Dujiangyan City

Why did ancient Chinese engineers decide to tame a river without a dam? Here in Dujiangyan City, stands a testament to their ingenuity: the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. Dujiangyan is more than just a city. It’s a living museum of ancient wisdom. Dujiangyan City became a county-level city in 1988. It was renamed after this incredible irrigation system. This system has been nurturing the Chengdu Plain, the “Land of Abundance,” for over 2,270 years. The Dujiangyan Irrigation System was built in 256 BC by Li Bing, governor of Shu Prefecture during the Qin Dynasty. He devised a brilliant system of “water diversion without a dam.” The Minjiang River, prone to flooding, needed taming. Li Bing, along with his son, created a system with three key components: Yuzui, Feishayan, and Baopingkou. Yuzui, a water-dividing dike, splits the river. Feishayan acts as a spillway, diverting excess water and sediment. Baopingkou, shaped like a bottleneck, controls the flow of water into the irrigation canals. The Dujiangyan Irrigation System is not just a feat of engineering. It’s a symbol of harmony between humans and nature. It’s a story of foresight. This system has continuously irrigated the Chengdu Plain, turning it into a fertile agricultural hub. It’s a story of innovation, a story written in water, stone, and time, a story that continues to flow here in Dujiangyan City.