The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces reflects an integrated four-fold system of forests above, villages in the middle, terraces below and the water system running through.

This spatial layout allows scientific circulation of materials and flow of energy. Forests supply water to villages and rice terraces; rice terraces supply water to forests at lower altitudes, and then the water is supplied to rice terraces at even lower altitudes; so that forests nourish rice terraces, which in turn nourish forests, allowing circulation of materials and energy in an ecological system.