Farmers furrow Hechi fields

Farmers in Longma village in Dahua Yao autonomous county plow a luffa field, on Feb 14, four days before Rain Water, the second solar term of the year. Rain Water signals the increase in rainfall and a rise in temperatures – an ideal time to start plowing. [Photo by Huang Xiaobang/news.cn]

An aerial photo taken on Feb 14 shows a vast swathe of fields in rural Hechi. As rains and temperatures increase the fields reach their fertile peak. [Photo by Zhang Ailin/news.cn]

Rows of planted luffa create geometric shapes in the fields when viewed from above. [Photo by Zhang Ailin/news.cn]

Busy at work, farmers plow the soil ready to plant luffa seeds just in time for Rain Water, the second solar term of the year, which falls on Feb 18. [Photo by Huang Xiaobang/news.cn]