Dujiangyan | A 2,000-Year-Old Hydraulic Marvel, 10,000 Times More Awe-Inspiring Than Textbook Descriptions!

Dujiangyan | A 2,000-Year-Old Hydraulic Marvel, 10,000 Times More Awe-Inspiring Than Textbook Descriptions! 🌊

Who would’ve thought! Standing in front of the Bottle-Neck Channel at Dujiangyan, watching the roaring Min River suddenly "bend" and obediently split into the Inner and Outer Rivers, gave me goosebumps! The textbook phrase "flood control and irrigation" barely scratches the surface of the ancient wisdom behind this feat. After visiting, all I can say is: Li Bing and his son, you’re absolute legends!

🌊 First Impressions: Utterly Stunned

A 30-minute high-speed train ride from Chengdu to Dujiangyan City, followed by a 10-minute taxi ride, brings you to the scenic area’s entrance. At first, I grumbled, "Why is it all trees?" But as I turned a corner, a thunderous roar of water filled the air—lifting my gaze, I saw the Min River, like an enraged dragon, firmly held back by a dam. Half the water obediently flowed into the Chengdu Plain, while the other half surged down the Outer River. The sight was more breathtaking than any viral tourist spot!

The guide explained this was the "Fish Mouth," built over 2,000 years ago without steel or concrete—just bamboo cages filled with pebbles. Yet, it masterfully splits the raging river into two, then four, transforming "flood disasters" into "hydraulic benefits." Touching the ancient stones along the bank, I realized the word "miracle" falls short.

🔍 Must-See Three Core Wonders: Ancient Genius at Its Finest

1. **Fish Mouth Levee**
Best viewed from the observation deck! The levee in the middle of the river resembles a fish’s mouth, dividing the Min River into the Inner River (for irrigation) and the Outer River (for flood control). The brilliance? It adapts seasonally—diverting 60% of water to the Inner River in dry winters for irrigation and 80% to the Outer River in rainy summers for flood control. The guide called it "working with nature’s flow, adjusting to the times." Mind. Blown. This isn’t just engineering; it’s a living textbook on water management!

2. **Flying Sand Weir Spillway**
Walk the plank bridge for a close-up view of this "second line of defense." During floods, excess water spills back into the Outer River, carrying sand with it—hence "Flying Sand." The weir’s height is precision itself: 2 meters lower than the Inner River and 1 meter higher than the Outer River, ensuring perfect "on-demand" distribution. How did the ancients calculate this so perfectly?!

3. **Bottle-Neck Channel**
The "throat" of the entire project! Li Bing and his son chiseled a 20-meter-wide channel through Mount Yulei, taming the Inner River’s flow into the Chengdu Plain. From Fulong Temple, the river looks like a wild horse now obediently galloping through the bottleneck. Realizing Chengdu’s "Land of Abundance" title owes everything to this, I got unexpectedly emotional.

*(Psst: The hill beside the channel, called "Lidui," is what remained after carving the bottleneck. Climb it for panoramic views—steep steps, but worth it!)*

📜 Stories Along the Way: History Outshines Scenery

A white-haired grandpa with a magnifying glass studying stone inscriptions turned out to be a hydraulic engineer on a pilgrimage. Pointing to repair marks, he said, "See these? Ming Dynasty patches, Qing Dynasty patches, and still maintained today. For 2,000 years, generations have safeguarded it. That’s true *legacy*."

At the Two Kings Temple (honoring Li Bing and his son), the wall bears the six-character mantra: "Dig the channels deep, keep the weirs low." The guide called it the essence of water management—six simple words embodying "respect and harness nature." It hit me: today’s "green mountains and clear waters" philosophy? Our ancestors nailed it centuries ago.

🍜 Post-Tour Eats: Local Secrets

Don’t miss **"You Rabbit Head"** left of the exit! A local favorite, their spicy braised rabbit heads and melt-in-your-mouth duck tongues, paired with icy jelly, are addictively fiery.

If time allows, head downtown for **"Zhang Lao Zao"**—handmade fermented glutinous rice balls and brown sugar sticky rice cakes, dusted with soybean flour. The owner grinned: "Our water and rice thrive thanks to Dujiangyan!"

💡 Pro Tips:

1. Tickets: ¥80 (half-price for students). **Hire a guide (¥100-ish)**—you’ll miss half the genius without one.
2. Go in the morning; afternoon river winds get chilly. Wear comfy shoes—it’s a 20,000-step journey.
3. Visit nearby **Fulong Temple** and **Two Kings Temple** for historic steles and murals.
4. Catch the **"Water Release Ceremony"** night show (extra ticket). With lights and ancient costumes reenacting the water-taming saga, it’s spine-tingling!

As I left, the setting sun gilded the river, stretching the Fish Mouth’s shadow endlessly. It dawned on me why Dujiangyan is a *World Heritage Irrigation Structure*—it’s no relic. For 2,000 years, it’s silently nurtured the land and its people.

Folks, skip just food-hopping in Chengdu. Visit Dujiangyan to grasp what "achievements for today, benefits for millennia" truly means—and witness the ingenuity and duty etched in Chinese bones.