Nestled along the contiguous borders of Yunnan, Guizhou Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southwestern China, the county of Luoping sits 220 kilometers east of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. In February, the entire county transforms into an ocean of rape flowers, a sight so extraordinary that it draws tourists from around the world specifically to take in this spectacle of nature. Allured by the aroma, waves of butterflies and bees flit across the vast rape flower fields. Luoping’s rape fields are interconnected and compose the world’s widest expanse of rape flowers, with an area of more than 13,000 hectares.

Earthen hills rise from golden fields. Maohong928/Microfotos

Tourists among the boundless rape flower fields in Luoping. by Yang Muyuan/Xinhua

Rape fields in the form of concentric coils are commonly known as spiral fields. by Lin Yiguang/Xinhua

The boundless rape flower fields present a unique tourist attraction in Luoping. In 2008, the county received 1.1 million tourists from home and abroad and earned a total of 600 million yuan in tourism revenue. On January 15, 2009, the Luoping International Rape Flower Culture and Travel Festival opened and ran until April 1.

Passing by Shizong County and heading further eastwards along the Nanning-Kunming Railway or the No.324 National Highway, one will encounter one after another yellow rape flower fields dotting the green mountainsides. From a distance, the Wanzi Reservoir against the marvelous karst landscape is like a jade inlaid in the yellow expanse of rape blossoms. However, these rape flower fields are merely the remains of the waves of rape flowers running from Baila Mountain, from where the sea of flowers really extends.

A beekeeper at work. CFP

Golden blossoms, blue sky. Likefar.com

Oxcarts are an indigenous form of transport by which visitors may tour the golden fields. Likefar.com

The Nanning-Kunming Railway runs along the hillsides, like a silver coastline of the ocean of rape flowers, while the No.324 National Highway is like a sea lane across the ocean.

Viewed from the top of Baila Mountain, the county seat of Luoping is like an island within the ocean of rape flowers, a scene so unreal as to seem like a mirage.

Early in the morning, the dense fog forms a soft blanket. The mist in the county’s Jinji area composes a particularly special scene: Countless round hilltops float atop a sea of fog and are dyed golden by the sunlight radiating from all directions. As the day advances the fog gradually drops away to reveal the terrain and landscape. In the distance, a vehicle siren sounds on the highroads, and from time to time one will hear the long whistle of trains along the Nanning-Kunming Railway.

At the foot of the mountain, one may encounter several Bouyei women walking along the narrow paths amidst rape fields wrapped by the morning fog. The smell of smoke from kitchen chimneys lingers in the air. A flock of chickens peck the ground in search of seeds in the courtyard, while several head of cattle eat grass in peace by the croplands. Not far away, an old man smokes in silence. An irrigation canal carries water from a nearby pond to cross fences to nurture the soil of the rape flower fields.

As the fog fades away, the ocean of yellow rape blossoms emerges. It is said that Jinji Mountain is the best place to view rape flowers, and this would seem to be true. Viewed from the mountaintop, a boundless expanse of rape blossoms appears like a huge sheet of golden satin stretching to the horizon. On the horizon, several cone-shaped karst peaks rise magnificently amidst the ocean of rape flowers.

One may see many “boats” floating on the ocean of flowers. Actually, they are the vehicles of beekeepers, who are nicknamed “gypsies of China,” for they drift across the country seeking floral sources of honey. While the bees they raised are busy collecting pollen in the flowers, the beekeepers casually light campfires beside their vehicles.

Year after year, the bees are transported here to collect pollen, in exchange ensuring the harvest of rapeseeds. Today, Luoping produces nearly 30,000 tons of rapeseeds each year, ranking as the largest producer of rapeseed in Yunnan, and as one of China’s 31 major rapeseed growing bases. The rapeseed oil produced in Luoping is known across the world for its good quality and reasonable price.