From the heritage of irrigation engineering, we can see the five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization
Li Yunpeng
In the 5,000-year development of Chinese civilization, irrigation projects have always continued to support the development of agricultural economy and are still the basic guarantee of national food security. The irrigation engineering heritage has outstanding historical, scientific and technological value and cultural value, and the rich irrigation engineering heritage also reflects the five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization: continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness and peace.
One
The life of the Chinese nation is extended by the flow of great rivers, and irrigation also plays an important supporting role in the sustainable development of Chinese civilization. Archaeological discoveries have confirmed that as early as more than 10,000 years ago, relatively mature rice agriculture appeared on the mainland. About 10 tons of carbonized rice were unearthed at the Liangzhu site nearly 5,000 years ago, proving that rice farming had developed to a considerable scale at that time, and the support of irrigation projects was obviously indispensable. More than 1600 years BC, the ruins of Shangdu excavated a complete irrigation trunk and branch canal system, which proved the high level of irrigation at that time. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were the first climax of irrigation project construction. At that time, the three major water conservancy projects of the Qin Dynasty, Dujiangyan, Zhengguo Canal, and Ling Canal, were built one after another, the first two were irrigation projects, and the Ling Canal gradually played an irrigation function after the Tang Dynasty. Successive dynasties have continued to maintain and develop old projects, develop and create new projects, and have built countless types of canal sluices and weirs, promoting the continuous expansion of the development space of irrigated agriculture.
About 10 tons of carbonized rice were unearthed at the Liangzhu site 5,000 years ago (photo by Zhang Weidong)
The restored stone canal on display at the Zhengzhou Shangdu Ruins Museum
At present, the mainland has successfully declared the world irrigation engineering heritage projects, including Shaobi in the 6th century B.C., Dujiangyan and Zhengguo Canal in the 3rd century B.C., Dongfeng Weir built in the Qing Dynasty, and Luohui Canal built in modern times. In addition, such as Shaobei, Dujiangyan, Zhengguo Canal, Ningxia Yellow River Ancient Irrigation Area, etc., many irrigation engineering heritage can continue to be used for hundreds of thousands of years, reflecting the continuity of the development of irrigation projects in the mainland.
Shaobei, Shou County, Anhui Province
Sichuan Dujiangyan treasure bottle mouth
Zhengguo Canal, Zhengguo Lake, Shaanxi
Ningxia Yellow Ancient Irrigation Area (Qingtongxia)
Two
With the continuous migration of population to the south, the economic center of gravity has gradually shifted to the south, and the expansion of irrigation project construction has generally shown a trend from north to south in space. From the topographical point of view, the construction conditions of irrigation projects gradually develop from plain basins to hills and mountains, to riverside, lakeside and coastal flats, and to low-lying swamps and lake water surfaces. Agricultural irrigation water conditions then show a trend of "from easy to difficult", and promote the development of irrigation engineering technology from simple to complex, from temporary engineering facilities to permanent engineering facilities.
The existing world irrigation engineering heritage in mainland China contains a wealth of innovative ideas and technical models, which has important reference value for the development of modern water conservancy. For example, the low-impact development model represented by the non-dam water diversion in the Dujiangyan and Ningxia Huanggu irrigation areas and the water control concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature; Strategies and technologies for water diversion and siltation irrigation in sandy rivers such as Zhengguo Canal and Yellow River Loop; Zhejiang Lishui Tongji Weir is the earliest arched weir dam built, and the trunk canal preserves the longest history of water interchange engineering; The ancient large-scale masonry structures such as Shanweir, Mulanpi, Qianjinpi, Chatanpi, Wumenyan, Tianbaopi and Bainiyan have been preserved to this day, reflecting the superb level of foundation treatment, structural design and material technology of traditional water conservancy engineering construction under different geological conditions and river hydrological conditions in the historical period. Huoquan's strict irrigation water system embodies the combination of government and private irrigation management in the historical period, which is concrete, feasible, strict and effective......
The original appearance of Dujiangyan
Ancient irrigation area of Ningxia
Hetao Irrigation Area of Inner Mongolia
Zhejiang Lishui Tongji weir arch barrage
Ningbo it mountain weir
Fujian Putian Mulan Pi Qian Siniang statue
Jiangxi Fuzhou Qianjinpi site
Chatanpi, Taihe County, Jiangxi
Wumenyan, Chenggu County, Shaanxi
Tianbaopi, Fuqing City, Fujian
The stone weir in Bainiyan, Chongyang, Hubei Province is in a polygonal shape (photo by Wu Taotao)
Three
The development of irrigation plays an important role in promoting and maintaining national unity, national prosperity and people's strength, and social stability.
