I came to Mu Cang Chai on a day at the end of September, when the terraced fields began to turn golden yellow. No need for a map, no need for directions - just look up and you will see the whole sky dyed in sunlight.
The ripe rice season in Mu Cang Chai is not only the harvest season, but also the season of emotions. It is the time when nature shows its most brilliant beauty, when people in the highlands are busiest, and when tourists from all over flock to stand in the middle of the "golden season" of the Northwest.
Terraced fields - steps to heaven
Mu Cang Chai is located in Lao Cai province (west of the old Yen Bai province), where the rugged terrain makes it impossible for people to cultivate in the plain style. However, it is this harshness that creates a wonder: terraced fields winding along the mountainside, layer upon layer like steps leading to heaven.
If you only look at simple pictures, you will probably never fully feel the beauty, orderliness and neatness of the terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai. It is as if here, each step in the field is precisely measured by talented farmers. So even though I have been in Mu Cang Chai for many days, I still cannot help but be amazed when I see the terraced fields - a natural beauty but full of calculation and alignment.
The incredibly neat and tidy beauty of the terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai
In the rice harvest season, the whole land seems to be covered in gold. From Khau Pha Pass to La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha, De Xu Phinh... everywhere is a brilliant yellow color, mixed with the green of the mountains and forests and the brown of the soil. The afternoon sunlight shines down, each rice flower seems to glow, the gentle wind blows, making the whole field seem to move.
There are moments when I stand still in the middle of the rice field, saying nothing, just listening to the sound of the wind and the footsteps of the harvesters. Everything seems to slow down, as if to give me time to fully appreciate the beauty of the land and sky.
At dawn, the entire field of ripe rice blends with the sky, creating a golden color that attracts tourists
Talented farmers
The Hmong people in Mu Cang Chai not only live with the mountains and forests, but also know how to make them flourish. They do not have modern machinery or advanced farming techniques, but they have patience, ingenuity and a deep understanding of the land.
The terraced farming method is a testament to the creativity of the highlanders. They bring water from the mountain streams, distribute it evenly to each terrace, sow the seedlings, transplant the rice, and take care of it every day. Each crop is a long journey, and each grain of rice is the result of diligence and love for the land.
Distinctly different from many countries sharing the same wet rice civilization in Southeast Asia, the terraced fields of the ethnic minorities in the mountainous regions of Vietnam are not only a means of production, but also a symbol of indigenous wisdom and a way of behaving in harmony with nature. In each terraced field winding along the mountainside is the crystallization of long-standing farming experience, taught through many generations as a kind of "living technique" - where people do not conquer nature by force, but by understanding and following the laws of the earth and sky.
From depending on dry-sown rice (rice grown on dry land), living on rainwater and often having to clear forests for farming, people gradually switched to growing rice on terraced fields. This shift not only helps stabilize food sources, but also opens up opportunities for regeneration for previously damaged forests. The old fields are now returned to the forest, in a new awareness of residence, of livelihood, and of the relationship between humans and nature.
In each terraced field winding along the mountainside is the crystallization of long-standing farming experience, passed down through many generations
I once followed a Hmong woman to harvest rice. She sang while harvesting, her voice as light as the wind. “The rice is ripe, I am so happy. We have something to eat, something to save, something to sell.” That sentence made me see more clearly the simple happiness, as well as the simplicity of the farmers in Mu Cang Chai.
The golden season is not only the harvest season
The ripe rice season in Mu Cang Chai is not only the season of agriculture, but also the season of festivals and culture. People organize traditional activities such as panpipe dancing, love songs, rice harvesting competitions, green rice making competitions... to celebrate the bountiful harvest.
The harvest season can be considered the season of prosperity and happiness, and also the season when Mu Cang Chai is as joyful as a festival
Tourists come here not only to admire the scenery, but also to immerse themselves in local life. They get to eat new sticky rice, hear stories about terraced fields, learn how to harvest rice, and dry rice. Each experience carries the breath of highland agricultural culture.
Once I was invited to eat a meal in the middle of the field, with only sticky rice, smoked buffalo meat, and a cup of corn wine. But I have never seen such a warm meal - because it was cooked with new rice, with hospitality, and with the joy of people who have just finished harvesting the crop.
Conclusion
Mu Cang Chai in the ripe rice season is not only beautiful, but also profound. Beautiful because of the scenery, the brilliant yellow color, the winding rice fields like paintings. Profound because of the people, the farming methods, the cultural values preserved through each season.
If you are looking for a place to calm down, to feel nature and people completely, then Mu Cang Chai in the ripe rice season is an ideal destination you should not miss. Because here, you do not need too many plans, just a pair of sturdy shoes, a camera, and an open heart are enough for you to bring back unforgettable memories.
Are you ready to visit the ripe rice season in Mu Cang Chai?
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CREDIT:
- Photography: Luan Nguyen
- Content: Giang Huynh
- Design: Phuong Nguyen
