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Why did Miao and Yao communities traditionally use shifting agriculture in Guangxi?
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Guangxi
These towering karst formations near Guilin form one of China's most iconic natural landscapes, having long inspired Tang dynasty poets, Song-era painters, and contemporary travelers alike.
In Guangxi, the Miao and Yao communities traditionally practiced shifting, or slash-and-burn, agriculture primarily because they are upland dwellers who face a significant scarcity of arable land.1
This system of cultivation serves as an adaptation to their environment, where the lack of flat, fertile land makes permanent, intensive farming difficult. By clearing plots of land and cultivating them for a short period before allowing the soil to regenerate, these communities were able to sustain their subsistence economy in mountainous regions. In addition to farming, their traditional economy has historically relied on activities such as lumbering, charcoal production, and bamboo basketry.21