Among the existing world irrigation engineering heritage on the mainland, the construction of Zhengguo Canal and Ling Canal directly promoted the unification of the Qin Dynasty and played an important historical role in the history of the development of Chinese civilization. The expansion of the irrigation function of the Lingqu Canal has played an important role in ensuring the stability and smoothness of the strategic passage of the Hunan and Guizhou Corridor and maintaining the unity of the Lingnan region. The construction and development of the Huanggu Irrigation Area and the Hetao Irrigation Area in Ningxia continue to play an important role in supporting and guaranteeing the development of the agricultural economy, social stability, and the people's living and working in peace and contentment in the historical period and even in the Northwest Region. The Sakya ancient water storage and irrigation system and the terraced rice fields of the Purple Magpie Boundary have played an important supporting role in the agricultural development, multi-ethnic integration and regional social stability in ethnic minority areas. At the same time, the long-term unity and stability of the country also provides a guarantee for the sustainable development of irrigated agriculture.
Guangxi Lingqu ploughshare and size balance
Four
Irrigation agriculture and food production are directly related to the survival and development of human beings, so irrigation culture has the characteristics of inclusiveness, and can coexist and integrate harmoniously with different regional cultures, different ethnic cultures, and different religious cultures.
The Dongfeng weir of the Jiajiang River in Sichuan was originally called "Pilu Yan", and the main canal passes under the Thousand Buddha Rocks, and the irrigation project is organically integrated with the Buddhist culture. Dujiangyan's water control three-character scripture and six-character formula are summarized and condensed by Taoist priests, and the Dujiangyan irrigation project and Taoist culture have integrated and developed and achieved each other in history. The irrigation water management of Huoquan in Hongdong County, Shanxi Province is closely related to the worship of the water god of Mingying Wang, the son of the mountain god of Huoshan Mountain in Zhongzhen, and the Guangsheng Upper and Lower Temples of Buddhism. The irrigation agricultural culture of the terraced fields of Ziquejie and the culture of many ethnic minorities in the region, the two major irrigation agricultural cultures of the Yellow River in the Hetao area and the Hui and Mongolian cultures, and the ancient water storage irrigation system of Sakya and the Tibetan culture have been fully integrated in the process of historical development, and the irrigation culture with unique regional characteristics has been derived. Taoism uses irrigation public utilities to enhance its influence, while irrigation area management establishes authority and enhances cohesion with the help of religion and water god worship, reflecting the coexistence and mutual promotion of irrigation projects and various folk beliefs in history.
The Dongfeng weir of the Jiajiang River in Sichuan was originally called "Pilu Yan", and the main canal passed under the Thousand Buddha Rock.
Sichuan Dujiangyan's water control three-character scripture and six-character formula
The source of Huoquan in Hongdong County, Shanxi Province and the murals of the water temple of Guangsheng Temple
Hunan Xinhua purple magpie boundary terraces
Ancient water storage irrigation system in Sakya, Tibet
Five
The Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation, based on agriculture, relocated to the land, accustomed to taking root, working hard, and seeking development on the spot, and the heritage of irrigation projects generally reflects the peaceful characteristics of the Chinese nation and embodies the peace gene rooted in the blood of the nation. The construction and maintenance of irrigation projects in successive dynasties are often to solve the basic survival and development needs of the population such as food and clothing, stable people's livelihood, etc., and all irrigation engineering heritage is reflected in the development. The construction of irrigation projects embodies the strong desire of the state and the people to develop local agriculture, stabilize people's livelihood, and live and work in peace and contentment, and is the cornerstone of maintaining and guaranteeing peace.
It is of great historical and practical significance to scientifically protect the heritage of irrigation projects and deeply excavate and publicize the irrigation culture to strengthen cultural self-confidence, continue the historical context, and promote the high-quality development of water conservancy in the new era.
This article was published in the 5th edition of China Water Conservancy News on November 9, 2023
About author:Li Yunpeng, born in 1985, Ph.D., is a senior engineer of China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, mainly engaged in the research of water conservancy history and water conservancy heritage protection, and is currently the deputy director of the Institute of Water Conservancy History, the director of the Key Laboratory of Water Conservancy Heritage Protection, the deputy director of the Key Scientific Research Base of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for the Protection and Research of Water Conservancy Heritage, and the secretary-general of the Special Committee on Water Conservancy History and Water Conservancy Heritage of the Chinese Hydraulic Society. In recent years, a lot of work has been carried out in the research and protection of the hydraulic heritage of the Grand Canal, the application and protection of the world irrigation engineering heritage, and the investigation and protection of regional water conservancy heritage, and remarkable progress has been made. He has presided over or participated in the completion of more than 40 scientific research projects, published more than 40 papers, edited or participated in the compilation of more than 10 monographs, and won 1 provincial and ministerial science and technology award and 6 other awards.
Source: China Water Conservancy News, Water Culture Special Issue
Author: Li Yunpeng