One of Fujian’s Most Beautiful Rice Terraces – Located on the Northern Side of Whiteyun Mountain in Fuzhou, Ningde
Fujian Province's Northeast Whiteyun Mountain is a large range, with its main peak reaching nearly 1500 meters in altitude, ranking as one of Fujian's two highest peaks. Visitors to Whiteyun Mountain often only explore the paid sections, and few venture into the deeper, undeveloped areas of the mountain. Within the Whiteyun Mountain World Geopark, there's a pristine, ancient, and untouched area called Yellow Orchid Lily Grand Canyon. At the downstream of the Yellow Orchid Lily Grand Canyon lies a secluded paradise village—Mayi Village, inhabited by only dozens of households.
To inquire about the specific address of Mayi Village, it's located in Xiaoyang Town, Ningde, approximately 7.5 kilometers from Xiaoyang Town. Situated on the northern side of Whiteyun Mountain, Mayi Village is relatively unknown to many. However, when people talk about Mayi Village Terraced Fields, photographers are likely to have heard of it. Early on, Mayi Village gained recognition for the beauty of its terraced fields, earning it a place as one of Fujian's most beautiful terraced fields.
Besides the most beautiful terraced fields, Mayi Village is also home to various wild animals, including monkeys, mountain goats, leopards, sheep, porcupines, and even rare creatures. Over 100 national Grade II protected wild animals—monkeys, thrive under the protection of the villagers. Especially during feeding times, the monkey troops gather to feast, creating a scene of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals. Monkeys have become a distinctive feature of local tourism, attracting many visitors eager to observe and interact with them.
Mayi Village offers different scenery throughout the year, and spring is considered the best season. This is because the terraced fields are being irrigated, and due to the high altitude of Mayi Village, water from the fields and river valleys evaporates and rises with the influence of air currents, forming clouds. The forests also absorb the moisture, transforming it into clouds and mist, often creating a scene of clouds and mist amidst the peaks and fields. The mountains, water, terraced fields, and village, blended together harmoniously with bamboo groves, creating a constantly changing natural painting.
Despite this stunning landscape being rarely visited by tourists, why is this the case? One reason is the lack of local publicity, and another is the extremely inconvenient transportation. The quickest route is through Whiteyun Mountain, but the Whiteyun Mountain Scenic Area's access road is not allowed to pass through, requiring a detour of tens of kilometers.
Compared to the paid scenic areas, Mayi Village's scenery is no less impressive. It is original and undeveloped, and does not charge entrance fees. The best way to reach Mayi Village is by self-driving; public transportation is extremely troublesome.
If I were to describe Mayi Village in one sentence, it would be: 'This scenery may not be found in the sky or heard of frequently, but it's a rare opportunity to experience it in the human world.' Most importantly, Mayi Village is unaffected by the weather; unlike many scenic areas where the scenery declines during rainy or cloudy days, Mayi Village presents a wonderful view regardless of the weather.
