Located in Xinhua County, Loudi City, Hunan Province of China, the Ziquejie Terrace is a typical southern mountainous agro-ecosystem composed of forests, dwellings, terraces and water systems. The terrace covers an area of more than 5,000 hectares, with over 600 levels and an average elevation of 500 to 1200 meters. In 2014, it was inscribed into the World Irrigation Project Heritage List.

The terrace boasts of a history of over 2,000 years, originating in the Qin Dynasty (B.C.221-B.C.207) and flourishing in the Song (A.D.960-A.D.1279) and Ming (A.D.1368-A.D.1644) dynasties. The Tang (A.D.618-A.D.709) and Song dynasties encouraged large-scale cultivation of farmlands and promoted the cultivation of high-altitude fields. During the Northern Song Dynasty (A.D.960-A.D.1127), Xinhua was established as a county, ushering in a new stage of agricultural development in Ziquejie. In the Ming Dynasty, its development entered another climax. The most amazing feature of the Terrace is its unique natural irrigation system using mountain springs, which does not rely on any external water sources or large-scale water projects. It irrigates about 5,000 hectares of terraced fields solely by soil water of mountains, together with a simple irrigation system tailored to local conditions.

The distinctive natural and cultural landscape of the Ziquejie Terrace provides valuable resources for the integrated development of local culture and tourism. Moreover, its unique agricultural water use way has achieved sustainable agricultural development, and rendered an effective reference for guaranteeing food security and promoting economic and social development through innovative practices of rational development and utilization while actively promoting heritage protection.

Source: INTCE