The unusual hill formations in this area of southern China have been the subject of paintings and poetry for many centuries. Their proximity to the East China Sea brings a warm, humid, productive climate for agriculture. Lacking any written language of their own, the She have relied on songs and oral narratives to preserve their identity and history as a people. Only the She living in the Guangdong province have managed to preserve their inherent language, legends, customs, habits, and costumes. She families live in small rural villages that are distributed across southeastern China.
Communities range in size from as many as forty households to as few as three or four.
Most settlements lie in the river valleys and are surrounded and outnumbered by Han Chinese towns. She communities are compact, and are often protected by barricades. Since the fertile soil and accommodating climate make the region almost perfect for farming, most of the She are engaged in agriculture. Rice, sweet potatoes, and wheat are among their principal crops. Timber, bamboo, and famous teas are grown in the mountainous areas.