Rice paddy art comes to rural Yangzhou

The rice paddy painting in Maji town, Yangzhou city takes shape. [Photo/yznews.cn]

Above a 60-mu (4-hectare) paddy field in Maji town, a rural part of Yangzhou city, a quite spectacular sight can be seen. 

Rice is obviously a common food in Maji, but it can also be used creatively and artistically, as is the case in a paddy painting which has emerged in the town. 

Seen from above, the four Chinese characters of qinqing Maji (meaning a deep affection for Maji town) can be seen in all its glory, as can the patterns of ribbon and clouds which form a decoration around them. 

Li Yonggao, a local official, said that as the rice grows riper, the paddy creation will become even more of a sight to behold. 

"Visitors can feast their eyes on the rice paddy art until November," Li said. 

The secret lying behind the creation is not only the specific paddy layout designed by computers, but also the colorful rice seedlings planted. 

"Apart from the traditional green ones, we have introduced black, purple and yellow styles, with some colorized in fruits, some in leaves, and others in husks," Li said. 

"For example, the four Chinese characters of qinqing Maji are shaped by purple-leaf rice, while the ribbons are formed by yellow-leaf ones."