Between the Luoxiao Mountains and the Zhuguang Mountains, at the source of the Zhangjiang River, a tributary of the Ganjiang River in the Yangtze River basin, there is a settlement of the Hakka people where the local mountains have been transformed into terraces. This is the Chongyi Shangbao Terraces, a marvel of the Hakka farming culture.

Located in the northwest of the mountainous Chongyi County of Jiangxi Province of China, the Terraces cover an area of about 3,400 ha distributed in 26 villages of the three townships of Shangbao, Fengzhou and Sishun. With a maximum altitude of 1,260 m and a minimum of 280 m, the terraces have a vertical drop as large as 1000 m, and the largest terrace has as many as 62 levels of ridges. In 2012, it was given the title “the largest Hakka terraces in the world” by the Guinness book of records. In April 2018, it was listed as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System” by FAO.

According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas and other historical documents, the development of the Shangbao Terraces dates back to the pre-Qin period before 221 BC. Later in the Qin and Han dynasties, the terraces had gradually taken shape. After regular repairs and expansions in the later dynasties of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, the terraces eventually obtained their present magnificence. The remains of the stone dog preserved at the Chishui Village of Shangbao Township are proof of the terraces’ early history.

Shaped by the mountainous terrain, the Chongyi Shangbao Terraces flourish because of the water. The densely forested mountains help store abundant water resources; the granite mountain structure constitutes an impermeable reservoir so that rainwater harvested on the mountain top can only seep out from the hillside slopes, creating a natural underground distribution and drainage network with reliable water supply to the terraces.

For thousands of years, local people have respected the laws of nature and built terraces with a water distribution system tailored to the local conditions. Connected to this irrigation network, each ridge serves as a small reservoir and soil preservation bed, preventing and controlling land erosion. This is indeed a good example of irrigation engineering created and perfected by the ancient Chinese people.

In general, the Chongyi Shangbao Terraces adopt gravity irrigation, and various irrigation methods are applied in different water demand scenarios such as isolated hills and seasonal and meteorological changes. The irrigation system of the terraces can be divided into three categories, namely the water storage structures, the canal network, and water flow regulation facilities. There are three ways of water storage: water directly seeping out of the mountain slopes, man-made water storage and distribution structures, and man-made filter and sedimentation facilities. Under the category of the canal network, there are several sub-categories: diverting water with weirs, delivering water through inverted siphons, using the small plots of farmland as canals, delivering water with aqueducts and bamboo tubes, and lifting water with waterwheels. For the purpose of water flow regulation, water distributing stones and pipeline valves are installed.

Today, the structure and layout of this gravity irrigation system are still intact. As a product of the sweat and wisdom of the ancient Chinese people, it has become an important part of the local agricultural economy. Combined with the development concept of modern agriculture, it is helping realize the value and functional potential of the terraces.

With the simplest engineering facilities and minimal maintenance, the Chongyi Shangbao Terraces have achieved sustainable and efficient gravity irrigation and thus strongly boosted land reclamation and agricultural production. Currently, the average grain yield has exceeded 7,500 kg/ha. Meanwhile, the ecological concepts and experience in construction and management accumulated over the past millennia could serve as a valuable reference for modern terrace management and soil and water conservation.

The Longsheng Terraces of Guangxi, the Yuanyang Terraces of Yunnan, and the Chongyi Shangbao Terraces are the three most scenic terrace systems in China. The Chongyi Shangbao Terraces also called the heavenly stairs, are spectacular throughout the year. In spring, the irrigated paddy fields are like strings of silver chains hanging in the mountains; in summer, the lush crops are like green waves pouring from the sky; the autumn is the season of gold, featuring the joy of harvest; in winter, the terraces are covered with pure snow, auguring another fruitful year.

In recent years, the local government has attached great importance to the protection and management of the heritage structures of the terraces. A special management agency has been set up, followed by a series of events exploring and promoting the local history and culture of irrigation. The government has also drafted and adopted a development plan for the protection of the heritage structures, which includes the construction of a new museum.

