(VOVworld) – The Mong live mainly in high mountain regions which have harsh weather conditions. They have some special cultivation methods to cope with the difficult terrain. Today VOV will look at the terraced field cultivation of the Mong.

Terraced rice field in Lao Cai province

H’Mong people grow a few wet rice and subsidiary crops. They build terraced fields to contain the water to grow wet rice. The best areas to make terraced fields are on the lower elevations of the mountain side, where the slope is even and there is nearby water source. 

Giàng Mý Lý, a Mong man who lives in Lao Cai province, told us: "Mong people have an age-old custom of terraced-field cultivation. We build from the foot of the mountain upwards. We use hoes to loosen the soil and level the land. We draw on our ancestral experience. A good leveled terrace slopes to one side. It’s the base for other terraces. When we plow the fields, we have to ensure sufficient water."

Harvesting rice on terraced field

Giang My Ly said leveling the field is the most important step, requiring developed techniques and long experience. After clearing the land, they estimate by eye the flattest spot on which to build the first terrace. 
Giang A Dinh, another Lao Cai resident, said: "Some of us went to school to study agriculture, so our cultivation method has been improved. But we still reclaim land on the hill side to make terraced fields which also creates a beautiful landscape. We have our own techniques for measuring the land."

Looking at the impressive terraced fields in Yen Bai and Lao Cai province, it’s hard to believe they were built by generations of Mong people using simple farm tools.
Giàng A Trư lives in Yen Bai province. "Mong people work hard on difficult terrain but our lives remain difficult. Our most valuable asset is our work experience. After building terraced fields, we have to choose a plough and buffalo suitable to the mountain terrain."

Mong people have never thought much about what skillful engineers and artists they are to create much productive fields and such a beautiful landscape.