Terraced Rice Fields and Ethnic Markets of Yuanyang, China


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Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott

When a jovial, inebriated, shirtless man boarded our bus with a meter-long pipe (think Cheech and Chong go to China), we figured we were slipping even further off China’s organized tourist trail.

Hani Baby in Traditional Dress - Yuanyang
Young Hani boy all decked out in beautiful embroidery in Yuanyang, Yunnan.

Our destination: the rice terraces of Yuanyang in southern China’s Yunnan Province, where dazzling colors, luxuriant terraced rice fields, elaborately-dressed women, and sweaty, shirtless men awaited.

Life on Xinjie's Main Square

A lively atmosphere greeted us upon our evening arrival in Xinjie, the traditional capital of the Yuanyang region.

Chatting and joking Hani Women
Hani women gather together on Xinjie's main square.

Reminiscent of Sapa and Bac Ha in Vietnam, Xinjie’s Hani women dress traditionally in bright hand-embroidered necklines, colorful baby carriers and elaborate head-wear.

Life on the main square seemed universal – children played, old women huddled together to share the latest gossip, young couples made their rounds, and mothers snuggled with their babies as the sun set over the valley.

A Walk to the Rice Fields

Equipped with a hand-drawn map, we headed out of town on foot to witness life in the fields the following day. Water buffalo moved glacially in the mid-afternoon sun as their owners whistled commands. The terraces, some cultivated for over one thousand years by the Hani people, are an extension of the natural landscape and represent a balance between nature and human will.

Yuanyang's Terraced Rice Fields
Yuanyang's terraced rice fields walking distance from Xinjie.

From the reaction of locals, we concluded that tourists don’t often strike out on foot. Always lost, we repeated the following comic routine: butcher the name of our next village destination in high and low tones, receive confused looks and giggles from the locals, and hope that someone would eventually guide us to the turn-off for the next village. We took a few wrong turns, but somehow made our way.

Boys with Water Buffalo
Kids with their water buffalo in a Yuanyang village.

On our return to Xinjie in the early evening, workers returning from the rice fields greeted us with smiles and motioned for us to follow them home and join them for something to eat and a place to sleep.

Excursion to the Ethnic Market

On our final day, we took the traditional route and hired a car to catch the sunrise over some rice terraces a bit further afield (Duoyishu and Bada). Though the rice terraces were beautiful, our human interaction was limited to some empty exchanges with desperate egg and souvenir vendors longing for the tourist flow of high season (in winter, when the terraces are flooded with water).

We were rewarded in the afternoon, however, by an outdoor ethnic market teeming with Hani, Yi and Dai market-goers. The market schedule in Yuanyang rotates between villages based on the Chinese calendar. Match the animals on the calendar with a market schedule to determine the village in which the market is scheduled that day. The day of our excursion belonged to the tiger, horse or dog, placing the market in the village Niujiazhai (“Ox Horn” village) according to a delightfully confusing map provided by our guest house.

Hani Women at Yuanyang Market
Women at the Niujiazhai market sharing an inside joke.

Upon arrival at the market, we had flashbacks to the ethnic minority markets of northern Vietnam. Amidst the standard market trappings, vendors sold local moonshine from gas jugs and street-side dentists made quick work to fashion dentures and replace broken teeth. Men smoked stringy local tobacco through long, locally-carved wooden pipes, while young women haggled for yarns and threads for their embroidery endeavors.

Tofu and Sweaty Men

As we looked around for something to eat, a shirtless man waved us over to the food stall where he was having a snack.

Yuanyang Street Food, Tofu
Making friends in the market over grilled tofu. Yuanyang, China.

He took a liking to Dan and asked us to join him for some grilled tofu. At one point, he curiously pulled Dan’s arm hair, offering a smile and a thumbs up. Unsatiated, he reached further for Dan’s chest hair – with the same curious tug. Apparently, some men in this part of the world are intrigued by body hair, something which many of them lack.

We stuffed ourselves on squares of grilled tofu dipped in spices and soy sauce while we entertained a charade-driven conversation. When it came time to leave, we said our goodbyes. The man wanted us to stay with him at his house, but we motioned to the van waiting to take us back.

Another genuine offer we unfortunately couldn't accept. We thanked him profusely and charaded, “Next time.”

