Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China

I used to be fairly active in the 'You choose Unesco WHS' tag on the Postcrossing forum earlier this year but have had to take a break as postage is just ridiculous in the UK now. I can't afford to send too many postcards and friends take priority. Anyway, this is one of the cards I received through that tag. I really like this view, but find it a little odd that the sender didn't write any message on the back of the card. It literally only has my name, address and the name of the tag on. O_o Oh well, the sender must have had their reasons, and the card is still lovely.

The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China covers 16,603-hectares in Southern Yunnan. It is marked by spectacular terraces that cascade down the slopes of the towering Ailao Mountains to the banks of the Hong River. Over the past 1,300 years, the Hani people have developed a complex system of channels to bring water from the forested mountaintops to the terraces. They have also created an integrated farming system that involves buffalos, cattle, ducks, fish and eel and supports the production of red rice, the area’s primary crop. The inhabitants worship the sun, moon, mountains, rivers, forests and other natural phenomena including fire. They live in 82 villages situated between the mountaintop forests and the terraces. The villages feature traditional thatched “mushroom” houses. The resilient land management system of the rice terraces demonstrates extraordinary harmony between people and their environment, both visually and ecologically, based on exceptional and long-standing social and religious structures.