Green hills, golden harvest

On a viewing platform at the Nine-Bend Cloud Ring, the terraces' core scenic area, a night of rain had left the paddies glistening under morning mist. Liu Chenxiao of the Yunhe Terraces marketing center gave an interview as tourists jostled for selfies behind him, their laughter filling the cool air.

"Our visitors used to be mostly from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai," Liu said. "Now we're seeing more people from across the country, and even international backpackers who make a special trip to Yunhe. They come to immerse themselves in farming life, experience the culture of the She — a major ethnic group in this region — and 'breathe oxygen' in the mountains."

The scenic area now offers interactive experiences such as catching rice field fish and collecting duck eggs, designed to let visitors get closer to the terraces' rural charm.

The county has also developed specialty agricultural brands. Du Ye, the agriculture bureau official, cited the terraces "three whites" — white chili pepper, white cucumber and white eggplant — grown at high altitude. A local e-commerce brand, Baihejian, sells chili sauce made from local peppers, popular as far away as Sichuan province. Another brand, Terraces 18 Flavors, features 18 local dishes served in village homestays.

"All the ingredients are fresh and local," Du said.

Price of nature

For Cao Haiping, the FAO award underscores the global resonance of China's ecological conservation philosophy. "We have formed a virtuous cycle — ecological protection benefits those who protect it," he said. "That is the core lesson for other developing countries. Protection must come first. Second, local governments must guide the process so that participants benefit. Only then can you achieve ecological value conversion."

Back in Kenggen, Wang has no doubt he made the right move. He is already planning to expand. "I've treated nearly 100 people in two months," he said.

His clinic, with its simple wooden furniture and herbal scent, overlooks a stone alley where tourists wander past renovated cow sheds turned into cafes.

"The mountains are still here," he said. "And now, people come to see them."