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| terraced fields |
| With its terraced fields, Hoang Su Phi District in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang displays its charming beauty as a paradise dimly visible in the clouds |
 Terraced fields have always presented an image of imposing beauty in Vietnam’s mountainous regions. The coiling lines along the slope winding from the base up to the top of the hill are truly awe-inspiring to behold. The view of terraced fields is particularly breathtaking in harvest time, with glittering layers of golden rice on mountain after mountain.
Terraced paddies are the fine results of the locals’ hard work, creativity and will to conquer nature. Ethnic minorities in mountainous areas, such as the Central Highlands, northwest or northern midlands, cultivate terraced fields on the upper slopes.
Constructing a terraced field requires a great deal of effort and a large work force to level the land’s surface and build the rim. Firstly, land is selected for development according to the gradient of the slope, water resources and soil. Because of the high slope, terraced fields have narrow widths. The field surfaces must be in equal size to make sure water drains from the top to lower parts of the fields without eroding the mountain land.
Magnificent terraced fields are not a gift from the Creator but a perfect example of the ethnic minorities’ traditional ways of agricultural labor, reclamation and settlement. |
| Posted on 14 May, 2008, Resource from SGT |
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