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Lingqu Canal
China
Date of Submission: 29/01/2013
Criteria: (i)(iv)(vi)
Category: Cultural
Submitted by:
National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO
State, Province or Region:
Xing'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Coordinates: N 25° 36’ 10”, E 110° 41’ 10”
Ref.: 5814
Description
The Lingqu Canal, also known as Dou Canal or Xing’an Canal, is located in Xing’an County, Guangxi Zhuang
Autonomous Region. It is an ancient canal that connects the Xiang River and Li River, joins the Yangtze River Basin
and Pearl River Basin and links up Central China and Lingnan region. Its overall length is 36.4 km running through
towns of Xing’an, Yan’guan, Rongjiang and Xiang’li. Its main projects include the Canal Head Complex, the South
Canal and the North Canal.
After the Qin Empire unified China, Shi Lu was assigned by Emperor Qinshihuang to build a canal for grain transport.
The project was completed in 214 B.C., which is known as the Lingqu Canal today. It has directly secured the South
China with military significance. The Canal has been in service for over 2000 years as the major water transport route
between Lingnan (today’s Guangdong and Guangxi) and Central China till completion of the Yuehan Railway and
Xianggui Railway in modern times.
The Canal’s main design philosophy is to use weirs to elevate water level of the Xiang River, and they further divert
one stream (today’s South Canal) into an upper branch of Li River and directs another stream through a new canal
(today’s North Canal) which meanders into Xiang River. In this way, the two rivers are connected to allow
communication between the river systems of the Yangtze and the Pearl River. At the canal head, overflow dams,
training dikes and side overflow dams are used to divert water and control flood. Moreover, the Canal was built by
combing excavation and dam construction, the degree of slope is eased by curves, use of water was controlled by
Doumen(ancient locks) and weirs, and existing natural waterway (former course of Xiang River) was utilized or new
canals were dug to discharge flood. This is a comprehensive project with multiple hydraulic facilities and making use
of all available natural resources. It exhibits the distinctive style and the scientific achievements of ancient Chinese
hydraulic projects.
The Lingqu Canal was also built as an irrigation project which turned Xing’an an agriculturally developed area. After
the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Canal was completely renovated and well preserved as an
ancient project. Though it no longer serves navigation and the irrigation function is
weakened, related waterways and hydraulic facilities are preserved. Today, the Lingqu Canal stands as an
important cultural heritage and a multifunctional hydraulic project serving irrigation, flood control, water supply and
tourism.
The technological system created by the Lingqu Canal is of great significance in the world history of canal. It is the
evidence for the unique canal technology of ancient China, and an outstanding example of early canals that reflect
the Asian hydraulic technology and navigation technology of ancient civilizations. It has innovative and representative
achievements in design of a mountain-crossing canal, curved navigation route with locks, and accurate control over
water flow by comprehensive hydraulic facilities. Constructed in 214 B.C., it had vital importance for the success of
the Qin Empire's conquest of Baiyue ethnic group and Lingnan region, and helped maintain stability in the southern
territory of a unified multinational country. Meanwhile, as a typical example of Chinese ancient canal landscapes, the
unique landform and winding waterways as well as the rurality of the Lingqu Canal have great aesthetic value.
Justification of Outstanding Universal Value
The technology system created with the construction of the Lingqu Canal is of great significance in the world history
of canal. It is the evidence for the uniqueness of canal technology of ancient China, and an outstanding example of
early canals that reflect the Asian hydraulic and navigation technology of ancient civilization. It has innovative and
representative achievements in design of a mountain-crossing canal, curved navigation route with locks, and
accurate control over water flow by comprehensive hydraulic facilities. In addition, it integrates navigation, irrigation
and flood control functions and is an outstanding example of comprehensive, sustainable and effective use of natural
resources in traditional Chinese agricultural society. Constructed in 214 B.C., it had vital importance for the success
of the Qin Empire's conquest of Baiyue ethnic group and Lingnan region, and helped maintain stability in the southern
territory of a unified multinational country. Meanwhile, as a typical example of Chinese ancient canal landscapes, the
unique landform and winding waterways as well as the rurality of the Lingqu Canal have great aesthetic value.
Criterion (i): The site selection, planning and design of the Lingqu Canal reflect the ancient Chinese people’s
creativity in building canals. From the perspective of location and concept, the Canal sits at the “Five Mountains”
region in south China and links up the Xiang River in the north and the Li River in the south of the mountains, thus
successfully connects the water systems of the Yangtze and the Pearl River. It is not only the first mountain-crossing
canal in the world but also one of the earliest successful practices in human history in connecting two different water
systems through an artificial canal. From the perspective of design of navigation routes, it uses curves with locks to
ensure water depth and speed of water flow for navigation demands. The concept of “curves with locks” was
originated from China with the Lingqu Canal as the earliest existing application and technical representative.