Photos from Yuanyang in Yunnan Province, China

Yuanyang Travel Information: Transport, Accommodation and How to Visit the Rice Fields

  • When to Go: Most Chinese and western tourists visit as part of a tour group and go in winter or early spring when the fields are flooded. We were on our own and it was June; for us, it was just right.
  • How to Get There: Take a bus from Kunming bus station at around 10:30 AM or 7:30 PM (sleeper bus). Takes 5-8 hours, depending upon the driver and how often he has to stop to repair the bus en route.
  • Where to Stay: We stayed at Yuanyang Chenjia Fangshe guest house right next to the old bus station. Rooms are reasonably priced and there's a lovely terrace to eat breakfast overlooking the rice fields. You can compare prices of other accommodation in Yuanyang here.
  • Where to Eat: We kept returning to Sichuan Canting Guan on the main square. A super friendly husband-and-wife team run the restaurant. There is a simple menu in English, but it's more fun to point to what you want in their fresh case. We stuffed ourselves on very tasty vegetarian and tofu dishes for just a few dollars.
  • Day Hike: Window of Yuanyang shop near the market has a very knowledgeable English speaking volunteer. He can advise you on day hikes and draw you a map. Stock up on fair trade souvenirs or use the internet while you're at it.
  • Arranging Driver: We arranged our driver at our hotel. The standard price is 200 RMB for a sunrise drive to the rice fields, return to Xinjie for lunch and then a sunset drive. We negotiated 200 RMB for the sunrise drive plus the journey to Niujiazhai market. Shared between six people, it was a good deal. We heard from another group of tourists that some drivers take people by “tourist villages” where an entrance fee is required and the driver presumably gets a commission. Just be clear up front that you don't want any tourist villages.
  • Map of Yuanyang rice fields and ethnic markets: Download a PDF map of Yuanyang's rice fields and ethnic market location and schedule. The credit for these maps goes to Yuanyang Chenjia Fangshe guest house.

More Stories on Traveling Independently Through China

As for the rest of China, here's what we saw (forgive us for our use of the word authentic), what we ate (Chinese food in China is such a joy compared to some of the goop served at Chinese restaurants abroad) and the many people we met (China is more diverse than you might imagine) during our three month journey across this rapidly changing country.

About Audrey Scott
Audrey Scott is a writer, storyteller, speaker and tourism development consultant. She aims to help turn people's fears into curiosity and connection. She harbors an obsession for artichokes and can bake a devastating pan of brownies. You can keep up with her adventures on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And you can learn more about her on the About Page and on LinkedIn.

6 thoughts on “Terraced Rice Fields and Ethnic Markets of Yuanyang, China”

  1. Such beautiful textiles. We all need to return to wearing hats/head dress again. The photo of the three older women is so darling. I so enjoy your stories where strangers offer you to join them, eat with them, stay with them…and offer to pull your hair.

    Reply
  2. Hi Audrey and Daniel,

    Having quit my job last week, I’m making the most of my unfireable status by spending my morning in the office ignoring my work and looking through your China articles and galleries. I’ve been reading your blog for a few months but haven’t had enough time to read one after another and appreciate the transition until now. You both write with such a clear head, despite (I guess) having to keep the updates coming when you’re exhausted from travelling, or cramped for space or time, or a mixture of them all. Your photographs bring out the warmth in people – each one is a story on its own.

    Best wishes, and, again, if you’re ever in Ukraine…….

    Jon

    Reply
  3. Steven: Your comment made me laugh out loud, particularly the bit about pulling hair. I think this behavior is more common than we might imagine. Before I could even share my Chinese hair story, a friend in Prague related a story about her first trip to Asia and a trip to a Chinese beach resort. Her boyfriend (he too was apparently hairier than most of the Chinese men there) was apparently the victim of frequent hair pulling.

    Regarding hats, I’ve looked around recently and we westerners also embrace headwear, but it’s just not quite as decorative or as photogenic as the traditional stuff you find in Asia.

    Jon: Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. First off, a big congratulations. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. “Unfireable status”…I like that very much.

    We really appreciate your compliments, particularly because they capture our little publishing struggles so well. We are delighted to hear that you detect some clarity in our writing and warmth in our photographs, despite all the challenges (that you have accurately listed).

    Thanks for the open invitation. We’re not certain if we’ll make it through Ukraine this autumn, but we’d look forward to meeting face-to-face when we get the chance.

    Reply
  4. Awesome, I stayed in Xinjie for a week while I waited for the famed sunrises and sets, they never came but I soon realised the magic was in the faces if the locals. An amazing village, and one I’ll never forget which is why it was so great to read your account and see the photos – naturally, I feel I recognise all the locals!

    Reply
  5. Excellent travel stories! I had the same thing, with men touching my body hair while traveling in China. And in Japan when visiting hot springs (you bathe naked with people of the same sex) I got that but also got comments about certain body parts I’d prefer they not look at! A couple guys even tried to touch it! lol “Wow, it’s big!”

    Reply
  6. @Ant: Not sure why we never got around to responding to your comment, but it’s timely in that we did a little reflection on China and in particular an ethnic market just outside of Xinjie:
    https://uncorneredmarket.com/2010/07/panorama-ethnic-market-yunnan-china/

    Anyhow, when we reflect on our time in China, it really goes back to the people — and the faces. There’s loads of history there. And China is so much more diverse than most people give it credit for.

    @ Mark: OK, I feel better now that I’m not the only one getting my chest hair pulled at Chinese markets. About the other experiences, I suppose we’ll talk more about those over a beer someday.

    Reply

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