The Dujiangyan () is an ancient

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

system in

Dujiangyan City Dujiangyan () is a county-level city of Sichuan Province, Southwest China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Chengdu. Its north-west region forms a border with southern Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. ...

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. Originally constructed around 256 BC by the State of

Qin Qin may refer to: Dynasties and states * Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China * Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC * Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...

as an irrigation and flood control project, it is still in use today. The system's infrastructure develops on the Min River (Minjiang), the longest tributary of the

Yangtze The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...

. The area is in the west part of the

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

Plain, between the

Sichuan Basin The Sichuan Basin (), formerly transliterated as the Szechwan Basin, sometimes called the Red Basin, is a lowland region in southwestern China. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is drained by the upper Yangtze River and its tributa ...

and the

Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central, South and East Asia covering most of the Ti ...

. Originally, the Min would rush down from the

Min Mountains Min Mountains or Minshan () are a mountain range in central China. It runs in the general north-south direction through northern Sichuan (the eastern part of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture and adjacent areas of Mianyang Prefect ...

and slow down abruptly after reaching the Chengdu Plain, filling the watercourse with silt, thus making the nearby areas extremely prone to floods.

King Zhao of Qin King Zhaoxiang of Qin (; 325–251 BC), or King Zhao of Qin (秦昭王), born Ying Ji (, was the king of Qin from 306 BC to 251 BC. He was the son of King Huiwen and younger brother of King Wu. King Zhaoxiang reigned as the King of Qin for 57 ...

commissioned the project, and the construction of the Dujiangyan harnessed the river using a new method of channeling and dividing the water rather than simply damming it. The water management scheme is still in use today to irrigate over of land in the region. The Dujiangyan, the

Zhengguo Canal The Zhengguo Canal, Zhengguoqu or Chengkuo Canal (), named after its designer, Zheng Guo, is a large canal located in Shaanxi province, China. The canal irrigates the Guanzhong plain, north of Xi'an. Together with the Dujiangyan Irrigation Syst ...

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...

and the

Lingqu Canal The Lingqu () is a canal in Xing'an County, near Guilin, in the northwestern corner of Guangxi, China. It connects the Xiang River (which flows north into the Yangtze) with the Li River (Guangxi), Li River (which flows south into the Gui River ...

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...

are collectively known as the "three great hydraulic engineering projects of the Qin."

History

Planning

During the

Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...

, people who lived along the banks of the Min River were plagued by annual flooding.

hydrologist Li Bing investigated the problem and discovered that the river was swelled by fast flowing spring melt-water from the local mountains that burst the banks when it reached the slow moving and heavily silted stretch below. One solution would have been to build a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

, but the Qin wanted to keep the waterway open for military vessels to supply troops on the frontier, so instead an artificial

levee A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually soil, earthen and that often runs parallel (geometry), parallel to ...

was constructed to redirect a portion of the river's flow and then to cut a channel through Mount Yulei to discharge the excess water upon the dry

Chengdu Plain The Chengdu Plain (Chinese: 成都平原; Pinyin: Chéngdū Píngyuán), known as Cuanxi Bazi (Chinese: 川西坝子; Sichuanese Pinyin: Cuan1xi1 Ba4zi3) in Sichuanese, is an alluvial plain located in the western part of the Sichuan Basin in so ...

beyond.

Construction

allocated 100,000

tael Tael (),"Tael" entry
at the

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

filled with stones known as Zhulong held in place by wooden tripods known as Macha. The construction of a water-diversion levee resembling a fish's mouth took four years to complete. Cutting the channel proved to be a far greater problem, as the tools available at the time, before

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). ...

was invented, could not penetrate the hard rock of the mountain, so a combination of fire and water used heat and cool the rocks until they cracked and could be removed. After eight years of work, a -wide channel had been gouged through the mountain.

Legacy

After the system was finished, no more floods occurred. The irrigation made

the most productive agricultural region in

. The construction is also credited with giving the people of the region a laid-back attitude to life; by eliminating disaster and ensuring a regular and bountiful harvest, it has left them with plenty of free time. The original Dujiangyan Irrigation System was destroyed by the 1933 Diexi earthquake. The current Dujiangyan Irrigation System was rebuilt by Zhang Yuan and his sons after the Diexi Earthquake in 1933. Zhang Yuan and his son refer to Zhang Yuan (张沅) and his son Zhang Shiling (张世龄). In 2000, Dujiangyan became a

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. Today it has become a major tourist attraction in Sichuan.

