Yunnan's rice fields become stages for culture and discovery

The attraction of the rice fields extends beyond the food. Visitors can sample rice-based dishes, catch fish and shrimp in the paddies and browse stalls selling Dai clothing, jewelry, bamboo crafts and paper-cutting. Traditional performances and fashion shows turn the fields into an open-air cultural venue.

For farmers, meanwhile, the paddies are becoming more productive in another sense.

Rice-fish and rice-shrimp farming allows aquatic products to be raised alongside rice. Fish feed on insects and weeds, while their waste provides nutrients for the fields, creating an agricultural system that produces more than one harvest from the same piece of land.

The festival gives these products another route to consumers. It also gives visitors more reasons to stay. Some travelers discover Yingjiang through short-video platforms before making the journey.

The county is a major grain-producing area. Rice was planted on about 14,400 hectares this year, with total output expected to exceed 145,000 metric tons.

Local officials are looking beyond the sale of raw grain, exploring ways to add value through specialty foods, cultural products and tourism.

At the festival, local artisans displayed embroidery, bamboo work, paper-cutting and other handicrafts alongside agricultural products. Traditional clothing featured in a fashion show, while children joined activities in the paddies.

For young Haomao maker Ban Guohua, the appeal lies in keeping the tradition alive while giving it room to evolve.

"Every step has its own details," he says. "It is not only a competition, but also an opportunity to learn from the old traditions."