Shoppers at a busy shopping mall in China stopped to watch an unusual event after organizers transformed part of the building into a temporary rice field for a planting contest.
The event attracted large crowds as contestants stepped into a muddy field built inside the mall. Video footage showed spectators standing around the competition area and watching from upper floors as participants planted rice seedlings by hand. The contest turned an ordinary shopping trip into a unique experience for visitors.
Temporary Rice Field
According to information displayed at the event, organizers brought in about 40 tonnes of soil and 5,000 rice seedlings to create the indoor rice field. The large installation covered a section of the mall and was designed to resemble a traditional paddy field.
Contestants wore farming hats and worked in the muddy area while shoppers gathered around the barriers. As participants carefully planted rows of seedlings, many visitors snapped photos and videos. The unusual location attracted attention, as planting of rice usually takes place in rural farmland and not in an urban shopping center.
Race Against Time
The competition involved planting rice seedlings as fast and accurately as possible. Organizers set a time limit while judges observed the contestants’ work.
Footage showed competitors moving through the muddy field and placing seedlings into the soil. Some participants were able to perform the metacervix examination at a steady pace, and others attempted to perform more rows before time was up and racing. The competition was a mix of the old and the new—both the knowledge of agriculture and the thrill of a public contest.
Explanatory large screens and signs around the venue helped to explain the activity to shoppers. People of all ages took part as visitors came to witness the activity and fill the mall with a lively atmosphere.
Crowds Gather To Watch
During the event, the indoor competition was among the most popular attractions in the mall. A large number of spectators gathered around walkways and balconies to view the event.
Organizing a farming activity in a commercial building resulted in a captivating juxtaposition of traditional farming and modern urban life. The temporary rice field provided the people who came to the city to buy rice with a rare opportunity to watch the rice planting up close without going out of the city. The audience stood in awe at the bizarre competition going on within the shopping mall as the participants finished their assignments.
Watch the video here:
@chinaminutes 🌾 More than 1,000 people signed up for an indoor rice planting competition at a shopping mall in Ningbo, eastern China. Inspired by the popular farming reality show Become a Farmer (种地吧), organisers brought 5,000 rice seedlings and 40 tonnes of soil into the mall, transforming its atrium into a temporary rice field. Participants competed to plant seedlings correctly within a set time limit, with only 1 in 10 advancing to the next round. The event sparked debate online, with some questioning whether the seedlings would be wasted. Organisers said all seedlings will later be transplanted into real farmland, adding that the goal was to give urban residents a hands-on experience of farming and food production. 💭 Would you sign up for a competition like this?👇🏼 ——— #viralchallenge #contest #rice #competition #chinacore
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