2008 Sichuan earthquake

On May 12, 2008 a massive earthquake struck a vast portion of west Sichuan, including the Dujiangyan area. Initial reports indicated that the Yuzui Levee was cracked but not severely damaged. Diversion of flow could still be seen as the river turns. Panorama of Inner Stream of Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Panorama of Inner Stream of Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Engineering Constructions

Dujiangyan-Irrigation-System-TOUR-Map104

Irrigation Head

The Irrigation System consists of three main constructions that work in harmony with one another to ensure against flooding and keep the fields well supplied with water: The Yuzui or Fish Mouth Levee, named for its conical head that is said to resemble the mouth of a fish, is the key part of the construction. It is an artificial

that divides the water into inner and outer streams. The inner stream is deep and narrow, while the outer stream is relatively shallow but wide. This special structure ensures that the inner stream carries approximately 60% of the river's flow into the irrigation system during dry season. While during flood, this amount decreases to 40% to protect the people from flooding. The outer stream drains away the rest, flushing out much of the silt and sediment. The Feishayan or Flying Sand Weir has a -wide opening that connects the inner and outer streams. This ensures against flooding by allowing the natural swirling flow of the water to drain out excess water from the inner to the outer stream. The swirl also drains out silt and sediment that failed to go into the outer stream. A modern reinforced

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...

weir A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...

has replaced the original weighted bamboo baskets. The Baopingkou or Bottle-Neck Channel, which was gouged through the mountain, is the final part of the system. The channel distributes the water to the farmlands in the Chengdu Plain, whilst the narrow entrance, that gives it its name, works as a check gate, creating the whirlpool flow that carries away the excess water over Flying Sand Fence, to ensure against flooding.

Anlan Suspension Bridge

Anlan or Couple's Bridge spans the full width of the river connecting the artificial island to both banks and is known as one of the ''Five Ancient Bridges of China''. The original Zhupu Bridge only spanned the inner stream connecting the levee to the foot of Mount Yulei. This was replaced in the

Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

by Pingshi Bridge which burned down during the wars that marked the end of the

Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

. In 1803 during the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

a local man named He Xiande and his wife proposed the construction of a replacement, made of wooden plates and bamboo handrails, to span both streams and this was nicknamed Couple's Bridge in their honour. This was demolished in the 1970s and replaced by a modern bridge.

Temple Sites

Two Kings Temple

Erwang or Two Kings Temple is on the bank of the river at the foot of Mount Yulei. The original Wangdi Temple built in memory of an ancient Shu king was moved, so locals renamed the temple here. The 10,072 m²

wooden complex conforms to the traditional standard of temple design except that it does not follow a north-south axis. The main hall, which contains a modern statue of Li Bing, opens up onto a courtyard facing an opera stage. On Li Bing's traditional birthday, 24th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, local operas were performed for the public, and on

Tomb Sweeping Day The Qingming festival or Ching Ming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English (sometimes also called Chinese Memorial Day or Ancestors' Day), is a traditional Chinese festival observed by the Han Chinese of mainland China, Hong Ko ...

a Water Throwing Festival is held. The rear hall contains a modern statue of the god

Erlang Shen Erlang Shen () or Erlang, also known as the Lord of Sichuan (), is a Chinese god with a third truth-seeing eye in the middle of his forehead. Erlang Shen may be a deified version of several semi-mythical folk heroes who helped regulate China ...

. Some say Erlang Shen was Li Erlang, but historic records do not confirm this, and it is possible that he was invented by locals as a

false god The phrase ''false god'' is a derogatory term used in Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, the Baháʼí Faith, and Islam) to indicate cult images or deities of non-Abrahamic Pagan religions, as well as other competin ...

. Guanlantin Pavilion stands above the complex and is inscribed with wise words from Li Bing such as, ''When the river flows in zigzags, cut a straight channel; when the riverbed is wide and shallow, dig it deeper.''

Dragon-Taming Temple

Fulongguan or Dragon-Taming Temple in Lidui Park was founded in the third century in honour of

Fan Changsheng Fan Changsheng (范長生 fàn chángshēng) (died 318) was a Taoist priest and leader who was instrumental in the establishment of the Cheng Han state during the Sixteen Kingdoms era in China. He led a Taoist community of over one thousand families ...

. Following Li Bing's death a hall was established here in his honour and the temple was renamed to commemorate the dragon fighting legends that surrounded him. It is here that

, the legendary son of Li Bing, is said to have chained the dragon that he and his 7 friends had captured in an ambush at the River God Temple when it came to collect a human sacrifice. This action is said to have protected the region from floods ever since. During the East Han Dynasty a statue of Li Bing was placed in the river to monitor the water flow, with the level rising above his shoulders to indicate flood and falling beneath his calves to indicate drought. Recovered from the river in 1974 and placed on display in the main hall, this is the oldest known stone statue of a human in China.

References

{{authority control AAAAA-rated tourist attractions Canals in China Chinese architectural history Chinese inventions Irrigation in China Irrigation projects Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Sichuan National parks of China Qin (state) Tourist attractions in Chengdu World Heritage Sites in China Qin dynasty architecture he:הר צ'ינגצ'נג ומערכת ההשקיה של דוג'יאנגין#מערכת ההשקיה של דוּגְ'יָאנְגְיֵן