The structure represents a milestone / turning points in development of irrigated agriculture and bears an exceptional testimony to development of agriculture and increase in food production along with the improvement of economic condition of farmers;

First, the building of the Terraces has improved irrigation conditions and thus enlarged the area of the paddy field. According to the Chronicles of Chongyi County, back in 1522, Chongyi County had about 4181 ha of arable land; in 1706, it grew to about 5235 ha; then, in 1765, it further increased to 5384 ha; by 1937, the arable land had expanded to around 9772 ha; after the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the figure was 10491 ha, of which 10280 ha were paddy field, and the growing trend has continued.

Second, the development of the Terraces has driven the formation of the local paddy-based agricultural structure. Within the long history of the Terraces, people have bred various strains of rice tailored to local water and soil conditions, including varieties of indica rice, japonica rice, early season rice and late rice, and formulated different cropping systems respectively. Irrigation and drainage facilities of the Terraces have greatly boosted local grain yield. According to the Chronicles of Chongyi County, by 1942, the grain yield per hectare had reached 3240 kg; currently, the figure is more than 7500 kg/ha. It is the sound irrigation and drainage system of the Terraces that has transformed the wild mountains into a land of fertility and prosperity.

Third, the construction of the Terraces is also a process of mountain development and population growth. The irrigation and drainage system, by bolstering land reclamation and agricultural production, has also helped the expansion of human settlements and population growth, which in turn further enhanced local economic and social development.

Currently, the Terraces supply 76.5% of food crops, various oil-bearing crops, vegetables and fruits for the local people. In 2015, the economic revenue of the proposed site was 1.357 billion yuan. The income from farming/agriculture contributed 87.8% to the total income of the rural households, while that from agriculture and forestry contributed 78.7%.

The structure is an example of attention to environmental aspects in its design and construction;

When building the terraces, the locals had fully considered the natural conditions of the mountains: the forest on the mountain top was preserved for the purpose of water conservation; below the mountain top, villages were built; and below the villages lay the terraces. The canopy and soil of the forest above the terraces are able to conserve water in a powerful way and effectively regulate the spatial and temporal distribution of rainwater. On rainy days, the forest ecosystem on the top part of the mountain can retain part of the rainwater, which will decrease the surface runoff and weaken the flood peak of rivers.

Meanwhile, in the dry season, the water conserved by the forest will infiltrate gradually into the terraces to meet the water demand of terrace crops. The soil of terraces can also conserve water to some extent and guarantee the water demand of varieties of plants in the ecosystem. Soil retention is also an important ecosystem function of these terraces. Covered by dense forests, terraces are rich in a variety of plants. Soil fixation character of vegetation roots is realized by the organic matter secreted by plants, which can therefore cement the soil and make them strong enough to resist soil erosion. The canopy of tall trees intercepts rain drops to undermine the erosion force of rain splashing directly on the soil, while the regulation of the ground vegetation and the litter layer on precipitation and runoff basically eliminate the erosion forces of rainfall from the top and runoff on the surface of the soil. Therefore, the terraces can help achieve better soil conservation, which is reflected in avoiding the waste of land, reducing sediment deposition and preventing the loss of soil nutrients. In this way, the elements of forest, villages and terraces are transformed into an integrated and eco-friendly agricultural system.

The building materials of the Terraces and the local farming practices have also reflected the respect and protection of nature. Built with locally produced soil, bamboo pipes and stones, the terraces fit perfectly into their surroundings, minimizing the impact on the local ecosystem. In addition, only organic fertilizers such as animal waste and plant-based compost are applied.

Besides, the design and scale of the terraces are based on the carrying capacity of local water resources. In ancient times, people drew insights and lessons from past experiences and formulated reclamation plans annually. If the hydrothermal condition was good, the plan would be more ambitious; if a drought was likely, they would reduce or even stop the work of reclamation. This principle of measured development has helped prevent the waste of human and material resources and the drastic change in the local ecosystem.

