Besides of the famous known Pingan village of Zhuang Minority Ethnic, there is another unknown Jinkeng Rice Terrace, which is home to Yao minorities. Jinkeng Rice Terraces are located around 25 miles (40 km) away from Longsheng, where you will be rewarded feats of farm engineering going all the way up a string of 2400 feet (800 m) mountains.
The 66-square-km network irrigation project was began by the ethnic Yao in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and finished by the Qing (1644-1911).
There are two villages here in Jinkeng. The first village at the foot of the mountain is Dazai Village.
Further uphill Yao people two-story cabins are nestled against the breathtaking man-made wonder. The layout of the village mimics the terraces fields symmetry, giving an appearance that the houses are stacked on top of one another- an integrated part of the land.
Climbing up the hill for 60 minutes, you will arrive Tiantouzai Village, where you will have a panoramic view of the whole area of Jinkeng Rice Terrace. Recommend you to have a rest in a small cafeteria " Countryside Cafe", the only place where English menu is available.
Jinkeng rice terrace and villages here has not been known to many tourist, the facilities here are not so convenient, about 30 minutes extra drive then to Pingan village, muddy and bumping road, that is part of the reason why most of the drivers and tour guides will not take visitors to this remote village.
This is the real reason we come! Pigs, buffloes might block the path in the village, and they smell pretty wild...
There is even one cyber cafe in the village! But power failure happens a lot, you might enjoy a candle night dinner with local villages.
Highly recommend you to stay overnight in the Tiantouzai Village, wooden house, clean, public bathroom, no noise of boring TV programs, no signal of ceilure phone, no motorcycles, no pollution, and no blaring horns...Have never seen so many stars in a summer night...
If you stay in a family style hostel on the top of the mountain, set up your alarm clock on 5 am, open your window to enjoy the brilliant sunrise, watch the village waking up gradually from the peaceful harmony.
You might continue your treking through the rice paddies for 4 hours to Pingan Village, then catch the public bus departs every half hour to Guilin. |