Criterion (iv): Constructed since 214 B.C., the Lingqu Canal is an outstanding example of Chinese canal
transportation technology in the Qin Dynasty, a rare example and masterpiece of the ancient canal transportation
technology in Asia and even the world, and an outstanding example of comprehensive, sustainable and effective use
of water and land resources in Chinese traditional agricultural society. Its main technological feature lies in its use of
water resources. The hydraulic facilities are simple but fully operational to accurately control water flow and serve
navigation purpose as well as irrigation and flood control. Supplementation, reduction and renovation of hydraulic
facilities and historical evolution of irrigation branches, ponds and surrounding farmlands explain how Chinese
ancient comprehensive hydraulic technology constantly renovated and formed its distinctive system along with
natural and social evolution over 2000 years. On the other hand, the winding waterways gradually blends with
surrounding natural and cultural settings and forms unique landscape, making the Lingqu Canal an outstanding
example of rural canal landscapes in Chinese traditional agricultural civilization.
Criterion (vi): The construction of the Lingqu Canal was closely related to the military conquest of the Lingnan region
by the Qin Empire. It witnessed the important historical progress that the Central China Dynasty conquered the
Baiyue ethnic group in the south and achieved stability of the southern territory, a vital moment of the history of Asia
and even of the world when Chinese agricultural civilization expanded and reached a unified empire.
Statements of authenticity and/or integrity
Authenticity
The nominated property of the Lingqu Canal meets the requirements on authenticity specified in the Operational
Guidelines. It also meets the requirements of the Information Document on Heritage Canals (Experts meeting,
Canada, 1994) on canal authenticity. In terms of design and form, the most distinctive heritage elements of the entire
project design including naturally bending waterways, water diversion complexes, overflow dams and discharge
channels for flood discharge, Doumen and weirs generally stay in the form of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of
China; in terms of material, original materials are used in hydraulic facilities and the modern restorations also
showed respect to the history; in terms of function, the overall hydraulic system remains its ancient functions, and the
water diversion system, flood discharge system, irrigation system and water elevation facility operate as usual, and
most canal sections are capable for navigation; in terms of tradition, techniques and management system, the ancient
navigation system, management system and rules as well as production/construction techniques of some hydraulic
facilities are conserved in historical files or research papers; in terms of location and setting, most heritage elements
are preserved in original locations; in terms of spirit and emotion, the Lingqu Canal has become an important spirit
symbol for the regional community and the unification of China witnessed by the Canal has become an important
element of Chinese people’s sense of pride. To sum up, the Lingqu Canal has high authenticity in all aspects.
Integrity
The nominated property of the Lingqu Canal meets the requirements on integrity specified in the Operational
Guidelines. First of all, the hydraulic system of the Canal has all the core elements supporting its function. Second,
the whole Canal is linked up for traffic whilst each section of the Canal remains intact, and hydraulic facilities, except
the dismountable components (locks) of Doumen and weirs and some missing components (e.g. some posts of
Doumen), are preserved with sufficient scale and fully operational. Third, the overall property is not under urgent and
severe threat. Traditional agricultural production and ecological landscape are preserved in most of the region. In
some areas (e.g. inside the Xing’an County) with pressure of urbanization, regulations and plans have been
developed for effective conservation.
Comparison with other similar properties
From a technological perspective, we see nine waterways (including canals) inscribed on the World Heritage List or
the Tentative List. They represent three technology systems from different periods and civilizations, namely the
Western canal technology from the industrial revolution, the Middle East irrigation technology, and the ancient
Chinese canal (and irrigation) technology. According to the International Canal Monument List, the technology of the
Lingqu Canal is representative in time and region and is an outstanding example of ancient Chinese canal
technology. It has many noteworthy features – durability, geographical flexibility, adaptable hydraulic structures, the
emphasis on accurate water flow control to cope with rainy and dry seasons, and the integrated navigation, irrigation
and flood discharge functions. All features mentioned above prove that the Lingqu Canal has a unique technology
system that can distinguish it from the waterways in the West, Africa, Middle East and South Asia. Comparison with
hydraulic heritage inscribed on the List of World Heritages or the Tentative List in China reveals that: first, the
Lingqu Canal is the precursor to later mountain-crossing canals; second, it always balances functions of
transportation, irrigation and flood control and optimizes use of water resources. Comparatively, the Grand Canal and
the Dujiangyan System in China emphasize one function (either transportation or irrigation), therefore are left behind
of the Lingqu Canal in terms of coordination and comprehensive use of water resource; third, the Lingqu Canal
typically exhibits the navigation principle of “curves with locks” which is more distinctive and representative
compared with other domestic and international cases.
From a historical perspective, it was the Chinese people who first used canals for military purpose. This idea hadn’t
been widely accepted in the West until modern times. The Lingqu Canal stands as a forerunner and excellent
example of military canals. In China, the Grand Canal also had military function which, however, was secondary
comparing with transport function and was limited in certain sections of the canal. The entire Lingqu Canal was
designed to serve the military strategy for conquest and was directly associated to the conquest of Lingnan region.
Therefore it is more typical as a military canal.
From a scenic perspective, the curves of the Lingqu Canal can offer a different voyage. Seldom canal heritages have
such curves to form similar landscape. In addition, from the perspective of landscape elements, the Western canals
mostly reflect classical aesthetics or industrial beauty; the waterways in the Middle East reflect a unique landscape
based on its geographical features (desert); the Lingqu Canal, however, has perfectly blended the waterways with its
surrounding environment to present a picture of harmony between the nature and Chinese farming tradition.
In conclusion, the Lingqu Canal has its outstanding universal value supported by above mentioned comparative
analysis.