The Terraces are models of sustainable management of land and water resources in mountainous and hilly areas, providing important experiences for coping with global ecological problems like land degradation, extreme droughts and floods caused by climate change.

The structure bears the stamp of a cultural tradition or a civilization of past;

The history of Chongyi Shangbao Terraces exceeds 100 years (dating back to the 12th-13th centuries). The Terraces are constituted by water storage structures, water diversion structures, canal systems, waterwheels and drainage structures. Its engineering form remains basically unchanged till today.

The gravity irrigation system of Chongyi Shangbao Terraces is an embodiment of the ancient Chinese philosophy of harmony between man and water, and man is an integral part of nature. In addition to the use of locally available building materials, the layout, engineering design and construction of weirs, water intakes and canals are all based on local terrain and resource availability, aiming at minimizing the possible impact on the local ecosystem.

Besides, the Terraces are home to various heritages of agricultural culture, including proverbs and calendars assisting farming and rituals and customs such as bull dance. In April 2018, the Terraces, under the name of “Jiangxi Chongyi Hakka Terraces”, were listed as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System” by FAO as part of “Rice Terraces in Southern Mountainous and Hilly areas, China”.

Engineering utility vis-à-vis designed utility

Chongyi Shangbao Terraces began to take shape in the Southern Song Dynasty more than 800 years ago. However, agricultural development in the region dates far back to the Qin and Han Dynasties. After China was unified in 221 BC, people from the north began to migrate to this region. A prefectural government was then established, and Chongyi County was within its jurisdiction. Later in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the local ethnic minorities and migrants from the north (the Hakka people) gradually integrated, and the development of terraces started. This process continued into the Song Dynasty (960-1279). At that time, the locals built terraces on gentler mountain slopes to expand arable land and constructed systems of mountain ponds, canals, ditches and bamboo pipes to utilize the abundant water resources and achieve gravity irrigation. In the later half of the Song Dynasty or the Southern Song Dynasty, the Terraces had reached a relatively large scale, which had ensured local grain output and supported population growth. In the later Dynasties of Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644), the migration continued, and the following ballooning demand for food made it necessary to build more terraces. As a result, isolated terraces gradually became contiguous, spanning mountains after mountains. By 1552, 60 weirs had been built, irrigating more than 530 ha of land. At the early stage of the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), the government adopted a series of policies to encourage migration and agricultural production. For instance, financial subsidies were offered for land reclamation. As a result, more and more people were driven to relocate to Chongyi County, leading to a surge in population and further expansion of terraces. It was during this period that Chongyi Shangbao Terraces attained their current scale. Also, during this period, even more, attention was given to the conservation of water and soil resources. By 1893, 77 weirs had been built, irrigating more than 780 ha of farmland.

After the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, both the scale (3,400 ha) and the grain yield of the Terraces further expanded thanks to the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures such as canals and weirs. In addition, the protection of the local ecosystem and cultural heritages has been gaining weight.

Present State of Conservation

Currently, the protection and development of Chongyi Shangbao Terraces face the following challenges: many local farmers have moved to cities and are no longer engaged in agriculture, leaving some terraces uncultivated and the irrigation facilities unattended; located in a mountainous area, the Terraces lack modern infrastructure, making it difficult for the local economy to benefit from the abundant tourism resources.

To address these issues, the local government has established a special agency for the maintenance of the irrigation and drainage system; in addition, it has adopted measures to encourage and assist farmers in leasing their land to organic farming enterprises; besides, more tourism facilities, such as high-standard roads, have been built to make the Terraces more accessible and enjoyable to tourists; last but not least, promotional and training activities have been organized to raise the public awareness and capability of heritage protection. In April 2018, the Terraces were listed as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System” by FAO.