Dazhai Village Rice Terrace

This was the view as we entered Dazhai Village, where we spent the night during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and Golden Week. Nestled in Longsheng County, Guangxi, Dazhai sits at the heart of the Jinkeng Rice Terraces—one of the most striking sections of the Longji Rice Terraces. The path led us toward Dragon’s Den Hostel, our base for exploring the layered hillsides carved by generations of Red Yao people.

Locals told us that this year had seen more rain than usual. The terraces, typically golden with ripening rice by early October, were still lush and green. Many worried the cold would arrive before the rice could dry, threatening the harvest. It was a reminder of how closely life here is tied to seasonal rhythms—and how even small shifts in weather can ripple through a community.