[Photo from chinadaily.com.cn]

Put into the list of world historical heritage conservation, Dujiangyan Irrigation Works is like the dazzling pearl with silver ribbon in Chengdu Plain. For more than 2,250 years of irrigation, it has not only benefited the local people but also won the wonderful fame of the 'land of abundance' to ancient Shu State.

This system still plays an indispensable role in irrigation and that's where the happiness and pleasure of Chengdu people come.

Li Bing Building Dujiangyan

Ever since the Vernal Equinox every year, it turns warmer and gentle rain will gracefully come down with the change of season. The releasing water festival has been held as a custom for more than a thousand years before the stealthily rising water in the Minjian River rushes downwards between the steep valleys.

Li Bing and his son

Although it is a span of hundreds of years between the legends about Da Yu controlling the floods and Li Bing building the dam, there was no stop in harnessing the Minjiang River. Before Qin State overthrew Shu State, the civilized kingdom of ancient Shu was founded on the basis of harnessing the Minjiang water.

According to the historical material, Bie Ling, the first head governor of the Shu State, was an expert in harnessing waters. He observed the geographical situations, measured the water flow and excavated the Yulei aMountain nd the Jintang County Straits (the straits between Longquan Mountain in Jintang county and Yunding Mountain) to release water and finally controlled the floods so that the local people could live happily without troubles of floods.

Dujiangyan Dam, the Outstanding Irrigation System

Thanks to victory over floods, rapid economic development and strong comprehensive state power, the ancient Shu State began to expand its territory on a large scale with the capital Piyi as the core and conquer the surrounding areas. The territory of Shu obtained the realm of Pa people in the east bordering Chu State, reached Yunnan in the south, conquered Qiang ethnic group in the west and arrived at Han River sharing frontier with powerful Qin State.