The Dujiangyan Irrigation System, 45km north of Chengdu, is the great technological achievement of ancient China. For more than 2,300 years of irrigation, Dujiangyan has benefited the local people just as it prevents Min River basin from annual flooding and made the ancient Shu State a famed ‘land of abundance'. This system still plays an indispensable function in agriculture. Beside, Dujiangyan survived from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake because of its firm structure. So it really deserves a visit.
This irrigation system was designed and implemented first in the china in the middle of 200 B.C. This is one of the oldest irrigation systems and this is still in function these days. They are the major source of water for many fields in china. They are placed in the min river in china. This irrigation system has a major function to regulate the flow of water. That is, during the rainy season they need to store the water so that they can manage the next summer season. This river was selected first as fields which are situated in the banks were flooded often in a single year. So the best method to stop this is by building an irrigation system in its banks.
Geographical Environment
【Location】
Dujiangyan is located in the west of Dujiangyan (formerly Guanxian County), it is the Minjiang River that in the west of Chengdu Plain, about 56 km away from Chengdu, 20 kilometers from Mount Qingcheng scenic spot.
【The Climate Characteristics】
Dujiangyan city belongs to humid subtropical monsoon climate zone, with an average annual temperature of 15.2 ℃, annual average rainfall of 1200 mm, annual average frost-free period 280 days. Here four seasons are distinctive, summer without heat, the hottest in July and August with the average temperature is about 24 ℃, the average highest temperature 28 ℃.No cold winter, the coldest in January, the average temperature of 4.6 ℃, the average minimum temperature at about 1 ℃.
What to See in Dujiangyan City
【Dujiangyan Irrigation System】
Dujiangyan water conservancy project makes full use of local geographical conditions of high northwest and low southeast, according to the special terrain of mountain and rivers and according to water vein and water potential to draw water without dam, to irrigate by gravity. The embankment, water diversion, flood discharge, desilting, current control is mutual independent and became a system to ensure the social comprehensive benefits of water flood control, irrigation, water transportation bring into full play. What is great is that it is enduring for more than 2250 years, and it produces more and more benefits. After the completion of Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the Chengdu plain became a vast expanse of fertile land.
The irrigation system consists of three sections: the Fish Mouth, which splits the Min River into the inner and outer rivers, the Feisha Dike, which helps reduce the amount of silt carried by the inner Min River before it flows into the Baopingkou ("mouth of the treasure bottle") Aqueduct, the third section which leads the waters into the Chengdu Plain. The bed of the outer river is convex while that of the inner river is concave. This fact, an integral part of Li Bing's original design, results in less slit going into the inner river which is primarily used for irrigation.
【Two Kings Temple】
Two Kings Temple is located in the Minjiang River right bank slope; it closes to Dujiangyan in the front. It was Emperor Temple originally for memory of the king of Shu, and in Qi dynasty Jianwu period (A.D. 494-498) it was offered sacrifices to Libing and his son, renamed the "Chongde Temple". After the Song dynasty (960-1279), Liing and his son have been knighted as king successively, so the temple was called "Two Kings Temple". In the main hall, there is the statue of Libing and his son, and there was water conservancy quotes, poet inscriptions and so on. The building group distributes in eastern Dujiangyan Irrigation System with large-scale, rigorous layout. It covers an area of about 50000 square meters, the main building about 10000 square meters. Two Kings Temple divided into east and west garden, east garden is landscape garden, west garden is for temple area.
【Fulong Temple】
Fulong Temple is located in the Lidui Park. Below is the Linshen Pool, it is said that when Libing and his son were here to prevent floods by water control, they subdued evil dragon under the Lidui, so in the early years of the northern Song dynasty in order to memory Libing, named "Fulong Temple" (means subdued dragon in Chinese). In the middle of front hall there is Libing stone figure carved in the eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD). Inside the hall, there are also weir workers statues of the eastern Han dynasty, Tang dynasty relic that Jinxian and Princess Yuzhen cultivated themselves according to a religious doctrine in Mount Qingcheng – Flying Dragon Ding (an ancient cooking vessel with two loop handles and three or four legs). Fulong Temple is also named Laowang Temple, Li Ancestral Temple, Li Temple, etc.
【Anlan Rope Bridge】
Anlan Rope Bridge also known as "Anlan Bridge", "Couple Bridge". It is located in Dujiangyan Fish Mouth, across both inside and outside two rivers, known as the one of the "five bridges of ancient China", is the most typical landscape of Dujiangyan. It was built in the Song dynasty, and in the late Ming dynasty (17th century AD) it was destroyed by war. Its ancient name is “Zhupu Bridge”, in the Song dynasty of the first year of Chunhua period, it was changed to "Pingshi Bridge", and in the Qing dynasty emperor Jiaqing built a new bridge and renamed "Anlan Bridge". The original bridge used wood block as base, hanging a thick bamboo cable cross the river, and there are planks as bridge deck. On both sides of bridge are bamboo rope railings, total length of about 500 meters.
How to get to Dujiangyan from Chengdu
【By bus】
1. Dujiangyan is 39 km away from Chengdu, 20 minutes driving through highway. Driving from Chengdu downtown to Dujiangyan through Chengguan Highway, it takes about 30 minutes' drive. In Chengdu West Gate Station there are tour buses 10 minutes interval from Chengdu to Dujiangyan. And in Dujiangyan city tourists can take bus No.1 and 4 or a taxi to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System Scenic Spot.
2. There are buses from Chengdu Chaidianzi to Dujiangyan city Passenger Transportation Center, started at 6:30 a.m. end at 7 p.m.
3. People can also take city rail transit (Chengguan Fast Rail) in the urban district to Dujiangyan, and it is segmented pricing, the highest price of 15 yuan.
4. There are non-stop buses to Dujiangyan City Passenger Transportation Center in Chengdu East station, but there is only one bus a day starting around 3:00 in the afternoon, about 2 hours’ driving.
【By Airport Surface Transport】
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport terminal has been opened surfaces transport to Dujiangyan in 2013, the line opened to fill the gaps that there is no direct airport transport line in west of Chengdu and provided a quick and convenient way for passengers for this area, but also meet the demand of travelers who want to go to Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng from airport.
Every day there are six buses from the Chengdu airport to Dujiangyan, the departure time respectively is at 12:30, 13:30, 14:20, 15:20 and 17:00. There are 8 buses from Dujiangyan to Chengdu Airport, the departure time is at 9:45, 10:35, 11:25, 12:20, 13:30, 14:30, 15:40, and 17:10.
Pick-up point: between the Chengdu Shuangliu Airport terminal 1 and terminal 2 (the original feeder terminal departing hall). The line, site, time adjustment is subject to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport dispatching station announced information.
【Inner-city Transport】
There is convenient public transportation in Dujiangyan downtown, tourists can easily reach the tourist attractions by public bus. In addition, there is urban green pollution-free taxi, the price is cheap. If you want to appreciate the elegant demeanour of urban area, you can also ride tricycles.
Spring and summer is the best season to there.