"Touch D' Sky...Dazhai" a Dazhai Travel Page by myspices

Dazhai - not a place known to many who wants to visit the Longi Terraced Rice Fields in Longsheng. Most will be visiting PingAn for that matter. I bring you Dazhai, a little village in Jingkeng, Longsheng district - slightly upper north of the touristy PingAn village where many flock to view the Longi Terraced Rice Fields. Personally, I feel that if you want to really feel nature and "touch the sky" - Dazhai is a better place to be. Though it's a difficult climb of 40mins to reach Dazhai village from the base of the bus-stop, it's really a worthwhile hike - a place away from it all ....... Dazhai has a set of "Seven Stars with Moon" rice terraces better than that of PingAn. You can practically just sit by the side of one of the lodges and gaze beyond that specatacular rice terraces.... air is crisper and fresher and hey! you are actually touching the sky!!!

Story on how I get to know Dazhai .....
When we arrived at Longsheng bus station, we were approached by a couple of girls offering places to stay. There was this tiny looking girl that was amongst them. We brushed them all off, trying our way to find our way to the bus to Ping-An, which we initially wanted to stay in. (Knowing that Dazhai is way too difficult to journey to). The little girl (now we know her name is Liang Yin) patiently waited for us to figure out how to go about our itinerary and then she approached us to ask if we would like to stay with her in her house. We have no idea that her house is actually a lodge. She pulled out a worn off map of the Longi Terraced Rice Fields and pointed to Dazhai - that's where her house is. She said that her family would be very happy if we can stay with her - she explained that it's a little bit far but she assured us that it's really nice and her house is just 2minutes walk away from the famous Dazhai's "Seven Stars and Moon" rice terraces. Well, it was no regret to make the decision to follow her. Yes, the journey is a bit far but heck...we are on a holiday, right ... We got on the bus at Longsheng to Dazhai which took us 1.5hrs to Dazhai little bus stop. (there were a couple of stops which the bus made). Once arrived, there were loads of Hong ("Red") Yao ladies offering to carry your luggage for you. Well, guess you better let them do it - as you need to hike another 40mins up to Dazhai village. Each luggage (standard size) is 10yuan. The walk up is interesting - awesome rice terraces surround you......and breathe the air.....rejuvenating!

The Hong Yaos (Red Yaos) - natives in Dazhai are skilful in handwork - intricate embroidery, weaving and patchworks. I had the opportunity to make good friends with Mrs Pan and Liang Yin, 2nd daughter of Mrs Pan during our 2 days stay in Dazhai. They run a lodge call "Tian Ti", meaning "Rice Terraces", almost at the top of the mountain. The tradition is that olden married ladies are to keep their hair long and coiled up in a bun. You can actually see these ladies offering to show you how expertly they can "comb their long hair" and to tie them back neatly in a bun in a jiffy...but you need to pay to watch...so beware. The traditional Yao ladies have big and heavy silver earrings - they are made of solid silver and cost about at least 1,000 to 2,000yuans!. Red Yaos are usually dressed in...yes... red.. The little "coat" is painstakingly sewn with pretty designs of animals, flowers and abstracts. The material could be woven by them or bought. If you are crazy like me about embroideries ...you will going "oohs" and "ahhs" over the fine details sewn by them...See my travelogue on "Needles at work" to see beautiful designs I have taken on Red Yaos' outfits

Find the beautiful plants and flowers along the way ... Here's a bunch that would make anyone happy ..... all wild and fresh!

See travelogue on " Wild and Beautiful" for more beautiful plants and flowers.

While trekking up or down the rice terraces, you will pass all things natural - streams, valleys, slopes, plants and flowers, grains on rice stalks - fresh feel of air ... you will see farmers at work, natives with basket fill of harvest of chillies, children with rosy cheeks and innocent stares, buffaloes, donkeys and horses, dogs and cats and farm animals .....and yeap... dungs on the path too....ha..ha..