The ever-inspiring Longji Terraces, bathed in glorious summer sunlight. [Photo provided to en.gxzf.gov.cn]

The rice seedlings in the terraces in Guilin's Longji town - located in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region - are these days lush and rich green in the summer sunlight.

Under the warm sunshine, the extraordinary layered terraces, the villages built along the terrain and the undulating mountains blend harmoniously, offering unforgettable views.

The Longji Terraces represent fundamentally important heritage of ancient Chinese water management know-how and agricultural civilization.

At the Fifth International Forum on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems in 2018, the Longji Terraces - being a representative of the rice terraces of South China - were formally recognized as "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage."

In December 2020, they were also included on the list of National Wetland Parks by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, after passing its evaluation.

That same year, Dazhai village - where the Longji Terraces are located - was recognized as one of the Best Tourism Villages as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.