Rice harvest meets agricultural artistry

As autumn gilds the Taihang Mountains, 120 hectares of rice paddy artwork have ripened in Shexian county of Handan, Hebei province. Farmers are seizing the fine weather to bring in the crop.

This year's rice harvest will come at an estimated 300 metric tons — roughly 175 tons after milling.

But the fields hold more than a harvest: Each year Shexian county reinvents its paddy artwork theme, turning ordinary farmland into a sightseeing extravaganza that draws visitors into the countryside.

The newly harvested rice will be dried, milled and packaged before reaching buyers through scenic-area stalls, livestreams and retail outlets, turning visitor traffic into real income and giving rural vitalization a push.

That fits Shexian's broader bet on blending agriculture, culture and tourism. It is Handan's only county characterized entirely by mountainous terrain and lies at the junction of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan provinces. It packs Red history, the Wahuang Palace, and stone-terrace fields which have been designated a globally important agricultural heritage.

Building on those assets, the county has rolled out farming-study tours, homestays and rural sightseeing as it has upgraded roads and tourist facilities and opened livestreaming channels to sell farm produce.