The Most Beautiful Terraced Fields in Fujian — Lianhe Terraces

Lianhe Township is located in northern Youxi County. It is a provincially designated old revolutionary base area. It enjoys a humid mid-subtropical monsoon climate. Covering a land area of 159 square kilometres, the township governs 12 administrative villages with a population of 21,000 and enjoys convenient transportation.

Lianhe Township boasts unique natural scenery and abundant tourism resources. First, it has the most spectacular terraced fields across the whole province. Nearly ten thousand mu of terraces spread along the foot of the beautiful Jinji Mountain, covering eight villages including Lianhe, Liannan, Lianxi, Dongbian, Yunshan and Xiayun. The terraces stretch continuously for dozens of miles on a grand and magnificent scale, ranging from 200 metres to 1,000 metres above sea level. Clouds, mountains, streams and farmland merge perfectly into one breathtaking landscape.

Second, natural scenery is rich and varied. Highlights include Jinji Mountain (1,311 metres above sea level) blanketed with azaleas in bloom, vast bamboo forests stretching like green oceans, and Naoyang Wetland, which has been submitted for designation as a provincial-level wetland park.

Third, it has profound time-honoured cultural heritage. Ancient legends passed down through generations lend an air of mystery to this land. Fuhuyan Scenic Area, a historic site dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty with a history of over 800 years, attracts a steady stream of pilgrims. A red tourism route has taken shape, covering revolutionary battle sites in Nanping, Youxi and Shaxian, as well as the Martyrs Monument. Tourism projects under development include photography tours, countryside sightseeing, pilgrimage tours, leisure getaways and red-themed trips.

Fourth, local agricultural products are high-quality and reasonably priced. As a typical mountain agricultural township, Lianhe develops characteristic industries such as ginkgo, rice, tea, peanuts, bamboo products, premium fruits and vegetables. The township has 17,134 mu of bamboo forests, 800 mu of ginkgo trees, 5,912 mu of tea plantations, 6,430 mu of fine fruits including citrus, navel oranges, pomelos and bayberries, plus 2,096 mu of oil tea trees.

In recent years, Lianhe Terraces have gained growing fame. Since 2008, it has been named one of China’s Five Most Charming Terraced Fields and one of the Top Ten Scenic Spots of Beautiful West Coast. It has also been designated a Fujian Provincial Photography Base, drawing tourists from all over the country. Local villagers have opened numerous farm restaurants and homestays, receiving thousands of visitors every day.