It rains here for up to 250 days a year, and standing water is everywhere. In the floodplain of the Yangtze River, black-tailed godwits probe the mud in search of worms. But isn't just wildlife that thrives in this environment. The swampy ground provides ideal conditions for a remarkable member of the grass family. Rice. The Chinese have been cultivating rice for at least 8,000 years. It has transformed the landscape. Late winter in southern Yunnan is a busy time for local farmers as they prepare the age-old paddy fields ready for the coming spring.