The magnificent Ziquejie Terraces in Xinhua, Hunan province, recently embraced the hues of midsummer. Waves of young rice plants, shimmering under the sunlight, cascaded down the slopes, painting the mountainside in green.

Standing atop the peaks, observers witnessed a delicate mist wreathe the mountains and transform the landscape into a living scroll of lush green hills and clear waters. At times, it gently curled around the terraced fields like sheer silk; at others, it surged over the ridges like an incoming tide.

Distant villages emerged and dissolved within the clouds, appearing to float in the sky. As the morning light pierced through the cloud layers, it gilded the terraces with a soft golden halo.