두장옌 풍경구

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System is the oldest surviving ancient water conservancy project in China, and one of the most remarkable feats of civil engineering in world history. Standing on the Min River west of modern Dujiangyan city, it was built around 256 BCE by Li Bing, governor of Shu commandery under the Qin state, together with his son. Rather than damming the river, the works divide the violent current of the Min into an outer river that carries floodwaters away and an inner river that feeds a vast irrigation network, transforming the western Sichuan plain into the famed "Land of Abundance." Listed together with Mount Qingcheng as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains in active use today, more than two thousand years after it was first cut into the mountainside.

The site is explored as a walking circuit along both banks of the river. Three great works form the heart of the system. Yuzui, the "Fish Mouth" water-dividing dike, splits the Min into its two channels and regulates the proportion of water that flows to irrigation versus flood discharge. Feishayan, the spillway, automatically flushes excess water and silt out of the inner river during floods. Baopingkou, the "Bottle-Neck Channel," is the narrow cut through Mt. Yulei that Li Bing carved by heating the rock with fire and cracking it with cold water, the final gateway that sends irrigation water into the Chengdu plain. Each piece is elegant in its simplicity, and together they form a self-regulating system that has functioned for over two millennia without a single dam.

The scenic area is much more than engineering. Ancient temples, suspension bridges sweeping across the roaring river, stone inscriptions, and shaded walkways line the route. Fulong Temple sits atop Lidui, the small mound separated from Mt. Yulei when Baopingkou was cut, and offers one of the most dramatic views of the rushing water below. The Anlan Suspension Bridge, swaying above the river between the two banks, is a highlight for many visitors. Plan at least half a day to walk the full site, and more if you want to visit the museum and temples in depth.

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System is the central attraction of the city that takes its name from the works, and nearly every visitor to the region passes through. It pairs naturally with Mount Qingcheng, just a short drive away, and with the riverside South Bridge and Guanxian Ancient City, which sit at its eastern entrance. Arrive early in the morning to beat the tour groups, and bring water and comfortable shoes, as the walking route includes stairs and uneven stone paths.