‘We will lose everything’ if it is damaged, official says
Lingqu Canal, the world’s oldest man-made navigable canal dating back 2,000 years, is returning to full vitality in an effort to bolster tourism and modern agriculture.
The water conservation project in Xing’an county, 70 kilometers from Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, had strategic military importance in ancient China and was ordered built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) to help unite the country. Today it is a sought-after tourist attraction as well as a vital water source for farmland.
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Tourists visit Lingqu Canal in Xing’an county, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, in August. Tang Guangdong / For China Daily |
“The canal supports residents’ spirits, and is a symbol of the county that attracts tourists,” says Huang Hongbin, Party secretary of Xing’an.
He says that more than 400,000 visititors from outside the county came to see the canal last year. The Lingqu scenic area is free to residents.
“We are now making efforts to impress visitors with Lingqu’s cultural values, beyond just its natural charm,” he says. “A canal-themed museum has been under construction since September 2017, which will help give visitors a better experience with its vivid interpretation.”
Covering 12,000 square meters, the museum has attracted an investment of 80 million yuan ($11.5 million; 10 million euros: ￡9 million) from the government. It’s scheduled to open around the Lunar New Year in February, according to Huang.
“We are also in the process of restoring the canal’s function for irrigation and transportation to rejuvenate agriculture along the canal,” he says.
The 36.4-kilometer canal irrigates about 43 square kilometers and benefits more than 59,000 people, according to the government.
Tang Chunyan, a 40-year-old Xing’an native, runs a restaurant and a cooperative focusing on raising fish.
“The canal brings clean water to the paddy, and makes the fish we raise in the field plump and appealing to the travelers’ tastes,” she says. “We made a profit of about 600,000 yuan last year thanks to the long-standing irrigation system.”
However, protecting the ecosystem of Lingqu Canal remains the priority in the ancient water conservancy project, Huang says.
“No industrial plant has been allowed to open along the canal since the 1950s,” he says. “We revere the canal, although it’s challenging to balance protection and development. Preservation of relics should always come first, as we will lose everything if the canal is damaged.”
The government began canal repairs in 2016, with nearly 200 million yuan invested so far in transportation functions and to restore the environment along its banks, Huang said.
The canal was listed as one of the world’s Heritage Irrigation Structures by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage in August, and preparations are underway to apply for World Cultural Heritage recognition.
(China Daily European Weekly 12/14/2018 page19)