Sanhe Sluice

Sanhe Sluice

Sanhe Sluice is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area.

The Sanhe Sluice Water Conservancy Scenic Area is located on the eastern shore of Hongze Lake and mainly includes five natural and cultural attractions: Sanhe Sluice, the Heron and Egret Nature Reserve, Moon Lake, the Hongze Lake Water Conservancy Stele Corridor, and the Hongze Lake Iron Ox for Water Control. Sanhe Sluice is the largest sluice in the Huai River basin, and the Iron Ox is a key provincial-level cultural relic under protection. Party and state leaders have visited the site on multiple occasions and fully affirmed the development of water conservancy tourism in the area.

Located in the central part of the Sanhe Sluice Water Conservancy Scenic Area, Sanhe Sluice is 697.75 meters long with a total of 63 bays, each 10 meters wide. Construction began in October 1952, and it was completed in July 1953. After three reinforcement projects, its flood discharge capacity has reached 12,000 cubic meters per second, and to date, it has safely discharged 1.005 trillion cubic meters of floodwater. Known as the “Key to the Heavenly Lake,” Sanhe Sluice serves multiple purposes including flood control, water storage for irrigation, navigation facilitation, and hydroelectric power generation. In normal times, the stored water appears as “a firm blue expanse hanging in the sky” or “misty waves stretching endlessly.” During flood season, the outpouring resembles “mighty waves returning to the river and sea, rolling tides like a giant dragon in motion.” Standing on the sluice bridge and looking south, the sight of “a white serpent turning into a dragon playing with water, swallowing clouds and spitting flowers” is even more spectacular. The Heron and Egret Nature Reserve is located on the western side of the scenic area, featuring over a hundred acres of arboreal forest where more than ten species of nationally protected Class I and II birds—such as great bustards, egrets, and herons—gather and breed each year, forming a nascent bird sanctuary.

The Moon Lake Viewing Area is situated in the southern part of the Sanhe Sluice Water Conservancy Scenic Area. It features a 400-acre deep-water lake named for its crescent-like shape. The lake was formed in the first year of the Xianfeng era (1851) when floodwaters breached a dam and carved out a deep pool, which later closed off to become a lake. The water here is crystal clear and azure, with swaying aquatic plants along the shoreline.

Over 100 acres of wild lotus and water caltrop grow on the southwestern side of the lake, presenting a scene in midsummer reminiscent of “endless green lotus leaves reaching to the sky, and lotus blossoms glowing red under the sun.” The Sanhe Sluice Water Conservancy Scenic Area, with its unique water culture and scenery that returns to simplicity and nature, is attracting an increasing number of domestic and international visitors.

Jiangsu, Huai'an

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units