So many images from a place of incredible beauty.
