The people of Yen Bai highlands farm on the high slopes. Through the spring, one has to wait until it rains down, when the terraced fields are flooded (called the season of pouring water), to embark on the cultivation of the only rice crop of the year. Thais made their own under the lowlands, growing sticky sticks in tu Le valley. And the Mong people are good at climbing mountain passes, they have turned the rugged mountain slopes into beautiful terraced fields. The talented and diligent hands of the Dao, Mong, Ha Hai, Day, Tay, Xa Fu, Nung, Pa Dí people ... One life after another creates masterpieces.
When the early dew was still glimmering in the valley, the Mong people carried humps, carried pickaxes, walked buffaloes, carried the seedlings to the village. When the first sun shone, bare feet followed behind the buffalo's back to plow. The sparkling water reflects the deep blue sky, the dark brown fields, the shadow of the mong girl wearing a swaying flower shirt, the first husband, the wife behind the buffalo, the steep floor of the fields is clawed with sparkling water.
Terraced fields in the three communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh district Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai were granted a national monument ranking by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on October 18, 2007, a landmark that is perhaps special and unique to the top of Vietnam. Within a radius of 20 km, the fields are arranged between the two sides halfway up the mountain, descending down to the blue river below.
This land is the most beautiful of the year on two occasions in May - June, when the fields are in the season of pouring water and September - October when a yellow color stretches throughout the fertile fields. These are also the two times yen Bai, Sapa and Y Tí – Bat Xat on the northwest land to welcome a large number of tourists to visit and also photographers passionately hunting for beautiful photos.
Each person has one hand, dams, shores, weeds, civets with fertile soils, repairing the irrigation system, bustling with laughter, the sound of calling each other, the sound of children cheering, sucking into the field, transplanting rice.
The color of the water, of the blue sky, of the iridescent red earth under the bright sun. The water season has its own beauty. There was water, the Mong people worked hard to repair the terraces, clawed the cracks, cleared the water lines down to each step of the field, so that in the next few months, when autumn came, all these fields were beautiful yellow.
Articles and photos: Ngan Hang