Dujiangyan Irrigation System

都江堰

A water diversion system built in 256 BCE by Li Bing and his son, still in use today as a weir-free irrigation project. Its three main components, the Fish Mouth, the Flying Sand Weir, and the Bottle Mouth, are marvels of hydraulic engineering history.

Dujiangyan lies west of Dujiangyan city, at the mouth of the Min River where it leaves the mountains. Under King Zhaoxiang of Qin, Li Bing, the governor of Shu Commandery, oversaw its construction. For more than 2,200 years it has irrigated the Chengdu Plain. It is the oldest and only surviving weir-free water diversion project in the world that is still in use, and it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2000, together with Mount Qingcheng. Its core consists of three major works. The Fish Mouth divides the Min River into an inner and an outer channel. The Flying Sand Weir releases floodwater and flushes sediment. The Bottle Mouth channels water into the Chengdu Plain. A classic route begins at the main gate and passes through Lidui Park and the Irrigation Path. Visitors can see the Fulong Temple, which houses a statue of Li Bing, look down on the Bottle Mouth, cross the Flying Sand Weir to the Fish Mouth, and then walk across the Anlan Suspension Bridge, which spans the Min River and sways pleasantly, to the Erwang Temple on the far bank. The temple honors Li Bing and his son and is built into the mountainside. Finally, the Qinyan Tower offers a panoramic view, and you can ride an escalator down the hill and continue along the Songmao Ancient Road past Yulei Pass to South Bridge. South Bridge is a free covered bridge. On summer nights, locals come here to watch the river flow beneath it, drink tea, and enjoy night beer. Admission is RMB 80. Tickets are sold through the official “Dujiangyan Scenic Area” account, and sightseeing buses are available. Getting there: take the Chengguan high-speed railway from Xipu or Chengdu Station to Dujiangyan Station or Liduo Park Station (about 30–40 minutes; Liduo Park Station is only a few hundred meters from the site), or take Metro Line 2 to Xipu and transfer. You can combine a day trip with Mount Qingcheng, and the bus between the two scenic areas (Route 101) takes about 30 minutes. Allow half a day. Visitor flow is limited at the Anlan Suspension Bridge during busy periods, so queue patiently and walk slowly.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System

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